Doncaster named among the 'least romantic’ places in the UK for a getaway, new study finds

Travel deals site Tripplo researched which UK cities offer the least romantic getaways. They examined several factors, including the number of romantic hotels in each city, the total number of reviews for romantic hotels in each town, the average number of reviews, the average Booking.com rating, the average price, and the average star rating. Hotels were filtered using Booking.com’s ‘romantic hotels’ filter.

An overall ‘romance score’ was then indexed by equally taking the number of romantic hotels per 100,000 people, average Booking.com rating, average price per night, and average star rating.

1. Swansea – Romance score: 20.88 out of 100.

Swansea is ranked as the city offering the least romantic UK getaway, with an overall romance score of 20.88 out of 100.

Swansea has 5 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, the joint second lowest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for romantic hotels in Swansea is 7.97, the lowest rating in the UK. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in Swansea is 3.50 the joint lowest in the country.

Swansea ranks as the ninth cheapest for cost per night, with the average price being £124.16 per night.

2. Birmingham – Romance score: 32.03 out of 100

Birmingham is the second-worst city in the UK for a romantic getaway, with an overall romance score of 32.03 out of 100.

Birmingham has 5 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, the joint second lowest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for the romantic hotels in Birmingham is 8.01, the third lowest in the country. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in Birmingham is 3.74, the joint 15th highest in the UK.

Birmingham ranks as the 14th cheapest UK destination for a romantic getaway, with one night costing an average of £130.64.

3. Chelmsford – Romance score: 32.06 out of 100.

The third worst destination in the UK for a romantic getaway is Chelmsford, with an overall romance score of 32.06 out of 100.

Chelmsford has 10 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, the ninth lowest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for the romantic hotels in Chelmsford is 8.36, the 19h lowest in the country. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in Chelmsford is 3.50, the joint lowest in the UK.

Chelmsford ranks as the 20th most expensive UK destination for a romantic getaway, with one night costing an average of £148.45.

4. Salford– Romance score: 32.72 out of 100.

Salford is the fourth-worst destination in the UK for a romantic getaway, with an overall romance score of 32.72 out of 100.

Salford has 23 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, the 18th highest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for the romantic hotels in Salford is 8.06, the fifth lowest in the country. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in Salford is 3.52, the second lowest rating in the UK.

Salford ranks as the 30th cheapest UK destination for a romantic getaway, with one night costing an average of £137.65.

5. London – Romance score: 34.99 out of 100.

The fifth worst destination in the UK for a romantic getaway is London, with an overall romance score of 34.99 out of 100.

London has 3 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, the lowest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for romantic hotels in London is 8.31, the 17th lowest in the country. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in London is 4.28, the highest in the UK.

London ranks as the most expensive UK destination for a romantic getaway, with one night costing an average of £325.42.

6. Doncaster – Romance score: 36.62 out of 100.

Doncaster is the sixth-worst city in the UK for a romantic getaway, with an overall romance score of 36.62 out of 100.

Doncaster has 6 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, the third lowest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for romantic hotels in Doncaster is 8.25, the 13th lowest in the country. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in Doncaster is 3.60, the eighth lowest in the UK.

Doncaster ranks as the fifth cheapest UK destination for a romantic getaway, with one night costing an average of £119.11.

7. Milton Keynes– Romance score: 37.10 out of 100.

Milton Keynes is the seventh-worst city in the UK for a romantic getaway, with an overall romance score of 37.10 out of 100.

Milton Keynes has 8 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, the sixth lowest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for romantic hotels in Milton Keynes is 8.11, the seventh lowest rating in the country. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in Milton Keynes is 3.61, the ninth lowest in the UK.

Milton Keynes ranks as the fourth cheapest UK destination for a romantic getaway, with one night costing an average of £117.40.

8. Northampton – Romance score: 37.88 out of 100.

Northampton is the eighth-worst city in the UK for a romantic getaway, with an overall romance score of 37.88 out of 100.

Northampton has 9 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, which is the sixth lowest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for romantic hotels in Northampton is 8.14, the eighth lowest in the country. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in Northampton is 3.75, the 14h highest in the UK.

Northampton ranks as the 24th most expensive place in the country for a romantic getaway, with one night costing an average of £143.04.

9. Nottingham – Romance score: 37.97 out of 100.

Nottingham is the ninth-worst place in the UK for a romantic getaway, with an overall romance score of 37.97 out of 100.

Nottingham has 10 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, which is the seventh lowest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for romantic hotels in Nottingham is 8.07, the sixth lowest in the country. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in York is 3.71, the 17th lowest in the UK.

Nottingham ranks as the 13th cheapest destination in the UK for a romantic getaway, with one night costing an average of £130.61.

10. St Albans – Romance score: 38.16 out of 100.

St Albans is the tenth-worst place in the UK for a romantic getaway, with an overall romance score of 38.16 out of 100.

St Albans has 28 romantic hotels per 100,000 people, the 14th highest amount in the UK. The average Booking.com rating for romantic hotels in St Albans is 8.04, the fourth lowest in the country. The average star rating for the romantic hotels in St Albans is 3.69, the 15th lowest in the UK.

St Albans ranks as the 14th most expensive destination in the UK for a romantic getaway, with one night costing an average of £157.34.

Axel Hernborg, founder of Tripplo, commented: “Whether planning a spontaneous trip or an anniversary surprise, deciding where to go on your romantic getaway can be difficult, especially with rising costs and unaffordable options.

“This study gathered the factors that are considered to make a great romantic break and filtered them to reveal which destinations are not offering the best romantic getaway in the UK.

“The outcome has shown that Blackpool offers the cheapest Valentine’s getaway in the UK and has one of the highest average ratings on Booking.com. Not surprisingly, London offers the most expensive hotel options, with the average cost of one night being £325.42, with seven nights totalling a staggering £2,277.96.”