As I sink into what might be the softest bed I’ve ever encountered, I concede that maybe Valentine’s Day isn’t quite so bad after all.
My 2026 couldn’t have started worse.
At exactly 6pm on New Year’s Eve, I found myself standing on the street in the rain, dumbfounded, as my long-term relationship came to an abrupt and painful end.
To add insult to injury, no later than January 2 did the local Tesco begin stocking Valentine’s chocolates and teddy bears.
Needless to say, by the time February rolled around, dread had firmly set in for the 14th: Valentine’s Day.
So when a friend suggested I check out – and into – the ‘On & Up’ Break-Up Suite at Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch, I was more than a little sceptical.
I’ve never been one for Valentine’s Day. It’s a marketing scam, I would proclaim, adding that my boyfriend didn’t need a made-up holiday to buy me flowers – which he did all the time.
But with that relationship left firmly in 2025, I’m faced with the reality that not only can I buy myself flowers – as Miley suggests – but I’m going to have to.
After a rocky start to 2026, Zara Ashworth checks into Virgin’s Shoreditch hotel for a stay at the ‘On & Up’ Break-up Suite – and concedes that maybe Valentine’s Day isn’t so bad after all
The Virgin Shoreditch-London is in the heart of East London, one of the capital’s trendiest districts
With a focus on ‘feel-good escapes’, Virgin’s package is designed to make Valentine’s day a celebration for all – not just couples
Talk of ‘self love’ usually makes me cringe – but a dire January has left my in need of a healthy dose.
And unlike an ex who crawls back making empty promises, I’m relieved to discover that Virgin Hotels delivers.
Every detail of the stay actively champions unapologetic solo indulgence – rather than begging you to believe that things will be different next time.
Walking to the hotel through the beating heart of Shoreditch, I pass some of the area’s best bars and restaurants, as well as its famous street art and graffiti.
Formerly the Mondrian Hotel, the building was taken over by Virgin in 2024, becoming the brand’s first London outpost.
A distinctive neon Virgin sign sits above the entrance, and a red carpet leads into the lobby straight to the front desk to check-in.
Inside, the décor leans heavily into a 1970s aesthetic, with a distinctive Shoreditch edge.
There are warehouse-style floor to ceiling windows, flashes of Virgin’s signature bright red and fun artwork, including a mirrored installation in the lobby that feels purpose-built for a good mirror selfie. It’s stylish without being too serious.
The hotel has a 70s-feel, according to Zara, with a ‘distinctive Shoreditch edge’
Virgin’s signature red is peppered throughout the hotel in its furnishings and artwork
Upstairs, in the On And Up suite, the break-up theme really kicks in.
On arrival, we are greeted with a Lily Vanilli smash cake, a perfectly curated break-up playlist by DJ Abigail Clarke, and a voucher for Rebel Rebel flowers, which guests can either collect, have delivered to the hotel or to homes in London on the 13th or 14th of February.
As expected, it’s hard to feel sorry for yourself with Beyonce on full blast and a mouthful of vanilla buttercream.
The room itself mirrors the style downstairs, with soft lighting, a well-stocked Smeg fridge, Marshall speaker and Lavazzo espresso machine.
The décor mixes painted brick walls, oak-panelled cabinets and a hint of New York charm.
The star of the show, though, is the bed.
The design is unique, with cushioned corners at each end ideal for curling up against, and yapping into the night with friends (it could fit multiple). At its foot sits a freestanding bath, and a view over Shoreditch’s busy streets.
More importantly, though, it is huge and blissfully free of a snoring partner.
Upon arrival at the suite, Zara and her bestie are greeted with a signature vanilla buttercream Lily Vanilli smash cake to tuck into
The ‘cushioned corners’ of the bed are ideal for curling up in for a chat with a friend, Zara explains
The bathroom is equally generous, complete with a steam shower we never quite work out how to use but admire regardless.
After a long hot shower, utilising all of the luxurious amenities provided by Virgin, we get ready for the evening and make our way to Hidden Grooves, the hotel’s Japanese-style listening bar, serving cocktails and small plates.
Designed with input from Richard Branson himself, the booths and tables alike are adorned with arty bubble shaped lamps, and there is vintage Virgin memorabilia hidden among the stacks of vinyls.
Mostly, I note that the lighting is excellent for a new round of Hinge pictures.
We order from the ‘Groove is in the Heart’ Valentine’s drinks menu, available throughout February, starting with the ‘Heart of Glass’: a gin cocktail with violette liqueur that tastes uncannily – but not unpleasantly – like Palma Violets.
Each drink is more creative than the last, with the ‘Red Flags’ cocktail in particular anything but.
We sample the main drinks menu, too, marvelling at the ‘Gabriel’s Cloud’, which arrives with a bubble you add to the drink to change its flavour entirely.
It is playful, inventive and a quick route to becoming very giggly and very tipsy.
Zara and her friend sample the ‘Heart of Glass’ and ‘Red Flags’ cocktails from the ‘Groove is in the heart’ Valentine’s drinks menus
As we turn our attention to the food menu, I find myself suddenly grateful to be pescatarian – mostly because it narrows down decisions, but also because I no longer have to worry about making sure someone else gets enough protein at every meal.
The food is genuinely excellent. We share Korean fried cauliflower so good we order seconds, tuna kimchi tartare, roasted pumpkin with baby beets and cepes, and wild sea bass that melts in the mouth.
And of course, we have room for dessert. An affogato provides the second wind needed for the next part of the evening: exploring the in-house club, Parallel 45.
We head down to the basement to sample the melodic house music provided by one of the evening’s DJs, along with other guests at the hotel and regular London club goers.
There is only so much dancing you can do, though, with a freestanding bath in your own suite calling your name.
After a relaxing soak, we end the night as intended: watching TikToks together in a bed so luxurious I am fighting sleep almost instantly.
Indeed, any concerns about music from Parallel’s enormous soundsystem following us upstairs are quickly allayed, and I’m afforded a peaceful night free from dreams about exes and difficult relationship chats.
The generous midday checkout is also a blessing, allowing for a proper lie-in in what might be the comfiest bed I’ve ever slept in.
Zara and her ‘date’ enjoy the ‘KFC’ (Korean fried cauliflower) so much they order a second round of the dish
The next morning begins with a trip to the gym, and as we saddle up for side-by-side spin classes on the Peloton bikes, I’m relieved once again to be here with a friend, rather than a partner; it’s liberating not pretending to be interested in ‘making gains’ and different flavours of protein shakes.
We decide to skip a swim in the outdoor rooftop pool, though. Whilst heated to 30 degrees celsius, it is still February in London.
Instead, we opt for breakfast inside with a full view of Shoreditch through the glass walls. There are plenty of options, from a full English to eggs Benedict or pancakes, all served with coffee and fresh juice – which feels necessary after the previous evening’s cocktails.
Finally, we pack up and head out into a rainy Shoreditch morning for the final part of the break-up weekend: retail therapy, obviously.
Valentine’s Day, it turns out, does not need candlelit dinners or an inexplicably oversized teddy bear – or even a partner at all.
Sharing cocktails, cake and a very comfy bed with your best friend feels like a far better use of the date.
I arrive at the Break Up Suite dreading February 14 – but leave reminded that while my year might not have begun the way I expected it to – things are certainly on the up.
