Life seems so much busier these days and everyone gets caught up in the constant ebb and flow of work and school, chores to do, keeping on top of things, and well, just everything really. Eventually you reach the stage where you just think “I need a holiday” and then you find your friends and your family are saying it too, and actually, you haven’t caught up with them properly for a while, so hey, why don’t you sort the numbers, put your heads together and book a big house holiday?
Big house holidays are a lot of fun, and of course they’re brilliant for those of you who have special occasions coming up that you’re all looking forward to celebrating with a week or a few days away together – like hen weekends, anniversaries, and milestone birthdays. Our large group holiday homes are often booked for weekends by groups of friends who’ve clocked up 40 years, or by three, even four generations of a family raising a glass to Grandma or Grandpa’s 80th, and that’s how it should be; gather your nearest and dearest and head off for a good time in a luxury self-catering holiday home where there’s plenty to keep everyone amused no matter how young or old they are.
We are confident when we say that our properties cater for all ages, from babies to 90 and maybe even older. You’ll find toddler beds, cots, highchairs and stairgates for the tiny tots, play areas for the children and games rooms where the teenagers will love to hang out, but the thing is that with our big holiday houses, there’s plenty of room for you all to get together in a sitting room or cinema room and round a big dining table for a scrumptious feast. And you can all have heaps of fun in the swimming pools, hot tubs, saunas and cosy BBQ lodges*, snuggling up beneath the twinkly lights with reindeer hides to keep you warm.
Without a doubt the icing on the cake for big house holidays is a swimming pool, and most of the Sleeps12 properties have one, usually indoors, and a couple outdoors for use from April to October. Most have hot tubs, some outside beneath the open skies, some covered and some in a spa hall for year round use. Quite a few of our houses now have a sauna too, which is a great way to unwind; you’ll find these either in a pool room or there’ll be a quirky barrel sauna out in the garden.
Not many people can go for long without needing the internet these days, so luckily all of our properties have wifi access, although we have to be honest, sometimes rural wifi might not be quite what you’re used to. We suggest downloading anything big like films or games before your holiday, to be on the safe side. But other than that, you’ll find that there’s usually a Sky package of some sort, and a surround sound system, so you won’t be wanting for anything. All you need, everyone happy.
There’ll be plenty of space, with mostly en suite bedrooms, and don’t forget that several of the bedrooms are able to accommodate an extra bed or two (charged extra per person). Kitchens are well equipped with plenty of room to move about and there’s more than enough of everything – pots and pans, crockery and cutlery, and usually space to socialise whilst you’re creating your culinary delights. If cooking for a large group is daunting then just have a look at our Extras page and book up one of our tried and tested professional caterers to come in and do the work for you. They’re very efficient and they’ll even clear everything away, making the whole process seem effortless, whether it’s drinks and canapes or a full-on three course dinner.
A Sleeps12 big house holiday comes in many guises; we’ve got country cottages, rambling old farmhouses, stunning barn conversions, purpose-built lodges and imposing country houses. Properties that are re-developed or newly built are access friendly to some degree, with ground floor bedrooms and wet rooms, level flooring and steps down into the pools. We’ve got an amazing new property coming soon that’s even got a lift up to a south facing terrace and hoists that can be installed if necessary to make things even easier. We try to think of everything; we do our best to make sure your holiday is perfect.
If you want to go out and explore whilst you’re away you’ll find plenty to see and do in the local area and we’ve made it easy for you to plan ahead by giving recommendations for family attractions, walks and places to eat, etc. So wherever you choose to go, whether it’s Somerset, Devon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, or Hampshire.
And last but not least, let’s not forget about the family pooch. Almost all of our big holiday homes welcome one or two dogs so you don’t have to worry about allowing time to drop your pet off at kennels and leaving him there looking all sad and forlorn. Bring him along and as long as you stick to our dog rules, it’ll be fine.
Start planning that big house holiday now, make a list (probably a few lists!), pour yourself a glass of something nice and get yourself comfy to have a good look through our fabulous large group accommodation. Check availability and reserve your selected property for 48 hours before you confirm your booking. Now isn’t that something to look forward to? Time out, away from the hustle and bustle, making happy memories with a truly terrific big house holiday.
*Not all properties have all these facilities; they will differ from house to house. Please read all property pages carefully to make sure you have everything you want for your holiday.