Cocoa fountains and edible dresses: Eight ways to celebrate National Chocolate Week
CHOCOHOLICS get ready! Next week is Britain's choccy bar bonanza, so we round up where, how and when to go crackers over cocoa
Chocoholics rejoice! National Chocolate Week takes place from October 13 to 19 and hotels around the country will be celebrating with chocolatey treats of their own.
Here are eight of the sweetest ways to celebrate the indulgent treat.
1. CHOCOLATE HOTEL, BOURNEMOUTH (thechocolateboutiquehotel.co.uk)
Sweet dreams are guaranteed when you spend the night at a chocolate-themed hotel. Grade II-listed, The Chocolate Hotel in Bournemouth’s fashionable Soho area, is the only choccy-themed hotel in the world and has 13 rooms that come with their own chocolate fountain.
You'll also discover the perfect glass of wine to accompany chocolate. Book in for their special October 24 weekend for a chocolate-making course.
2. THE THREE WAYS HOUSE HOTEL, GLOUCESTERSHIRE (threewayshousehotel.com
Start a sparkling weekend with a glass of champagne as you tuck into a box of your own handmade chocolates in Gloucestershire’s Three Ways House Hotel. It offers chocolate-themed breaks complete with cookery to learn how to make the perfect chocolate dessert in just 10 minutes.
There’s a Chocolate Car treasure hunt on offer too.
Packages start at £135 per person.
3. 'CHOCOLATE REAT' SPA PACKAGE, NATIONWIDE (mercure.com)
Indulge in some choco-therapy with Mercure’s "Chocolate reat" spa package at 10 of their hotels, from Sheffield to Shrewsbury. Perfect for chocolate lovers, treat your feet to a calming chocolate foot massage before enjoying a three-course chocolicious meal.
Overnight stay including breakfast from £194 a couple throughout October.
4. SALON DU CHOCOLAT EVENT, LONDON'S OLYMPIA, (salonduchocolat.co.uk)
Be amazed by stunning couture fashion outfits inspired by, and made from chocolate. It’s the top event at the world’s largest event dedicated to chocolate!
The thee-day Salon du Chocolat at London’s Olympia from October 17 to 19 will see craftsmen, chefs and cocoa experts come together under one roof to delight visitors.
Best yet, there’ll be lots of tastings on offer!
5. CADBURY WORLD, BIRMINGHAM (cadburyworld.co.uk)
Feel like a real-life Willy Wonka on a visit to the Cadbury World, just next to the main chocolate factory in Bournville, south of Birmingham.
Latest attraction to open this year is the "4D chocolate experience".
6. YORK'S CHOCOLATE STORY (yorkschocolatestory.com)
Discover the rich story of chocolate in York, home to Rowntree’s Kit Kat and Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Head to York’s Chocolate Story, learn to taste the sweet stuff like a professional and get hands-on with a virtual chocolate factory.
Hear generations of chocolate secrets as you taste your way through the chocolate capital of the UK.
7. YORK COCOA HOUSE, YORK (visityork.org)
Design your own chocolate bar at York’s Cocoa House.
Courses throughout the year, including the "design your own chocolate bar" workshop on October 21 for £17.50.
8. SWIFT HOUSE COOKERY SCHOOL, BETHERSDEN, KENT (swifthousecookeryschool.co.uk)
Learn the art of chocolatiering at Swift House Cookery School at Bethersden near Ashford in Kent.
Owner Caroline Phillips honed her skills at the prestigious Leiths Cookery School before learning chocolate craft at the internationally-acclaimed Belgian Chocolate Academy, Callebaut – who sponsor her school.
Courses from £75 will teach you how to make truffles, classic roses in chocolate and vintage cupcakes.
For more ideas on what to do in October see visitengland.com
