The UK's Top Things To Do This Bank Holiday Weekend
Top Picks
For the first time this year, we have a Bank Holiday Weekend that will seem fairly normal! Live music is back, hotels are open for the general public again, we can finally enjoy some food and drink inside pubs, restaurants and bars – can you believe it?!
As of last week, people can now meet outdoors in groups of up to thirty people (hell-o birthday BBQs) and six people or two households can now meet up inside. Now that we can finally spend time with more than five of our family and friends at once somewhere outside, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the recent rain showers have passed and the weather is good this weekend!
Here at HIP Hotels we want to help you make the most of this bank holiday weekend, so we’ve compiled a list of suggestions for some exciting things to do to kick-start your summer. From immersive art exhibits, live music events and options for a more relaxed bank holiday experience, this weekend is the perfect time to dust off all those stylish outfits you purchased in lockdown and get together with the friends and family that you’ve missed!
Please note: Each venue will have their own covid-19 safety protocols, please be sure to check them ahead of time.
Indulge in Live Music and Theatre at the Brighton Fringe Festival
If you’ve been missing live music and that festival feeling, take a trip down to the home of pebbled beaches for the first weekend of Brighton Fringe Festival. Launching today, the entire festival runs until the middle of July, but the opening weekend is sure to be incredible. Whether you enjoy shows, watching talented street performers or soaking up the atmosphere on the beach as you’re surrounded by groups of people playing music and dancing their worries away, it’s sure to encapsulate you with its irresistible atmosphere full of the joy of people that have been locked up for far too long!
An international festival rooted in community, Brighton Fringe embraces all art forms, from music and comedy to theatre and variety, performed by both new and established performers. With almost 600 different events happening throughout the festival, Brighton Fringe staples are back, such as The Lady Boys of Bangkok with their most glamorous and outrageous show yet Flight of Fantasy, and the world famous Improvised Shakespeare, an improvised set of narratives centred around the language of Shakespeare! Brand new shows created by artists not afraid to take risks run alongside the classics, so no matter your artistic taste, Brighton Fringe has something for everyone.
Brighton Spiegeltent and The Warren return with purpose built theatres that adhere to social distancing and covid-safe ventilation protocols, so you can sit back and immerse yourself in mesmerising shows without worry! With this being the first Fringe Festival for a very long time, be sure to book your tickets in advance so you don’t miss out, and bear in mind that due to the covid-safety protocols, some ticket prices will be for a table rather than individual seats. Whatever tickles your fancy, dig out your gladrags, gather your friends and enjoy England’s largest open-access arts festival this bank holiday weekend.
Bottomless Mediterranean Brunch at Henson’s Bar
With most people off work on Monday, why not extend your Bank Holiday celebrations over to Sunday with a fantastic brunch at one of Soho’s swankiest bars? Henson’s Bar at Mimi’s Hotel launched their Sunday Mediterrean Brunch earlier this month and between the mouth-watering menu, the fantastic staff and the bottomless drinks, to say we can’t wait to go would be an understatement!
Served between 12:30 and 2:30pm, indulge in three courses and unlimited drinks. With courgette fritters, metsovone samosas, mini wraps and chocolate cake amongst the options put together by Henson’s brilliant team, the food is ready and waiting to tantalise your tastebuds. Choose between an Americano, Spritz Veneziano, Negroni Garibaldi and Vermouth and Soda for your unlimited drink, as you make up for all the brunches we’ve missed this past year.
Henson’s Bar is an old English gentleman’s club meets trendy cocktail bar, culminating in an opulent and intimate experience for anyone looking for a great spot to catch up with friends over exceptional food. Be sure to reserve a table ahead of time, as Henson’s bar is a popular site without the lure of a bottomless brunch! If you fancy heading off to explore London’s eclectic Soho after brunch, why not extend your day of luxury and return to Mimi’s to spend the night in one of their elegant rooms? Make the most of this Bank Holiday Weekend and find bliss within rooms adorned with classic panelling and an antique style combined with the modern comforts we all deserve.
Escape to the Countryside with a Luxurious Weekend at Cowley Manor
Escape to the country for a long luxurious weekend away to the stunning Cowley Manor, a converted Grade II listed villa in the heart of the Cotswolds. Cowley Manor has so much to offer; from an award-winning spa and delicious cuisine to breath-taking views over the beautiful grounds and special accommodation for your four-legged friends. Whether you’re after a spa-focused weekend, a romantic trip for two, somewhere to lose yourself in nature, knowing comfort and luxury await your return, or a combination of all three, Cowley Manor is the perfect place for you.
With traditional exteriors and quirky interior design, Cowley Manor will make you feel as if you’ve stepped into an eclectic oasis of calm. Drown out your worries and relax in their C-Side Spa, inspired by the surrounding natural beauty of the Cotswold countryside. Choose from a range of holistic treatments including massages and facials, before relaxing in the indoor pool or soak up the sun in the external pool, both with fantastic views of the landscape it’s inspired by. Round off your day on the glorious terrace with mouth-watering food and unwind with a cocktail or two as the sun sets behind the trees and a stunning view of the lakes and gardens.
