A weekend spent camping in a muddy field may not scream hen do. However, a trip to Glastonbury is officially the most sought-after hen do destination for British brides-to-be.
Almost one in three brides said a glamping trip to Worthy Farm would be their dream destination. And it pipped a five-star trip to Dubai into second place.
More than 200,000 fans flocked to Worthy Farm over the weekend to see superstars like Lizzo and Sir Elton John rock the Pyramid Stage, and a hen party expert believes Glastonbury is in many ways the “perfect” destination. “A hen weekend is about bonding and making memories, and where’s better for that than Glastonbury,” said Matt Mavir, Managing Director of Last Night of Freedom.
“Increasingly, music festivals have become a popular alternative to your traditional stag or hen weekend away in places like Newcastle or Dublin. If the bride or groom is a music lover, then a weekend of drinking and watching live acts seems like the ideal send-off.”
The party firm presented 10 different dream destinations to hens – including clubbing in Ibiza or a glitzy break to Las Vegas. Yet of the 400-plus customers polled, 31 per cent said they would instead opt for the Somerset countryside.
However, while the idea of spending your hen weekend slumming it near a field of cows may seem surprising, Glastonbury’s glamping packages don’t come cheap. A stint at the hen-friendly Glastotel – which includes cocktails, concierge service and flushing toilets – costs up to £3,200 for the weekend. And incredibly, that doesn’t even include a ticket, which this year cost £335 before booking fees.
Yet while the survey highlighted where hens would flock if money wasn’t an option, in real life, it is budget-friendly destinations that are currently taking the most businesses. While Liverpool has long been the most popular hen party destination, a notoriously cheap Spanish resort has seen a massive booking boom during the cost-of-living crisis.
Trips to Benidorm – where a fried breakfast famously costs as little as €1 - have shot up 700 per cent since 2018, with bookings doubling in the last year alone. “While groups would love to spend £3,000 camping at Glastonbury or jetting off to Dubai, the reality is that most people are having to watch their spending in the current climate, so these dream destinations remain just that,” added Matt.
“However, while the destination can definitely enhance the weekend, ultimately what matters is who you share it with – and it doesn’t matter if that’s in a glamping tipi or a pop-up tent.”
