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Europe's best hotels for wedding venues
28 February 2016
By Amanda Statham
You need to innovate to stay ahead of the crowd. Here are five businesses doing exactly that
Atruly great wedding hotel has a combination of privacy, style, location (for that all important
breathtaking backdrop for the album shots) and a team working tirelessly behind the scenes to
ensure everything goes to plan. With the average UK wedding now ringing in at £24,000 (according
to Brides magazine), having a party in a sun-drenched finca, palace or castle for a third of that price is
a no-brainer for many couples.
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Taormina, Sicily
Set in five acres of lush grounds, the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo’s real draw is the sensational
panorama over the Mediterranean and snow-capped Mount Etna (often seen spewing lava). Wedding
ceremonies are held on an intimate terrace a stone’s throw away from Taormina’s Greek Theatre,
one of the island’s most remarkable ruins, while cocktail receptions with canapés and Sicilian finger
food take place on the Ganimede Terrace below. Five course meals of local specialities (think
swordfish pie, lobster risotto and red snapper) accompanied by fine Etna wines are served under the
stars on the Afrodite Terrace, while after dinner entertainment can be enjoyed in the adjacent
elegant ballroom. Double rooms from £260.
Read the full review: Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Sicily
• The best hotels in Sicily
Villa Cora, Florence, Italy
The fabulously opulent Villa Cora (think marble hallways, elaborate stuccoes, frescoes and vast
chandeliers), was built in the 1870s by Baron Oppenheimer as a tribute to his beloved wife, so
romance is in the very walls. Exclusive use gives you the run of 45 gorgeous bedrooms, splendid
public rooms such as the mirrored pink, green and gold ballroom plus lovely, rose-filled gardens and
a rooftop terrace with 360 degree views. In warm weather, the extensive pool area and
conservatory restaurant are popular for receptions. A subterranean spa offers bridal pampering and
the Fifties-inspired top floor Suite 401 (with private lift access) is perfect for the wedding
night. Double rooms from €380; Suite 401 from €500.
Read the full review: Villa Cora, Florence
CREDIT: ANDREA
GETULI/ANDREA GETULI
• The best hotels in Florence
Santa Caterina, Amalfi, Italy
The Amalfi Coast is home not only to some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in Europe, but
also to some of its loveliest hotels including the Santa Caterina, a handsome 19th century villa built
on a clifftop with peerless views. Its dreamy white interiors, verandas, and terraced gardens filled
with the scent of wisteria, jasmine and citrus blossom make a glorious setting for a blessing while the
Beach Club, built onto the rocks below, is popular for dinner and dancing. For later, the standalone
Giulietta & Romeo suite, built directly above the sea, has a private terrace and infinity pool and views
over the water to the twinkling lights of Amalfi. Double rooms from €450, Giulietta & Romeo suite
from €2,000.
Read the full review: Santa Caterina, Amalfi
CREDIT: UNKNOWN
• Top 10: the best Amalfi Coast hotels
Castello di Casole, Tuscany, Italy
This solid castle and its stone 'borgo’ (hamlet) stand in a private, 4,200-acre estate of rolling hills and
far-reaching vistas, offering a bucolic, luxe-rustic experience with all the bells and whistles. The
wedding service here is a slick affair with an in-house wedding planner and there’s no shortage of
space for blessings and receptions; a deconsecrated church and an amphitheatre-with-a-view, two
restaurants (one high-end, the other an informal pizzeria), the lovely main courtyard of the castle
plus extensive terraces and gardens. There’s even a vineyard that can be used. All 41 suites are
worthy of a bride, but the detached Oliveto and two-level Limonaia suites are more private. For
pampering, the Essere spa offers bridal packages. Suites from €525; Oliveto and Limonaia Suites
from €795.
Read the full review: Castello di Casole, Tuscany
• The best hotels in Tuscany
Gritti Palace, Venice, Italy
Take the sheer magic of a Grand Canal setting. Then mix it with the genteely opulent luxury of a
classic of the Venetian hotel scene. A dream wedding is more or less guaranteed. Step off your
gondola or water taxi on to the Gritti Palace’s private jetty and begin this most special occasion with
aperitivi on the canal-side terrace. The experience continues with a superb meal in gorgeous spaces
ranging from the intimate Sala Pisani (seats up to 35) or the breath-taking Terrazza Redentore (seats
up to 80), an al fresco rooftop space with arguably one of the world’s greatest views. The choice of
exquisite rooms for your wedding night is immense, from a deluxe room to the Somerset Maugham
Royal Suite. Opt for a wedding package and champagne and strawberries will be provided. While a
blessing is possible in the hotel, an official ceremony is must be held at city hall or at a local
church. Double rooms from €485; Somerset Maugham Royal Suite from €9100.
