Need a last-minute romantic escape? Sometimes the best breaks are the spontaneous ones – the “let’s just go this weekend” decisions that turn into the trips you remember for years. And the good news is that last-minute doesn’t mean settling for whatever’s left. Far from it…

Here’s a secret about romantic breaks: they’re not actually about money. Yes, luxury helps. Yes, a five-star hotel with a spa is lovely. Yes, champagne and fancy dinners are nice. But they’re not what makes a break actually romantic. So whether you’re on a tight budget or just want to make a regular break more special, here’s how to dial up the romance without dialing up the spending.

Rose Cottage is a romantic 18th century boutique hideaway with 21st century luxuries. The cottage oozes character with its wonky walls and beams, but has been lovingly updated in a French shabby chic style with Farrow and Ball paints and luxury wallpapers. Perfect for romantics fancying a luxury break in Devon it boasts an amazing double copper bath and large private hot tub in the garden. We’ve secured an exclusive deal for Romantic Retreats users - enter the code RR10 when booking online and you’ll receive a complimentary upgrade to the Romantic Welcome package. This includes a bottle of bubbly, flower petals on the bed, a candlelit room and your favourite romantic music on arrival.

Nestled in the heart of the British countryside, Midnight Moon offers the perfect setting for a romantic retreat. This stunning 5 star holiday property, located in the Mendip Hills, promises an unforgettable hot tub break in Somerset for couples seeking intimacy, relaxation, and a touch of magic.

Nestled in a leafy 32-acre Devonshire estate is a hideaway where you can find old age charm mixed with luxury modern treats. Corncott was once the ground’s Old Mill but has been lovingly redesigned as a first floor retreat for romantics. This is a great place to stay, with nearby attractions including the beautiful coastline, and a host of historic castles and gardens. Meanwhile, on the estate you have great views, free access to a hot tub, and your neighbours will include five friendly alpacas. We’ve secured an exclusive deal for Romantic Retreats users - enter the code RR10 when booking online and you’ll receive a complimentary upgrade to the Romantic Welcome package. This includes a bottle of bubbly, flower petals on the bed, a candlelit room and your favourite romantic music on arrival.

E.M. Forster wanted A Room with a View – well Forster, we’ve found you the one! This romantic Devon retreat earns its name from its outlook. From the living room you can sit back and admire a beautiful 32-acre estate with fishing lakes. Now complete with private hot tub! We’ve secured an exclusive deal for Romantic Retreats users - enter the code RR10 when booking online and you’ll receive a complimentary upgrade to the Romantic Welcome package. This includes a bottle of bubbly, flower petals on the bed, a candlelit room and your favourite romantic music on arrival.

This romantic retreat is an ideal getaway spot for couples seeking a peaceful, green South England bolthole set in its own leafy private estate. For fresh sea air, it’s a short hop to beautiful beaches, including the lovely Croyde, Woolacombe and Ilfracombe. While for cosy evenings this converted mill comes with access to a beautiful hot tub in the Millbrook woodlands. Wheel Room is also a pet friendly gem – with two dogs allowed to stay. We’ve secured an exclusive deal for Romantic Retreats users - enter the code RR10 when booking online and you’ll receive a complimentary upgrade to the Romantic Welcome package. This includes a bottle of bubbly, flower petals on the bed, a candlelit room and your favourite romantic music on arrival.

This beautiful old mill has been reinvented for romantics. Pulley Mill is a great place to choose if you want to be close to North Devon’s beautiful beaches and market towns, while enjoying the peace of a beautiful family-run country estate. And guests can use the fabulous hot tub located in a log cabin in the woods, accessed along a romantic woodland raised path lit by lanterns. We’ve secured an exclusive deal for Romantic Retreats users - enter the code RR10 when booking online and you’ll receive a complimentary upgrade to the Romantic Welcome package. This includes a bottle of bubbly, flower petals on the bed, a candlelit room and your favourite romantic music on arrival.

Orchard Bank Barn isn’t your usual bank conversion. Instead, this romantic retreat offers style, luxury and space with a contemporary twist. Here you’ll find yourself nestled in a private orchard with wild flowers and surrounded by the beautiful Devon countryside. Set on the edge of Dartmoor Nation Park, this cottage for couples is the perfect tonic for busy and stressful lives.

For couples in search of romantic breaks in Norfolk that feel genuinely removed from the ordinary, The Goat Shed makes a quietly persuasive case. Set within a farm that has been in the same family since the 1300s, this beautifully converted outbuilding sits on the edge of Thetford Forest — England’s largest lowland pine forest, and one of the most atmospheric corners of East Anglia. It is the kind of place that asks very little of you and offers rather a lot in return.

There’s nothing wrong with going to a nice restaurant for your anniversary. But also… it’s what everyone does. And after a few years together, “dinner at a nice restaurant” starts to feel a bit samey. So here are some anniversary ideas that go beyond the standard restaurant booking. Some are big, some are small, some cost money, some don’t. But they’re all more interesting than your usual table-for-two.

There are Devon romantic breaks that make you feel pleasantly removed from everyday life, and then there are those that make you feel as though you have stepped into somewhere specifically designed for the two of you. The Sail Loft is firmly in the second category. Perched above Brixham Harbour on its own private elevated plot, this beautifully designed contemporary retreat for two delivers something genuinely rare on the South Devon coast — seclusion, sea views, and style, all in one quietly confident package.

For couples searching for Cornwall hot tub breaks that offer something beyond the predictable, The Apple Store delivers quietly and completely. Set within forty acres of working Cornish farm in the Tamar Valley, this beautifully converted barn has the kind of unhurried, rooted quality that is increasingly hard to find — the sort of place where the day slows down the moment you arrive, and you realise very quickly that you had been more tired than you knew.

There are Devon hot tub breaks for couples, and then there is Runaway Keep. Tucked away in the heart of the South Hams, this beautifully designed annexe is one of those rare finds — somewhere that feels entirely private, quietly luxurious, and completely yours from the moment you close the gate behind you.

“Our stay at The Stables was our dream weekend; we felt completely disconnected and enjoyed every minute of our peaceful retreat.” We think this guest comment really sums up what makes this romantic Essex bolthole so special. Located in a very secluded area with great access to footpaths and quiet lanes you can really escape everyday life and completely chill in these stylish surroundings. Pet friendly.

We don’t think you will find a retreat with much more English charm than this! The historic Brook Cottage, sat on the side of the River Stour, is a great destination for couples hoping to escape to the countryside from the city. You can get there, from London, in 90 minutes, and then lay back in luxury by its open fire, and under its oak beams.

This romantic 18th Century thatched cottage is situated opposite the church in the picturesque Portman Estate village of Durweston, in the heart of Dorset within an area of “Outstanding Natural Beauty”. Lovingly restored in 2009, No 53 Durweston is a luxury holiday cottage that boasts a huge traditional Inglenook, oak flooring, cob walls and beams.

So you want to surprise your partner with a romantic weekend away? Noble intentions. Very thoughtful. Potentially disastrous if you get it wrong. Get it right and you’re a romantic hero. Get it wrong and you’re the person who kidnapped them to Cornwall when they had a big presentation on Monday morning. But don’t panic. We’ve got you. Here’s how to plan a surprise getaway that’ll actually work, with minimal risk of it all going horribly wrong.