27 Hen Party Ideas for 2027: Day, Night and Stay-In Plans

Planning a hen do for 2027? Starting now gives you the pick of dates, houses and entertainment, especially for summer Saturdays. Our 2027 booking timeline shows what to book and when.

Below are 27 ideas, split into nights in, daytime plans, nights out and weekends away. Pick one or two from each section and you have a hen the whole group will enjoy, whatever the budget.

We’ve been bringing the party to hen groups across the UK since 2022, from cocktail masterclasses to a butler in the buff for the welcome drinks, so a few of our favourites are in here too.

Staying in: ideas 1 to 9

A night in at the hen house is often the best part of the weekend. Nobody queues, everyone can hear each other, and the entertainment comes to you.

1. A cocktail masterclass at the house

A butler in the buff brings the whole bar to you: spirits, shakers, glassware and garnishes. Your group usually makes three or four cocktails each, learns the technique behind them and drinks the results. It runs for two hours and starts from £25 per person, with your butler in the buff included. Book a cocktail lesson.

2. A host for the welcome drinks

Nothing breaks the ice like a butler in the buff answering the door. He pours the drinks, runs the games and keeps the night moving, so the maid of honour gets to enjoy it too. Prices start from £170 for two hours, and our butler in the buff price guide explains what’s included. Book a butler in the buff.

3. Life drawing

A life drawing class has the room laughing within minutes, and nobody needs to be able to draw. All the materials are included, and classes start from £17.50 per person. Torn between this and cocktails? Here’s how the two compare. Book a life model.

4. A hen party package

If you’d rather sort the whole evening in one booking, every package puts a butler in the buff with you for the full session, with all the equipment, ingredients and alcohol included.

• The Artistic (from £38 per person, about 3½ hours): 90 minutes of life drawing, then a two-hour cocktail masterclass.
• The Late Night (from £38 per person, about 2¼ hours): a two-hour cocktail masterclass and a 15-minute stripper performance.
• The Ultimate (from £48 per person, about 3¾ hours): life drawing, the cocktail masterclass and the stripper performance.

Compare our hen party packages.

5. Games night

A few well-chosen games do more for a group of strangers than any amount of prosecco. Mix silly with competitive, keep each one short, or let your butler in the buff run them for you. Our top 10 hen party games are a good place to start, and our free hen party planner includes six printable games.

6. Fancy dress with a theme

A theme gets everyone talking before the hen even arrives. Pick one that’s easy to dress for on any budget, like a decade, a film or a colour. For inspiration, see our hen party themes.

7. A pamper session

Mobile beauty therapists can set up in the house for nails, facials or massages. It’s a relaxed way to fill the afternoon before the evening starts, and it suits every age in the group.

8. A murder mystery night

Hand out characters a week before, ask everyone to dress the part and let the accusations fly over dinner. A ready-made kit does most of the work, and the hen can be the star of the story.

9. A private chef or a big feast

A private chef, or a pizza van on the drive, means nobody gets stuck in the kitchen, and a butler in the buff can serve it all. It keeps the whole group together without hunting for a restaurant table for twenty.

Daytime: ideas 10 to 17

Daytime plans give the group something to do before the evening, and they’re kinder on anyone who isn’t a big drinker.

10. Bottomless brunch in Leeds

If your hen is in Leeds, our bottomless brunch runs every Saturday from 2pm to 4pm at The End on Hirst’s Yard. It’s two hours of bottomless drinks and sharing food, with our butlers serving every round and running the games. It costs £39.99 per person, or £34.99 for the alcohol-free version.

11. Afternoon tea

Afternoon tea suits mixed ages and doesn’t need a big budget. Plenty of hotels offer a prosecco version, and it fits neatly before the evening plans start.

12. A spa day

A spa morning is a gentle start after a big first night. Book early for weekends, because group slots go quickly.

13. A craft workshop

Flower crowns, candle making and glass painting all work well for groups. Everyone takes home something they made, which beats another round of party bags.

14. A dance class

Learning a routine together, from burlesque to a 90s pop number, gets a mixed group laughing fast. Some groups even perform it later that night.

15. An escape room

Escape rooms are ideal when the group doesn’t all know each other yet. Split bigger groups into teams and race each other out.

16. Paddleboarding or another outdoor activity

If the hen loves the outdoors, a paddleboarding lesson or a guided walk makes a brilliant morning. Book with a qualified instructor and check the weather the day before.

