2018 Best Hen Party Ideas
On the hunt for your very own 2018 hen party ideas? Use these hen do activities, games and getaways to get into full party-planning mode. Whether you love spending time at the spa, partying all night or exploring the great outdoors, your perfect 2018 hen party awaits…
Dance ’til you drop
Known for its fun fitness workshops, Frame runs themed dance classes at its studios across London. From Britney to Rihanna to Bey, it’s the perfect excuse to get your group routine nailed and then oh-so casually break into it on the dance floor on the big day…
Relax at the spa
Serene and stylish, with grassy grounds that stretch for acres, Celtic Manor in the Welsh Usk Valley offers a dreamy spa location. When you’re done sipping ice-cold Champagne in your robe and slippers, why not indulge in a treatment or make the most of the resort’s outdoor space with a treetop ropes experience, private golf tuition or a game of laser combat? Oh, and did we mention the boys can tag along too? If they must…
Head out on safari
The ultimate hen party with a difference has just launched and you won’t have to travel far to find it. Located between Warminster and Frome, Longleat is home to the very first safari park outside of Africa. We had the chance to experience the VIP safari tour, which really is not to be missed.
You and five others will enjoy an approximately two-hour tour in a Jeep, taking in the safari’s wild residents. If you drive around the safari in your own car or by bus, you follow a track, and occasionally might not see every animal up close, but on the VIP tour you will be taken off road, allowing you to get up close and personal with all of the animals. Watch the tiger sisters play, feed deer from the Jeep window and watch in amazement as the tower of giraffes peer over the roof of your vehicle.
The experience is incredible. Our tour guide Steve was so knowledgeable, feeding us anecdotes about each species and sharing fun facts – he even knew all of the animals by name! We loved learning the names for groups of animals – a flamboyance of flamingos, a crash of rhinos, and a dazzle of giraffes, for example.
Animals aren’t all you will find at Longleat, either. Set in the elegant Orangery, you and your best girls can indulge in Emma’s Afternoon Tea. Longleat’s Creative Director, Emma Weymouth has tailored a mouthwatering selection of traditional British delights. After working up an appetite walking around the enclosures, enjoying the VIP safari and getting lost in the maze, you can feast on finger sandwiches, quiche and sweet treats, like meringue kisses and fruitcake. Let’s not forget the all-important scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, or the speciality teas and Champagne you’ll wash it down with.
“I absolutely adore afternoon tea. It’s such a quintessentially British thing to do and, while I know I’m biased, being able to enjoy it in surroundings as beautiful as the Orangery at Longleat only adds to the experience. I spent a long time refining the afternoon tea to make sure it was just right. I’ve also put a modern twist on some classics, such as my chocolate ganache filled meringues!”
Emma Weymouth, Longleat Creative Director
Before you leave don’t forget to walk around the grand house and beautifully landscaped gardens, where you will find many a hen party photo opportunity among the roses. And when you’re organising your hen party, why not extend your stay at the neighbouring Centre Parks for a girly weekend break?!
Longleat House
Sophisticated sketches
Bridal atelier House of Tammam in London’s Bloomsbury is all about celebrating the beauty and diversity of the female form, and what better way to do so than at one of its life-drawing or fashion illustration classes? On selected evenings – surrounded by gowns, flowers and jewels – the couture house encourages ladies to bring their sketch books (and hip flasks!) and get drawing.
All-out adrenaline
If you’re up for it, Zip World, in the heart of spectacular Snowdonia, will take you on a daring adventure. Home to the longest zip line in Europe – and the fastest in the world – you could reach speeds of more than 100mph. There’s also the underground caverns and tunnels to explore, rope bridges to navigate and 1km of woodland and mountain scenery to dart through on the zany Forest Coaster.
Luxurious sleepovers
Champagne? Check. Luxury surroundings? Check. Proper breakfast? Check, check, check. Now you can stay in, in style, thanks to The Landmark London’s ‘Duvet Day, Movie Night’ package, with all kinds of delightful treats, including afternoon tea, in-room makeup lessons, massages, goodie bags and, of course, plenty of popcorn and a whole load of rom-coms.
Enjoy outdoor pursuits
Set in the beautiful Cotswold countryside, there’s a wealth of activity going down at Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham. The 16th-century manor offers parties of eight or more private game and clay pigeon shooting lessons (Tweed jacket optional), as well the chance to enjoy on-site archery, duck herding and, of course, a rejuvenation spa experience and outdoor heated pool.
Girly night in
A get-together at home can be just as fun and fab as a weekend away – you just need to get creative. Whether you pick an old-school sleepover or a pot-luck dinner, Team Hen has some fabulous finishing touches to really get the party going – from games to décor to keepsakes. Prosecco ping pong, anyone?
31 budget (but Brilliant!) hen party ideas and games
Reinvent the boat party
If your preferred party vibe is a relaxed cruise through some beautiful scenery, cool-box of cider and picnic hamper to hand, why not hire a narrowboat? Bath Narrowboats allows you to experience the magic of the River Avon at your own pace, with the option of a luxury restaurant and on-board disco.
All-day indulgence
From bottomless brunches to cocktail-fuelled gatherings, the Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings in the capital’s Clerkenwell are a veritable feast for the senses. The lush Garden Room and Greenhouse mixes verdant hanging baskets with French wrought-iron furniture, and caters for parties of 22, while the Below & Hidden late-night club room is the ultimate dancing den for night owls.
Sport and spa
Create your own handpicked hen party in Cornwall at The Manor House Activity & Development Centre. By day it’s all about the sport, with surfing, stand-up paddle boarding and sea kayaking just a few activities to tempt you… then sit back and relax with a massage or soak in the spa pool. We recommend leaving this experience until after dark, when low-level lighting and the starlit sky make the pool ultra atmospheric.
