We love getting together with friends and family, but often a lunch out or a dinner party simply isn’t long enough to reconnect properly. The large group getaway is becoming increasingly popular, with families or old friends choosing to spend a week or weekend simply enjoying each other’s company. It’s also a great way to celebrate a special event like a birthday, anniversary or engagement.
Self-catering accommodation gives the group greater freedom to socialise together easily – and also, everyone can have a bit of space when it’s needed. Here at Handpicked Cottages, we’ve curated a special collection of luxury holiday cottages for groups in beautiful locations across the country.
If you’re the one who always seems to make the arrangements, we see you! To help you organise your perfect group holiday, we’ve put together a guide to choosing the right accommodation for your getaway or celebration.
If you’ve made a group booking for a specific event such as a sporting fixture, summer festival or theatre trip, this naturally dictates the location. If you don’t have any ties, try to pick a venue that everyone can reach easily. Somewhere like the Peak District or West Midlands is a handy central location, or choose a place with good transport links, like pretty Kent with its London connections or the beautiful countryside around Edinburgh.
Do you want to escape to the country or enjoy a lively city break? A remote country house set in extensive grounds sounds idyllic (with just a hint of Agatha Christie…) or if you’re planning to visit lots of places together, life will be simpler if you’re near a city or town.
Once you’ve pinned down the location, the next decision is the size of property you need. How many people will there be, and what type of accommodation does everyone need? A gathering of family or friends with young children will have different accommodation needs to a group of best friends away for a pampering hen weekend. Will any guests need ground-level accommodation? Does anyone want to bring their dog? What about parking?
Our large group holiday cottage collection starts with lovely old farm houses that sleep three couples, and goes right up to elegant manors that have spacious accommodation for 30-plus guests. There’s also the option of taking a row of luxury lodges so everyone has a bit more privacy. What best suits your group?
Now you can fine-tune your accommodation: what do you want to be able to do without leaving your holiday cottage? Do you envisage long, lazy lunches in the garden or relaxed suppers in a farmhouse kitchen? If you’re on holiday with children, a large garden is a must (and some come with play equipment like swings). Celebrating a birthday or anniversary? Look out for properties with large dining halls or sheltered outdoor eating areas.
Some of our larger houses have their own swimming pools while others share spa and gym facilities with other properties. Many have inviting garden and terrace features such as hot tubs, outdoor kitchens, and large seating and dining areas. Inside, the well-equipped kitchens are a joy to cook – and hang out – in, and look out for additional reception rooms such as libraries, studies and games rooms, which make useful extra break-out spaces.
It may be that you’re all content to enjoy the comfort and privacy of your luxury holiday cottage; however, if you’re celebrating a special event such as a birthday, you might also need to organise a day or evening out.
Adventure days can be a lot of fun: local outdoor activity centres can organise everything from stand up paddle board lessons to pony trekking or foraging for wild food. If your group prefers something a little less outdoorsy, museums, stately homes and galleries often offer pre-booked tours for groups, or the grown-ups could book onto a distillery or brewery tour…
Meals out for a large group usually have to be booked well in advance. Supper clubs and restaurants with private rooms are good places to start, or if you love the idea of dining in your splendid manor house, you may be able to arrange at-home catering.
If you’re planning a large group getaway in the UK, take a look at our collection of spacious holiday cottages with beautiful houses that can sleep 30 (or more) guests in superb comfort. If you would like to discuss your group’s holiday requirements, please contact our helpful team here at Handpicked Cottages.
Every part of Britain has its own New Year traditions, from the world-famous Scottish Hogmanay to more obscure celebrations. Whether they are ways to bring us luck for the coming year or simply about sharing food and gifts, these old customs are fascinating – and can be a lot of fun.
We’ve gathered a selection of weird and wonderful New Year traditions from across the UK. Where would you like to be celebrating on New Year’s Eve?
With its many ways to celebrate Hogmanay, Scotland leads the way when it comes to welcoming the New Year (there is even an extra bank holiday to mark the occasion). The country that gave the world Auld Lang Syne throws the best parties at New Year, from the massive gatherings in Edinburgh and Glasgow to events in every village pub. The most famous tradition is that of the “First Footer”, who is the first person to cross your threshold after midnight. They’ll bring you luck, and hopefully also a present (can we hint for a nice single malt?). For maximum luck points, your ideal first footer is a dark-haired man.
If you want to be transported back to a wilder time, spend New Year’s Eve in Allendale in Northumberland. A group of local men called “guisers” carry flaming barrels of tar through the streets, which they heave onto the bonfire at midnight. This tradition has been held for over 160 years, but it’s believed to be much older – medieval, or even pagan. There’s also a New Year flaming barrel tradition in Moray (north of Inverness).
https://www.handpickedcottages.co.uk/locations/northumberland
God’s Own Country has a fair few New Year traditions, but this one has to be among the best. Just before the clock strikes twelve, you need to say “Black rabbits, black rabbits, black rabbits”. While the bongs sound out, say “White rabbits, white rabbits, white rabbits”, bringing you luck for the new year ahead. Why rabbits? Nobody seems to be able to offer an explanation, but rabbits are cute and we love this rather more gentle custom.
You can chant about rabbits in the Peak District as this beautiful area includes parts of South and West Yorkshire. However, the Peak District used to have its own New Year tradition, the “posset cup”. Posset is a warming spiced drink made from boiled cream, ale, eggs, treacle, ginger and nutmeg, traditionally served in a special pot. At New Year, the lady of the house would pop her wedding ring in the cup. Whoever found it would be wed within the next twelve months (provided they didn’t choke on the wedding ring).
God Cakes are an old tradition in the city of Coventry, and happily, this was revived a few years ago. A God Cake is a sugar-sprinkled pastry filled with sweet mincemeat, in a triangle shape to represent the Holy Trinity. They were baked and given out on New Year’s Day, often by godparents to their godchildren. The cakes were relaunched with great fanfare at Coventry Transport Museum in 2012 – and jolly delicious they are, too. Here’s a recent recipe for Coventry God Cakes.
Calennig is an old Welsh tradition, rarely seen these days. Groups of children would go door-to-door on the morning of New Year’s Day (hopefully the residents weren’t suffering from sore heads), carrying decorated apples and singing for coins or food, “calennig” meaning “New Year’s gift”. You are unlikely to be troubled by early-morning singing in your holiday cottage in Wales, as this custom has almost died out. Keep a few pound coins handy, just in case….
Cornwall has recently become one of the top spots in Britain for New Year, with people flocking to towns like St Ives and Newquay for a seaside celebration. The coastal county has its own version of first footing called “sweeping the sand”. You mark a line on the doorstep using sand, and the first person to cross the line brings the household luck for the coming year. Hopefully they will also gift a silver coin for extra luck.
There are so many beautiful places with wonderful traditions across the UK. Where will you go to welcome in 2025? At Handpicked Cottages, we still have luxury holiday cottages available for December and New Year. Please get in touch with us to book your New Year holiday.
If you have any questions, you can use our form below to send an email and we’ll be in touch.