Hidden in the back streets of Bournemouth in Dorset is a discreet red-brick and Tudor-style royal love nest. When the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) fell head over heels for model-turned-actress Lillie Langtry in 1877, he built her the 12-bedroom Langtry Manor so they could conduct their passionate affair away from London gossips – and their respective spouses.
To sweep your sweetheart off his or her feet, book the extraordinary Kings Room for its Jacobean wooden bed, covered in swathes of black velvet, and inglenook fireplace with carved oak images and gold-plated tiles, hand-painted with scenes from Shakespeare’s plays. If it’s booked, try the Le Breton for its glamorous black-and-white décor.
Doubles from £95, B&B. Kings Room from £225, B&B.
Langtry Manor +44 (0)1202 553 887, www.langtrymanor.co.uk
