Summer is well and truly here and after a busy few months, senior members of the royal family might be thinking about where they will be spending their downtime weeks in July and August.
Royals, including King Charles and Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales, are no strangers to a luxury holiday abroad, but there are plenty of beautiful venues a little closer to home that offer them much-needed rest and relaxation.
We’ve rounded up some gorgeous hotels that the royals have paid a visit to in the past. From pre-wedding staycations to a guesthouse with ocean views that the Queen Mother was said to adore, find out the most sensational UK hotels and properties that the royals love…
The Goring, London
The only hotel to have been awarded a Royal Warrant for hospitality services, The Goring borders on the iconic walls of Buckingham Palace and nearby Knightsbridge.
Boasting 69 sumptuous suites filled with lavish decor, it famously hosted the Duchess of Cambridge in its Royal Suite the night before her wedding in April 2011.
To book your stay visit booking.com
Coworth Park, Berkshire
Speaking of a pre-wedding staycation, Prince Harry and best man Prince William headed to Coworth Park in Berkshire before his 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle.
The luxury hotel is located just minutes from the sprawling Royal Ascot racecourse.
Not only that, but it’s also just down the road from the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s gorgeous estate, Bagshot Park, and just 20 minutes by car to William and Harry’s old school in Wokingham, so it’s safe to say the royals have become more than familiar with the area over the years.
The stunning hotel stretches across 240 acres of picturesque parks, and we suspect Harry was swayed by the hotel’s impressive equestrian centre and polo fields.
To book your stay visit booking.com
© Patrick WangCliveden House, Berkshire
While the groom was in Ascot, the bride was in Maidenhead. This five-star country-house-hotel welcomed Meghan Markle the night before she and Harry became husband and wife at St George’s Chapel seven years ago.
Spanning 376 verdant acres, the 17th-century property has also played host to Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, and Charlie Chaplin.
To book your stay visit booking.com
© @claridgeshotelClaridge’s, London
The epitome of art deco glamour, Claridge’s has fast become an English institution thanks to its royal ties and rich heritage.
The hotel even boasts a Royal Suite inspired by the Coronation of Her Late Majesty the Queen, which features monochrome stone flooring, damask silk wall coverings, hand-painted chinoiserie wallpaper, and ‘Buckingham blue’ flourishes.
To book your stay visit booking.com
© Photo: InstagramSoho Farmhouse, Oxfordshire
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex call Montecito, California, their home. The couple reside at a gorgeously rustic farmhouse-style mansion with their two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, three.
However, before they headed Stateside, the royal couple were known to frequent the trendy Soho Farmhouse.
Meghan in fact hosted a spa-themed bridal shower at the private members’ club in the Cotswolds, and she also previously paid a visit there with her pal, Millie Mackintosh.
To apply for membership, visit sohohouse.com
© Photo: InstagramRuthin Castle, Wales
An opulent retreat nestled alongside the Clwydian Range in Wales, Ruthin Castle is a particular favourite of King Charles, who stayed here the night before his investiture as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.
A botanical beauty equipped with its own Italian gardens and surrounded by rustic woodlands, Ruthin Castle is truly a royal gem that we imagine Charles and Camilla might have visited in more recent times.
To book your stay visit secretescapes.com
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Mandarin Oriental hosted the late Queen Elizabeth II on several occasions and was most notedly used for the pre-wedding celebrations of Prince William and Kate in 2011, which saw 142 royals attend.
Adorned with chic contemporary decor, the hotel overlooks Hyde Park and Knightsbridge and is just a stone’s throw from Sloane Street, Harrods, and Harvey Nichols.
To book your stay visit mandarinoriental.com
The Stafford, London
This five-star hotel is hidden away in the heart of St James’s, Mayfair, and is a particular favourite of Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall.
It’s just minutes away from London’s iconic landmarks and the vibrant West End, plus it has an award-winning restaurant called The Game Bird.
To book your stay visit booking.com
© Alamy Stock PhotoPenolva, Cornwall
According to British Vogue, Penolva, a charming guest house located in Truro, Cornwall, was adored by the late Queen Mother, who paid a visit in the 1960s.
In modern years. Diana, Princess of Wales, also took young Prince William and Prince Harry there for a vacation.
With stunning views of the sea and a serene landscape, we’re not surprised they loved having a British holiday here.
To book your stay visit plumguide.com
© NurPhoto via Getty ImagesCongham Hall Hotel, Norfolk
Although it’s not known if the royals have stayed at Congham Hall Hotel, its proximity to the Sandringham Estate in King’s Lynn [pictured] gives it a royal stamp of approval.
The hotel also offers tours of Sandringham House during peak seasons, and the vast gardens are idyllic.
To book your stay visit booking.com