Read the full review: The Gritti Palace, Venice
• The best hotels in Venice
Hotel Villa Arcadio, Salò, Lake Garda, Italy
Located in a former convent amid olive groves and fruit orchards overlooking Lake Garda, the
intimate family-run atmosphere is what makes this boutique hotel so special. Wedding guests tend to
rent out the entire villa, which sleeps 40. Ceremonies take place on one of the hotel’s terraces or in
the garden overlooking the lake. Lunch or dinner for up to 120 guests is served outdoors or, in case
of bad weather, in the restaurant’s vaulted interiors; the chef prepares creative dishes using fresh
greens from the villa’s herb and vegetable garden. Personalised wedding packages reflect the bride
and groom’s preferences, tastes and budget. Double rooms from €250 (£195).
Read the full review: Hotel Villa Arcadio, Lake Garda
Bear in mind prices and temperatures tend to soar in Europe in July and August, so if you’re looking
for a bargain (and don’t want to look like a lobster in your wedding photos), check out off-peak
times like May and September, when temperatures in most of the continent are still pleasantly warm
but prices plummet.
Château de la Treyne, Lacave, Lot, France
The stuff of fairytales, this turreted 14th-century chateau teeters on a cliff above the smoky-green
Dordogne River. Ceremonies take place in a tiny Romanesque chapel transplanted here from Spain.
Drinks in the formal French garden precede gastronomic dining for up to 75 guests by Michelinstarred chef Stephane Andrieux on a stunning terrace overhanging the river. To wed here, you must
take over the chateau and all 17 rooms (several with period features and four-posters) for two days.
But that’s no hardship given La Treyne’s swoon-worthy belle france setting, superb regional kitchen
and exceptional bespoke service by owners Stephanie and Philippe Gombert. Chateau per night
€15,000 (£11,660).
Read the full review: Château de la Treyne, Lacave
• The world's most romantic hotels
Hotel Particulier Montmartre, Paris, France
It’s the private path and secret garden-style courtyard that make this venue on Montmartre Hill so
magical and one of the most desirable wedding hotels in Paris. Exchange vows in the intimate
Baroque-style salle a manger, which can hold up to 40 people, or outside in the enchanting garden
with up to 60 guests. It’s possible to book the entire hotel, which can hold up to 150 people, with a
wedding breakfast in the restaurant or how about cocktails and a chic picnic outside (a concept the
hotel created for Chanel events)? The five suites were each designed by a different French artist;
superior junior suite Tree with Ears is a good choice for a fairy-tale first night setting.
Suites from (€490) £378pn. Exclusive use: prices available on request.
• The best hotels in Paris
Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Cap d’Antibes, France
This opulent Napoleon III chateau from 1870, cocooned in a glorious 22.5-acre paradise of fragrant
pine woods and coastal French gardens, is a mythical French Riviera address. Super-chic wedding
ceremonies happen outside, in the intimacy of a majestic tree-lined alley flanked by rose gardens or
with sweeping sea view on the Champagne Lounge terrace. Haute-couture celebrations continue
with gastronomic dining for up to 150 guests by Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Poëtte on yet another
sumptuous sea-faring terrace, or with dancing in the Îles de Lérins ballroom. The Eden Roc Suite,
with vast hot tub-clad teak terrace and vertiginous Mediterranean Sea views, is the ultimate
wedding-night seduction. Double rooms from €750 (£584); Eden Roc Suite from €6,800 (£5,250).
