How to Plan an Anniversary Weekend That Doesn't Involve a Restaurant
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
How to Plan an Anniversary Weekend That Doesn't Involve a Restaurant
The default anniversary plan is a table booked for eight o'clock. It's not a bad plan. It's just not the only one, and it isn't necessarily the best one — a dinner reservation is a single fixed point in an evening that otherwise has to be filled with something.
The alternative is two days with almost nothing booked at all.
The case for unstructured time
A hot tub doesn't need a reservation. Neither does a sauna, or a firepit, or a long morning that turns into a long afternoon because neither of you got up. The best anniversaries we hear about from couples staying here aren't the ones with a full itinerary — they're the ones where the only fixed point in the day was checking in.
No television in any lodge is deliberate, for what it's worth. It removes the default thing to do in the evening, which turns out to be the point.
What we'd actually book ahead
Not much, but a few things are worth arranging before you arrive rather than deciding on the day:
The Firs Evening or The Firs Occasion package — flowers, cake, the hot tub already hot when you arrive, and at the top tier, two hours of the Piggery Spa sauna to yourselves. Seven days' notice, since everything is made or cut here.
Dinner out, if you want one night away from the lodge — the Fox & Goose in Fressingfield is our pick for a proper occasion, and it gets busy, so book ahead rather than assume you'll get a table.
Extra logs, if you're planning more than one fire pit evening — ask when you book rather than running out on the night.
What we'd leave loose
Everything else. Whether you swim in the moat. Whether you cycle anywhere or just don't. Which lodge activity, if any, you actually do. The point of two days with nothing booked is that you get to decide on the day what the day is for.
FAQ
Which lodge suits an anniversary weekend best?
Any of our four couples' lodges work well — The Butterchurn, The Cowshed, The Old Press, and The Apple Bobber all sleep two. The Cowshed has the most space if you'd rather not be in one room the whole time.
Is the sauna suitable for an anniversary treat?
Yes — it's electric rather than wood-fired, so it heats quickly, and The Firs Occasion package includes two hours of it privately booked for just the two of you.
How far ahead should we book the celebration package?
At least seven days before arrival. The flowers are cut and the cake is baked on the day, so we can't manage it with less notice.
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