17. Gin or wine tasting

A tasting at a local distillery or wine bar is a grown-up way to start the day. It’s a good pick for groups who would rather sip than do shots.

Nights out: ideas 18 to 22

If the group wants to get dressed up and head out, these five are tried and tested.

18. A bar crawl

Start with pre-drinks at the house, poured by a butler in the buff. Then plan three or four bars within walking distance, book tables where you can and share the route in the group chat. Heading to Leeds? Here are the 10 best bars for a hen do in Leeds.

19. A comedy club

A comedy night takes the pressure off conversation and gives the group in-jokes for the rest of the weekend. Only sit at the front if the hen doesn’t mind being picked on.

20. Karaoke

A private karaoke room means nobody has to sing in front of strangers. Make a playlist of the hen’s favourites before you go.

21. A drag show

Drag cabaret nights are loud, funny and made for groups. Let the venue know there’s a hen in your party when you book.

22. A boat party or river cruise

In cities with a river, a private boat for the evening makes a memorable change from bars. Check what’s included before you book, as some boats let you bring your own drinks.

Weekends away: ideas 23 to 27

A weekend away turns the hen into a proper trip. Here’s what to do in five of our favourite UK spots, and we can send a butler in the buff to your house in every one of them.

23. York

Cobbled streets, riverside bars and plenty of big holiday lets make York a classic hen weekend, and almost everything in the centre is walkable.

• The Shambles: wander the famous medieval street of overhanging timber buildings, now full of independent shops and cafés.
• The city walls: walk a stretch of York’s medieval walls for views over the rooftops and York Minster.
• Bettys Café Tea Rooms: treat the hen to afternoon tea at the York institution on St Helen’s Square, but expect a queue at busy times.
• A river cruise on the Ouse: an evening cruise with a bar on board is an easy way to start the night.
• York Racecourse: dress up for a race day, with meetings running from spring to autumn.
• Micklegate and Swinegate: finish with cocktails on two of the city’s best-known streets for bars.

Back at the house, a cocktail masterclass or a butler in the buff for the pre-drinks rounds off the day. See butler in the buff hire in York, or find more ideas at Visit York.

24. Liverpool

Liverpool has a huge choice of bars, a famously warm welcome and a waterfront made for group photos.

• Royal Albert Dock: spend an afternoon among the bars and restaurants, and visit The Beatles Story museum while you’re there.
• Mersey Ferries: a river cruise gives you the best views of the waterfront and the Three Graces.
• The Cavern Club: sing along to live music at the famous club on Mathew Street.
• Bold Street: brunch and browse your way along the city’s best-loved street for independent cafés and shops.
• The Baltic Triangle: explore converted warehouses full of street food, bars and murals.
• Ladies Day at Aintree: if your dates line up, the Grand National Festival in April is a huge day out, and its Friday is Ladies Day.
• Concert Square and Seel Street: the heart of Liverpool’s nightlife, with bars and clubs side by side.

Start the night at your apartment with a butler in the buff pouring the drinks. See butler in the buff hire in Liverpool, or find more ideas at Visit Liverpool.

25. Edinburgh

Edinburgh mixes history with a lively night out, and it’s worth staying for a long weekend.

• Arthur’s Seat: climb the extinct volcano in Holyrood Park for views over the whole city. Wear trainers and allow a couple of hours.
• Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile: start at the castle and walk down through the Old Town, stopping at shops and pubs on the way.
• The Real Mary King’s Close: take a guided tour of the hidden streets beneath the Royal Mile.
• Johnnie Walker Princes Street: book a whisky tasting experience, then head up to the rooftop bar for views of the castle.
• The Grassmarket and George Street: start with drinks in the Grassmarket below the castle, then move on to cocktails on George Street.
• The Edinburgh Festival Fringe: if your hen falls in August, catch some comedy, and book your accommodation early.

Back at the apartment, a cocktail masterclass with a butler in the buff makes the perfect warm-up. See butler in the buff hire in Edinburgh, or find more ideas at Forever Edinburgh.

26. Bath

Bath suits a slower, more grown-up hen, with spas, restaurants and Georgian streets all close together.

• Thermae Bath Spa: swim in the rooftop pool, filled with naturally warm spa water, with views across the city.
• The Roman Baths and the Pump Room: tour the Roman Baths, then have afternoon tea in the Pump Room Restaurant next door.
• The Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge: two of the city’s best photo spots, a short walk apart.
• A boat trip on the River Avon: trips run from near Pulteney Bridge in the warmer months.
• Bath Christmas Market: for a festive hen, the chalets around Bath Abbey open from late November into December.