Read the full review: Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Cap d'Antibes
La Chèvre d’Or, Èze, France
Every wedding is made to measure at The Golden Goat, a five-star medieval chateau wedged
between sky and sea in the eagle-nest village of Èze on the French Riviera. Steeply terraced gardens
ensnare the luxuriant walled property and this is where ceremonies take place, amid the heady scent
of jasmine, rose and Provençal herbs. Afterwards, guests toast newly-weds with cocktails à la sea
view on the Panoramic Bar terrace and dine on Mediterranean cuisine with a coastal panorama in
the Eden restaurant. Prestige Suites face the sea but for wedding-night romance, nothing beats the
Panoramic Suite with outside hot tub and private infinity-pool overlooking the Med. Double rooms
from €310 (£240); Panoramic Suite from €2600 (£2022).
Cap Rocat, Mallorca
Cap Rocat, a golden-stone hideaway in a former military fortress overlooking the Bay of Palma in
Majorca, is the perfect choice for a unique location. Couples can get married at the embassy in
Palma before a ceremony or blessing in the hotel’s little chapel or right by the sea – barefoot or in
heels, it’s up to you - followed by dinner with organic, locally-sourced food and totally private
partying under the stars. There are 30 rooms and suites and the bride and groom should stay in the
secluded El Cabo suite, which has a private pool. Double rooms from £248; El Cabo suite from
£680.
Read the full review: Cap Rocat, Mallorca
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• The best hotels in Majorca
Atzaro, Ibiza
This century-old converted finca in the heart of the island has a house-party wedding vibe with
serious style. Perfect for couples who want to design their own big day, there are lots of event
spaces including the gorgeous tropical gardens with four swimming pools and a salon pavilion lounge
with glass walls and doors opening onto the gardens, which can seat up to 250 people for a blessing
and reception. Warm evenings and clear skies mean family and friends can hit the al fresco dance
floor until the small hours (this is Ibiza after all) before newlyweds retire to a Suite Deluxe, which
have a dark wood four-poster swathed in white muslin. Double rooms from (€170) £131; suite
deluxe from (€310) £239pn. Event space hire from €4,000 (May to Sept) and from €200 per head
for food and beverage.
Read the full review: Atzaro, Ibiza
• The best hotels in Ibiza
Hotel Castell d’Emporda, Costa Brava
Dancing in a cave is just one of the wedding highlights on offer at this incredible castle which dates
back to 1301. Surrounded by 12 hectares of gardens dotted with olive and oak trees, there are two
ceremony options; the Olive Garden or Remei Chapel. Post-ceremony, it’s drinks and canapes in the
herb Garden followed by dining on the castle terrace for up to 250 people. Lounge bar La Cova del
Drac makes a cool place for the reception party - not many people can say they’ve danced in a cave
on their wedding night. Staying on for a honeymoon makes sense, with the gold sand beaches of
Costa Brava close by. Warning: it gets booked up to a year in advance.
Available for exclusive hire, from (€20,000) £15,456 based on 80 guests in April. Wedding packages
from (€6000) £4636 for 50 guests in April (low season). Double rooms from (€184) £142.
Read the full review: Hotel Castell d'Emporda, Costa Brava
• The world's 50 best honeymoon hotels and destinations
Finca Cortesín, Costa Del Sol, Spain
Mediterranean light, Andalusian charm and lush gardens combine to create a sensual overload at
Finca Cortesín, which is in the hills just behind the coast between Estepona and Sotogrande. For a
wedding, you have to book the whole property, which has 67 suites, so it is a completely private
event. The couple might well choose to stay in a suite with a private plunge pool. Ceremonies
usually take place somewhere in the fragrant gardens – just pick the area you like most – but there
are attractive indoor spaces too. With an excellent golf course, three big pools, a spa and a groovy
beach club, all your guests will have a big smile on their faces. Suites from £340; pool suite from
£802.
Read the full review: Finca Cortesín, Costa Del Sol
Hacienda de San Rafael, Andalusia, Spain
Between Seville and Jerez and surrounded by fields of sunflowers, this ridiculously pretty, family-run
former olive mill is a relaxed yet smart venue for a wedding. From spring to autumn, the ceremony
takes place in the gardens – in the shade of lemon, olive and pomegranate trees – in accordance with
the couple’s religious or civil preferences, followed by dinner in a bougainvillea-filled courtyard. All
the catering is done in-house with wonderful local produce, and the owners are on first-name terms
with top flamenco artists who provide memorable entertainment that goes on long into the night.
There are 11 duplex rooms, three more private casitas and a two-bedroomed villa, all in traditional
Andalusian rustic-chic style. Double rooms from £238; casitas from £467.
