The Easter Edit: Where to Spend the Long Weekend

London at Easter is at its most satisfying when you treat it as a hop between museums and galleries, punctuated by green spaces. From Mayfair, you can start the day in Green Park, cut through to Buckingham Palace, and keep walking into St James’s Park without needing the Tube. Carry on towards Westminster Abbey for a landmark moment, or drift back through Piccadilly for a gallery stop.

The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences is a London base that feels calm as well as central. This Art Deco gem sits on Piccadilly with Green Park directly opposite, which means your first coffee can easily be followed by a leisurely stroll. Opt for The Residences if you are looking for a family weekend trip or simply want more breathing space.

A few miles away, Knightsbridge gives you a different take on the same trip. It is still walkable, but the anchors are museums and shopping rather than Mayfair galleries. The Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum sit together in South Kensington, so you can comfortably cover two in a day (if you keep to the highlights only.) Afterwards, Hyde Park is close enough for a decompression stroll, and Harrods is an easy stop if you want to enjoy some retail therapy.

Located moments from the iconic shopping emporium, yet quietly removed from the crowds, The Capital Hotel, Apartments & Townhouse suits a London break built around great food. The dining draw here is Tom Brown’s Michelin starred restaurant, which brilliantly captures the chef’s signature style - clean, creative and produce-led.

If your ideal Easter break in the UK involves sea air and a less rigid itinerary, then consider the South West. Coastal days do have a rhythm to them: walking, pausing, watching the water, but that is part of the appeal. The beauty lies in how flexible it all feels, with scope for a longer stretch one day and a gentler outing the next, without any sense of having missed out.

On the Cornish side, the Roseland Peninsula is the quieter choice, featuring picturesque villages like St Mawes and Portloe, sheltered coves and an altogether gentler pace than the county’s busy surfing spots.

This is where you will find The Nare, Cornwall’s highest-rated hotel for over 30 years. Set in a secluded bay with views over Carne Beach, it’s also a great choice for family weekend ideas: rock-pool adventures, interconnecting rooms and babysitting when the adults want some time on their own. With so much worth exploring right on the doorstep, it’s exactly the kind of base you want for a four-day break.

In South Devon, the landscape shifts slightly. The coastline feels softer, with famously walkable beaches and the South West Coast Path unfolding in a series of easy routes, wide views and natural stopping points.

Thurlestone Hotel is a strong fit for this version of Easter, offering both coastal access and plenty on site to keep everyone happy. The hotel has room options designed with children in mind, including family rooms and suites with bunk beds, cots and connecting options. It also provides children’s welcome bags and a host of practical extras. These are the small details that make a long weekend, with little ones in tow, so much smoother.

For a different South West pace entirely, swap sea views for Somerset countryside at Homewood Hotel & Spa, just outside Bath. Head into the historic city for a morning of crescents and galleries, then return to base for Bramley Spa downtime and a slow wander through the grounds. Finally, detour via the no-dig kitchen garden, an ongoing project that is transforming ten acres of land into a remarkably abundant space.

If you want an Easter break in the UK that feels completely restorative, the South East makes a strong case: spring gardens, delightful market towns and hotels where you can step straight into pastoral calm. This is the sort of long weekend that’s part wander, part lunch and part spa.

In the Dedham Vale, Talbooth House & Spa is made for that slower rhythm. This is Constable Country, with riverside walks and pretty villages right on the doorstep. Back at the hotel, The Pool House complex is a particular draw, with a range of fabulous treatment packages available. And when dinner calls, there’s a courtesy car that will whisk you to the nearby 3 AA Rosette Talbooth Restaurant for a riverside meal.

For a more classic country house feel, Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa pairs a “5 bubble” rated spa with great access to Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge and Ely for easy exploring.