End the day with a life drawing class or the Artistic package, hosted by a butler in the buff. See butler in the buff hire in Bath, or find more ideas at Visit Bath.

27. A cottage in the Lake District or North Wales

For groups who want space, a big cottage with a hot tub is hard to beat. Spend the day outdoors, then have a night in with a butler in the buff so nobody has to leave the house.

In the Lake District:

• Windermere Lake Cruises: hop on a boat from Bowness or Ambleside and see England’s largest natural lake from the water.
• Go Ape Grizedale: zip wires and treetop rope courses in Grizedale Forest.
• Derwentwater: hire paddleboards or kayaks near Keswick.
• The Lakes Distillery: book a tour and tasting near Bassenthwaite Lake.
• Honister Slate Mine: brave the via ferrata, a climbing route that follows the old miners’ path.

In North Wales:

• Zip World Velocity 2: fly over Penrhyn Quarry on what Zip World calls the fastest zip line in the world.
• The Snowdon Mountain Railway: ride up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) from Llanberis, with trains running in season.
• Portmeirion: explore the colourful Italian-style village on the coast.
• Llandudno: walk the Victorian pier, then take the tram or cable car up the Great Orme.
• Anglesey: head to Rhosneigr for beaches and watersports. See our Anglesey page.

See our pages for the Lake District and North Wales, or find more ideas at the Lake District National Park and Visit Wales.

What’s different about 2027 hens

Brides are marrying later, budgets are tighter, and late-summer dates are the first to go. All three shape what works best for a 2027 hen.

• More grown-up hens. In 2023, the median age at marriage in England and Wales was 33.0 for women and 34.8 for men in opposite-sex couples, among the highest on record (ONS). In our experience, that often means a wider mix of ages and a planned activity at the heart of the hen.
• Budgets under pressure. Aviva figures quoted by Starling Bank put the average cost of going to a UK hen do at £779 per person, or £1,208 abroad. A night in with the entertainment brought to you, plus a few optional extras, keeps it fair for everyone. Our affordable hen party ideas show how to keep costs down.
• Late summer books up first. August is the busiest month for weddings, with 14.3% of the year’s marriages, and the most popular single day in 2023 was Saturday 2 September (ONS). If the wedding is in late summer, lock in the hen’s big pieces early.

Planning tips

1. Poll the group early. Share two or three date options and a rough budget before anything gets booked.
2. Agree a budget per person. Say it up front and make the pricier extras optional, so nobody feels pushed into spending more than they can.
3. Keep it all in one place. Our free hen party planner has a booking countdown, a budget tracker and a guest tracker, and the weekend plan keeps everyone on the same page.
4. Book the house and entertainment first. The house and your butler in the buff are the hardest things to change later, so lock them in before you plan the rest.
5. Plan the food. A proper meal before the cocktails start makes for a better night for everyone.
6. Pace the drinks. The NHS advises not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week and has a handy guide to units in common drinks. Alternate with water and keep soft drinks in the fridge.

Hen party FAQs

How much does a hen do cost?

Aviva figures quoted by Starling Bank put the average at £779 per person for a UK hen and £1,208 abroad. A night in can cost much less: our cocktail masterclass starts from £25 per person, and our packages from £38.

How far ahead should we book a 2027 hen?

As early as you can, especially for summer Saturdays. Our 2027 booking timeline shows what to book and when.

What’s a good hen idea for mixed ages?

A cocktail masterclass or a life drawing class works for almost any group. One recent Trustpilot reviewer wrote that her daughter’s hen ranged from late twenties to mid sixties, and her butler in the buff pitched the whole evening to suit everyone.

Can you come to a holiday let or Airbnb?

Yes. A butler in the buff or one of our mixologists can set up anywhere with a table and a bit of worktop, from holiday lets and apartments to function rooms. Everything arrives with us, including the alcohol for cocktail classes, but do check your booking’s house rules first.

Is there a minimum group size?

No. A butler in the buff works just as well for a handful of friends as for a full hen weekend.

Plan your 2027 hen with Butler Direct

Whatever you choose, we can bring the night in to you: a cocktail masterclass, life drawing, one of our packages or a butler in the buff to look after the group. We’re rated 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot and cover the whole of the UK.

Call us on 07360 677638 or 01924 806151, or email [email protected].

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