Read the full review: Hacienda de San Rafael, Andalusia
• The best hotels in Andalusia
Mykonos Grace, Mykonos, Greece
Late afternoon, when the sun starts to set, is a popular time to become Mr & Mrs, either in the lush
gardens, on the sand, or in the small chapel next to Agios Stefanos beach. Chic, sleek and
unmistakably Greek, it all feels effortlessly romantic, from a sundown picnic for newlyweds in a
secret location, to candle-lit dining with guests at Grace Restaurant overlooking the sea. Family and
friends can stay in the 31 swish rooms and suites (you can host a reception party here if you book a
minimum of five rooms for a three-night stay), while newlyweds get to enjoy a Champagne breakfast
in the gorgeous Honeymoon Suite which has French windows opening onto a private terrace with
pool. Extras include a hotel courtesy bus to take guests to and from the airport. Double rooms from
(€320) £247; honeymoon suite from (€840) £649.
Read the full review: Mykonos Grace, Mykonos
CREDIT: ©SERGE
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• The best hotels in Mykonos
Katikies Hotel, Santorini, Greece
Katikies is what you expect when you close your eyes and think Greek island wedding; pretty whitewashed buildings set against a cloudless blue sky. Dominating the dramatic cliff top village of Oia, the
hotel’s open-air private terrace overlooking the volcanic Caldera is where vows are exchanged in
front of a maximum of 50 guests. An infinity pool makes a fabulous backdrop for wedding photos
and the terrace surrounding it a cool space for a Champagne reception. All 34 luxe cave-like rooms
are sculpted into the rock face and The Katikies Suite, with its open-air hot tub, loft bedroom and
veranda with those views, is the one for newlyweds to bag. Double rooms from (€332) £256pn;
Katikies suite from (€900) £695.
• The best hotels in Santorini
Blue Palace, Elounda, Crete, Greece
A Romance Department takes care of all the wedding and honeymoon prep at this
impressive hotel set on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea. For ceremonies there's a
private chapel plus less-traditional venues, such as a terrace at sunset, beneath a floral arch in the
Palm Tree Gardens, or barefoot on the beach. Guests can chill with cocktails in the open-air
Arsenali Lounge, then there's a choice of five restaurants for the wedding breakfast, including Blue
Door, a traditional Greek-style taverna with lanterns and a spectacular beachfront location. Dance
the night away to a live band and end the big day with fireworks before retiring to a deluxe sea-view
suite with private pool. Double rooms from (€215) £166pn, Deluxe sea view suite with pool from
(€428) £330pn. There are three wedding packages, prices on application.
CREDIT: NIALL CLUTTON
• The best hotels in Crete
Villa Orsula, Dubrovnik, Croatia
With views of Dubrovnik's medieval walls, Villa Orsula stands high above the sea, in lush gardens
with lavender and orange trees. An elegant white-stone 1930s villa, it has just 11 rooms and two
suites (sleeping 37 max). You'll be obliged to rent the entire property if you want to get married
here, so it's going to be a small but intimate, and totally private, celebration. The wedding ceremony
can be staged in the garden, followed by cocktails at the arcaded Victoria Lounge Bar and dinner on
the Victoria Restaurant terrace (seating 60). You'll have the run of the grounds, including a secluded
waterside bathing area. The lucky couple should sleep in the Royal Suite. Double rooms from €450
(£347); Royal Suite from €3240 (£2502).
Read the full review: Villa Orsula, Croatia
• The best hotels in Dubrovnik
Anassa, Cyprus
Couples need to be on the island at least four days before tying the knot, which is a good job at
Anassa, as it takes time to choose from all the ceremony locations: picture-postcard white chapel,
beach, village square, vast terraces with sea views and flower-filled gardens. An Anassa Wedding
Package includes lots of extra goodies besides the ceremony, including a candle-lit three-course
dinner for two, flowers, cake, champagne breakfast the morning after the ceremony and even makeup and hair styling for the bride, and mini facial for the groom. Larger celebrations take place in the
Zephyros Ballroom, which seats up to 230 people. The Adonis and Aphrodite suite, with steps down
into a private pool, makes a perfect honeymoon love nest. Double rooms from (€178) £137pn,
Adonis and Aphrodite Suite from (€2600) £2009, Anassa Wedding Package from (€850) £656
(excluding accommodation).
