Lake District crowned Britain's most romantic getaway, KAYAK data reveals

LONDON, Sept. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Lake District has emerged as Britain’s capital of romantic stays, according to new data from leading travel search engine KAYAK.

KAYAK’s search data also points to growing interest for more indulgent escapes, with luxury and romantic stays seeing the biggest gains in accommodation searches, up 13% and 7% year-on-year respectively.

With new adaptations of Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice putting literary romance in the spotlight in 2026, KAYAK analysed bookable UK accommodation to identify the destinations with the highest proportion of properties categorised as romantic.

Windermere topped the ranking, with more than one in three properties (36%) meeting the criteria. Keswick placed second at 35% and is also among the fastest-rising destinations in KAYAK searches. Harrogate ranked third, followed by Cheltenham and Penzance.

Britain’s most romantic getaway destinations

1. Windermere (36%)
2. Keswick (35%)
3. Harrogate (33%)
4. Cheltenham (32%)
5. Penzance (32%)
6. Stratford-upon-Avon (31%)
7. Sidmouth (30%)
8. Ambleside (29%)
9. Canterbury (29%)
10. Leeds (29%)

Rachel Mumford, KAYAK UK travel expert, said, “There’s something undeniably romantic in seeing a place that reminds you of a great British love story.

“And there seem to be a clear trend in staying somewhere that’s fuelled by nostalgia and a growing fascination with the 'olden days’.

“From lakeside walks and historic towns to cosy hotels and dramatic coastlines, these destinations have many of the ingredients people associate with a classic. And with Autumn’s arrival - it’s the perfect time to swap the city break for something a little slower and more atmospheric.”

For an autumn escape, KAYAK recommends these top 5 stays in the top 5 most romantic towns:

• Windermere: Beech Hill Hotel & Spa for a classic lakeside stay.
• Keswick: Keswick Country House Hotel for a countryside escape.
• Harrogate: Crowne Plaza Harrogate for period-drama energy.
• Cheltenham: Hotel du Vin & Bistro Cheltenham for regency romance.
• Penzance: Hotel Penzance for a rugged coastal retreat.

About KAYAK  

KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is a leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car and vacation package. Trusted by millions of travellers, the KAYAK app makes travel planning seamless on iOS and Android, and we also support business travellers with our corporate travel solution.