My Exeter Hen Do

Exeter Hen Do

I have such awesome memories of my Exeter hen do, so when I was asked to share my experience, I jumped at the chance to sit back with a glass of wine (or two) and go back through my Hen weekend photos for a good old reminisce. As a bride-to-be, it’s hard to pick what’s more exciting – planning the wedding or planning the hen do! (If my lovely husband is reading this, of course I’m joking). If you’re getting ready for a great hen weekend away, it’s always nice to go somewhere a bit different as you feel like you can really let your hair down and party hard. I definitely recommend looking at somewhere you wouldn’t normally think to go – it doesn’t even have to be that far, as you can always hop on a train or coach for a short journey to a vibrant new nightlife scene!

I had picked Exeter for my Hen party because not only was it just a short drive away, a couple of my fellow Hens had actually met while at Exeter Uni and had great memories of nights out and the beautiful city centre. We were all happy to stay the night in a hotel, as there are plenty right in the heart of the city, and we decided to share double rooms so we could all get ready together and chill, catch-up and chat while we were unpacking and prepping for the night to come. The team had suggested a dancing and drinking-themed Hen do, and everyone was definitely up to try somewhere and something new. I knew the plan was to go up on the Friday daytime and out for our hen night session in the evening, but I let the girls surprise me when it came to the Saturday afternoon activity, which thinking back, was actually pretty brave of me…

After taking our time getting ready to go out, we were taken straight into the city centre, where we bypassed the queues to get straight into the club the girls had booked for us (is there any better feeling? Don’t think so!) On arrival we were led to our very own hen do VIP area with a table and comfy leather sofas, and even though it was a popular venue the service was fast and super friendly. We also had table service which meant we weren’t spending precious dance time queueing at the bar. There was a great selection of cocktails and house spirits meaning that even the most eclectic drink taste was catered to. We’d told the Stag and Hen team that we were all up for an energetic and fun night and they’d picked us somewhere with a ‘dirty disco’ theme for our hen night– we all had so much fun and it brought back loads of brilliant memories of our time as students! We spent most of the hen night dancing our cares away but then we Exeter Uni girls led the group to a few of the lesser-known venues, including a super cute gin cocktail bar which made the best Pink Negroni - my absolute favourite. Since everything was so close by, we were able to hop from bar to bar and sample a lot of Exeter’s hidden night-time delights, always a bonus if you’re on a hen weekend with a few people who know the area.

The next day, we enjoyed a lazy hen weekend morning recovering from the previous night’s excitement, and after a quick pick-me-up breakfast from a local convenience store, we decided to get some shopping done up and down the High Street, including the spacious Princesshay centre which boasts a good selection of well-known chain stores as well as chic local eateries, bars and restaurants. It was easy to lose a couple of hours in retail heaven! There was plenty of choice when it came to eateries, and while we had a bite outside in the sunshine, the girls surprised me by delivering my lunchtime cocktail along with a sexy lace eye mask… according to them, we were going to a Burlesque dance lesson for our hen weekend activity!

After warming ourselves up in the club the night before, we were so excited to get to our dance class. None of us had ever done burlesque, so we really had no idea what to expect. Our instructor was a total sweetie, she explained about the art of Burlesque and how it was more than just whipping your clothes off, so once we’d got a few nervy giggles out of our systems we were ready to give it a try! We were given the option to add fun accessories to our dance, such as feather boas and fans, gloves and heels. It helped us all to loosen up and look and feel the part. We did a gentle warm-up, and then once we’d had a chat about the kind of routine we wanted to do, we went through the dance moves a few steps at a time: it was so fun seeing the girls trying out the moves, everyone got really into it, and if something went a bit wrong or someone wobbled over we all just creased up laughing. It was a good workout too, not that we noticed with all the fun we were having. It was a great laugh, but it also made me feel sexy and sassy, and I’m pretty sure our partners all appreciated our newfound confidence! We all left the class feeling like we’d learnt a little something about each other and ourselves. In fact, we still have the odd giggle and reminisce about it now.

Choosing an Exeter hen do was a great idea, not only for the shopping and nightlife but also for the scenery – the Westcountry is so beautiful, with Exeter Quay and the stunning Cathedral right in the city centre if you want to take in some sightseeing, and there’s always a cream tea (or two, or three) to be enjoyed while you’re there. There’s even the seaside close by, so on our way back home, we stopped off at Exmouth for a little beachside stroll and a cheeky chip supper.

I want to thank my girls for putting together such a great night and for treating me like a Queen – I had such fun and I can’t recommend the Stag and Hen team enough for helping make it such a memorable time!

The Stag and Hen Experience has been creating the best bespoke hen weekends away for over 12 years, so, if you're looking to plan a hen weekend package anywhere in the UK or abroad, get in touch on 01202 566100 or via this email address naomi@staghenexp.co.uk and one of our expert hen do organizers will help you put together a fantastic hen do for you and your group.