Read the full review: Anassa, Cyprus
Ballynahinch Castle, County Galway, Ireland
Hidden in the spectacular surroundings of Connemara, Ballynahinch Castle offers a beguiling
combination of luxury, beauty and Irish informality. Ballynahinch limits the number of weddings
hosted each year (none in summer) so occasions here come with a certain cachet. Each wedding is
hosted on an exclusive basis, with the castle offering a jolly ‘house party’ atmosphere. The hotel
caters for between 100 and 140 guests (approximately €75/£59 per head), with ceremonies and
dinner taking place in the lovely Owenmore restaurant overlooking the river and woods. Double
rooms from £130 in low season, rising to €280 in high.
Read the full review: Ballynahinch Castle, County Galway
• The world's most romantic hotels
Ashford Castle, County Mayo, Ireland
Historic Ashford Castle features romance, abundant natural beauty, and gilt-edged, lavish opulence.
Intimate weddings (2-10 people) are hosted in the pretty Inglenook Room, with its lake views and
Renaissance fireplace; slightly larger gatherings (10-40 people) take place in the ornate Connaught
Room: resort fee in both cases is €10,000, including full reception. Large weddings (130-160 people,
with the castle hired on an exclusive basis) are hosted in the splendid Drawing Room, under shining
Waterford chandeliers. Exclusive rates (for summer 2016): €34,030, plus €10,000 resort fee. Double
rooms from €250 in low season, rising to €450 in high.
Read the full review: Ashford Castle, Ireland
Waldorf Astoria, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Brides can arrive by boat at this grand canal-side hotel formed from six 17th and 18thcentury palaces. The Hooft Ballroom, overlooking the canal and filled with natural light, makes for a
fabulous ceremony for up to 100 guests (160 for a reception party), ditto the private garden, ideal
for a summer wedding for up to 70. Two smaller rooms are available for more intimate weddings. A
unique menu can be created for the wedding breakfast by two Michelin-starred chef Sidney Schutte,
while the Guerlain Spa offers bridal treatments for pre-wedding pampering. For the first night, the
King Grand Loft, with its canal and rooftop views, lounge and wood beams, is an Instagrammable
bolthole. Double rooms from (€495) £382, King Grand Loft from (€1045) £807pn.
Read the full review: Waldorf Astoria, Amsterdam
• The best hotels in Amsterdam
Mandarin Oriental, Prague, Czech Republic
Situated in a former monastery with views of Prague Castle and River Vitava, this landmark hotel
makes a magnificent wedding venue. Ceremonies can take place al fresco in the enclosed garden,
beneath cloisters in the Monastery Lounge, on the terrace of the Presidential Suite or even in the
spa - housed in what was once the monastery's Renaissance chapel, so this isn't as odd as it sounds.
There's a wedding package available including rental of the ceremony and reception rooms, sparkling
wine, three-course dinner plus bubbly and strawberries in-room and a 60-minute spa treatment for
the newlyweds. And the best thing? Couples getting married at the hotel receive a complimentary
honeymoon night in a luxury suite. Doubles from €265 £204pn, Wedding package from (€199)
£153pp (minimum 20 guests).
Read the full review: Mandarin Oriental, Prague
• The best hotels in Prague
Aman Sveti Stefan, Sveti Stefan, Montenegro
A total stunner. Blissfully secluded, overlooking a bay backed by pinewoods, Villa Miločer is romantic
and regal. It's perfect for an open-air wedding: the ceremony on the lawn overlooking the pink
pebble beach; dinner at tables below the wisteria-draped colonnade; and late-night dancing on a
wooden deck amid olive groves. From here, below an inky-blue nighttime sky, you have dreamy
views of Sveti Stefan island, where the newlyweds will sleep, in the Sveti Stefan Suite, with a private
pool surveying the Adriatic. Everything is bespoke: Aman will assist with crisp white table linens,
silver cutlery, flowers, candles, menus, photographer and beautician services. You'll feel very special
indeed. Double rooms from €700 (£545); Sveti Stefan Suite from €3040 (£2348).
Read the full review: Aman Sveti Stefan, Sveti Stefan
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