The terms ‘classy’ and ‘hen weekend’ may not appear to go together hand in hand, the majority of groups seen stumbling around town centres clutching inflatable phalluses and dressed in pink sashes, but last month we managed to have exactly that. When my husband popped the question back in 2010 and planning for the big day began in earnest, the all-important hen do came into my mind. I was determined to prove everyone wrong and enjoy a high-class affair with my friends.
We chose Edinburgh as the destination for the weekend as it is renowed for its history, culture and heritage, not to mention excellent food, drink and amenities. The plan essentially was to include all of the hen party essentials but give them a classy makeover. That meant cocktails rather than beer, theatre rather than nightclubs, top food and an amazing hotel.
Having consulted Tripadvisor we went for The Chester Residence, a quirky yet seriously classy set of apartments a stone’s throw from Queen Street in the West of the city. Being a group of 6, their huge apartments were perfect. They even offered a private cocktail/dinner party, so on the first night we decided to go for this option. We relaxed on the sofas and enjoyed margaritas and food all prepared right in front of us. A great start!
Now we’d heard lots of stories from friends that had been on Edinburgh hen weekends in the past and one thing they recommended was dinner at a place called Delhi Diner. Safe to say it didn’t disappoint! For just under £20 per person we enjoyed a huge and varied Indian feast with some great wine choices on the menu. Afterwards it was on to the Edinburgh Playhouse to catch Queen’s We Will Rock You performance. Stunning it was too!
The next day, our last in the city, we decided to give cocktail making a go ourselves. In a private area of the Vodka Revolution bar we were taught how to concoct a mixture of vodka-based cocktails and even got to sample our creations, which was a nice touch!
It was a shame that such a great hen party had to come to an end but I was able to boast to all my friends when I got home that a classy hen weekend is certainly possible!
