Do you have a significant anniversary coming up? Looking to take your twenty best friends on a shindig? Then you need our Guru’s Ultimate Guide to the Best Party Hotels!

There are some great hotels offering exclusive use, and the following is our round up of the best party hotels. Whether for a special birthday party, a hen or stag event, or an intimate wedding, our Guru-recommended best party hotels are all romantic, all in great locations and all fantastic venues for memorable parties!

We've all heard about people being whisked off to Rajasthan palaces in private jets and carried about on elephants, or treated to a four day extravaganza in Marrakech. I was even told of one party who were met at Carcassonne airport by 20 identical lime green 2CVs and map. But if you are planning your own, or even just a joint holiday with another family or two, it’s good to know that some of the best party hotels are here in the UK or Europe, and they don’t always cost the earth!

Best Party Hotels

Best Party Hotels with Pools

• A great pool is a must-have for many best party hotels. For blissing out by the pool in between charming excursions, try Meryanne Loums' magical Jnane Tamsna in the Palmerie of Marrakech. It's like a country house, with separate villas for all your friends - with separate, private pools - and a wonderful organic garden.

Best Party Hotels in Cities

• For a larger party, check out the grand Palazzo Magnani Feroni, close to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. All its 12 rooms are massive suites, which could easily accommodate children too, and there’s a large baronial function room where you could hold a party. It's got plenty of atmosphere, being the converted palace of an old Florentine family, and considering it's history is incredibly good value.

Best Party Hotels - Castles

• Back in southern Tuscany, one of our best party hotel venues is the magnificent Castello di Potentino, run by a delightful Englishwoman called Charlotte Hornton. This castle dates from the early Middle Ages, and has fabulous views over the surrounding hills and countryside. Rooms are atmospheric, with antiques and lovely fabrics, and it's great venue, with a large baronial dining room for dinners, and great value.
• The eccentric mid-Victorian-folly-castle - Augill Castle is also one of our best party hotels. Equidistant between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, its 14 rooms boast roll top baths and four poster beds, it's set in stunning countryside and meals are taken around a large oak table.

Best Party Hotels - Country House Hotels

Carole Drake

• If you want the English country house experience, one of the best party hotels has to be Olga Polizzi's grand but relaxed Endsleigh Hotel in Devon, a place for long walks and magnificent meals in imposing surroundings.