First Dates Hotel: when does new series start, where in Italy is it filmed - and is Fred Sirieix in season 7?

First Dates Hotel first came to our screens in 2017 and saw familiar faces from the First Dates restaurant travel to sunnier climes for the Channel 4 spin-off.

Fred Sirieix and the restaurant and bar staff from First Dates will once again regroup in Italy for the latest season as more singletons are thrown together for some fun in the sun.

Where is the First Dates hotel, which staff are returning, and when is the new season out? This is everything you need to know:

What is First Dates Hotel?

First Dates Hotel is a spin-off of the original documentary romance series First Dates which paired up couples on dates at upmarket venues in the UK.

First Dates Hotel kicks things up a notch, with singles given a vacation at a gorgeous Mediterranean resort where they are set up on dinner dates.

Unlike First Dates, where the singletons have one meal together before heading out into the night (or back home alone), in the spin-off show, the couples also have the option of going on a romantic date the day after their date.

The daters will also have the chance to mingle with others on the show at the hotel, meaning that they may hit it off with someone they weren’t set up with.

Where is First Dates Hotel filmed?

The first season of First Dates Hotel was filmed in southern France at Le Vieux Castillon, a four star tourist hotel.

From the second season, production moved across the Mediterranean to the  Aquapetra Resort & Spa in Italy, 30 miles north of Naples.

The luxury resort boasts two pools, a Jacuzzi, bar, gym and restaurant and is surrounded by mediaeval buildings.

It is a real hotel and you can stay there yourself, however prices range from £250 per person per night, and the venue is very popular so availability is limited.

Is Fred Sirieix in season 7 of First Dates Hotel?

Yes, the amiable maître d’ will return for the latest season - he has been on every season of First Dates and its spin-off since the show first aired and has become synonymous with the franchise.

Fred has a natural ability to make nervous daters feel comfortable, and is always on hand to ensure that events run smoothly.

The 50 year old Frenchman has also appeared on Million Pound Menu, Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Great Christmas Roast, Snackmasters, and Celebrity Gogglebox.

Another fan favourite, Merlin Griffiths, the show’s bartender, announced that he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer in September last year and was back in hospital in June this year following complications from surgery.

First Dates Hotel is normally filmed a year or more ahead of its release, so it is likely that Merlin will feature in the latest series.

When is First Dates Hotel on TV?

Season seven of First Dates Hotel starts on Tuesday 6 September 2022 on Channel 4 at 9pm. Episodes are released at the same time weekly.

Episodes from previous seasons and from First Dates are available to watch on All 4 now - episodes from season seven will also be available to watch on All 4 shortly after they are first broadcast.

Each season of First Dates Hotel has had between five and seven episodes, and it is expected that season seven will be made up of six instalments.

Is there a trailer?

Yes there is, and you can watch it right here:

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