What makes Cowley Manor all the more special, is that it is completely pet friendly! For a small fee, the team will provide your four-legged companion with a bed, bowls and doggy treats, showing them the same luxurious treatment that you’ll be treated to. The rooms especially set up for your furry friends are located in the stables, and all have direct access to the gardens. With 55 stunning acres of grounds to explore, you’ll be hard tasked to find a better spot for a long weekend away with your favourite pooch.
Indulge in Opulence at Hotel Gotham
One of Manchester’s most lavish hotels, Hotel Gotham is a polished sanctum filled with the retro touches and glitzy decadence of early twentieth century Manhattan glamour. Designed by Edwin Lutyens, the art-deco, neoclassical style of the hotel will whisk you away from the worries of everyday life and transport you to a symbolised version of New York’s enigmatic fictional alter-ego, complete with the staff dressed in Gotham-esque attire.
Each of Hotel Gotham’s 60 rooms and five “Inner Sanctum” suites has been carefully curated with leather headboards, eclectic touches and beautiful linens to encapsulate you in decadence. During your stay, be sure to visit the hotel’s 2 AA Rosette awarded restaurant, Honey; with breakfast, lunch and dinner available, as well as afternoon tea, the mouth-watering food will tantalise your taste buds and leave you wanting more. With a name to get you thinking sweet thoughts, Honey Restaurant feels like a gentleman’s club from years gone by, with leather covered seating and typewriters adorning the walls.
When staying at Hotel Gotham, one cannot miss out on visiting the exclusive Club Brass, a members and hotel guests-only private club housed on the seventh floor of the hotel. With a nod to the 1920s prohibition period the club is inspired by, open the vault-like doors and step into a luxurious speakeasy filled with grandeur that will make you feel like you stepped one hundred years into the past. Overlooking the thriving city of Manchester, the rooftop bar has a fantastic food menu and inventive cocktail list for you to indulge in. Be sure to put on your best dress or suit, get one of their signature cocktails in hand and relax in this lavish speakeasy that will make you feel like a million bucks.
Enjoy a Historic Escape at Hurley House Hotel
If you’re after more intimate luxury, look no further than Hurley House Hotel. Nestled in the serene countryside of Berkshire, just forty minutes away from London, this former pub masterfully turned into a multi-award-winning boutique hotel, is the perfect place to spend a long Bank Holiday weekend escape. Having housed dozens of variations of inns and pubs dating back to 1760, the current venue presents a restoration that is luxurious and elegant, whilst also keeping with the building’s original charm – think wood-burning stoves and flagstone floors combined with modern comforts, this truly is the perfect home away from home.
With an atmosphere of laid back sophistication, Hurley House Hotel steps it up a notch with their superb restaurant with its impeccable service and mouth watering cuisine. Known amongst visitors and locals alike, take your senses on a tasty journey and indulge in all the attention to detail and versatility that goes into their magnificent À La Carte. Soak up the sun with an alfresco meal in their beautiful gardens, indulge in a tantalising Sunday Lunch and enjoy a drink or two under the starlit skies whilst you make the most of these longer evenings. If you’re looking to extend your experience of the serenity created by this wonderful place, be sure to book yourself into one of their gorgeously cosy nine rooms, each designed with a chic finish for ultimate relaxation.
Enjoy a slower pace amongst Berkshire’s quaint towns, quirky villages and stunning green landscapes, and step into the vast countryside that will be sure to melt your worries away. Acquaint yourself with the royal town of Windsor and explore the stunning Windsor Great Park, or soak up the artistic leanings of Henley-on-Thames. If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey, be sure to visit Highclere Castle, the stately home where the show was filmed, in the historic town of Newbury. Hurley, one of Berkshire’s lesser known villages is a truly delightful combination of old architecture and breathtaking scenery, sure to give you an authentic taste of British Countryside!
Travel Back to the 90’s at Alexandra Palace Drive-In Film Club
We think most people can agree that we’ve missed going to the cinema over the past year, but now that the summer is beginning to arrive in the UK we don’t want to miss out on spending time in the sun! So why not try a cinematic event like no other with an outdoor, drive-in film? With ten films to choose from over the Bank Holiday Weekend, travel back in time at the iconic Alexandra palace and indulge in the 90’s themed, hand picked films shown on a huge 40-foot screen.
This Bank Holiday Weekend, Alexandra Palace has a fantastic range of films to choose from; Fight Club, The Big Lebowski and Pulp Fiction show for fans of cult classics; romantic comedies such as 10 Things I Hate About You and Cruel Intentions have been chosen for light hearted viewing; Forrest Gump, The Addams Family and Cool Runnings are perfect for a family outing, and Beauty and The Beast and The Iron Giant are options for fans of animation and younger children. Viewing times are spread across the day from 2pm to 8:30pm, and a covid-safe, contact-free environment will allow for a relaxing, worry free outing!
The Drive-In Film Club has five London locations, two of which sit upon rooftops with stunning views of the city. Every location has a brilliant atmosphere in which to sit back with friends and family and enjoy fantastic films, some with stunning views of city skylines and sunsets, but all enveloped under a blanket of starlit skies for the evening viewings. Indulge in delicious food and drinks from the comfort of your car as you watch a film from their carefully curated collection of cults, classics and new releases. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance and get there early for a good spot, so you don’t miss out on this unique experience!
