What capacity qualifies as “large holiday home”?
The threshold for a large holiday home varies by region and rental market, but generally: 12 or more guests minimum, with 14 to 30 being where “large” really starts to apply. Properties sleeping 8 to 11 are sizeable family homes but not quite “large group” territory. Larger groups often search using related terms like “estate,” “manor house,” or “wedding venue.”
What are the main differences between a family home and a large holiday home? Other than number of beds, there is one practical distinction to keep in mind: large holiday homes have facilities scaled for groups (big dining tables, substantial, often commercial-grade kitchens, multiple bathrooms) rather than just many bedrooms in standard house. Rhiannon W, reviewing Ringshall Grange, noted: “the kitchen having two ovens and two dishwashers meant cooking and cleaning up after was easy.” When you’re trying to knock up a gourmet feast for 30 hungry people or waiting for the bathroom in the morning, that kind of infrastructure matters.
How do large holiday homes differ from hotels or B&Bs?
There are a couple of fundamental differences between large holiday homes and B&Bs: with a large holiday home you have exclusive use of the property and grounds, the entire thing is yours. You also have self-catering capabilities to cook your own meals with the ingredients you want at a time that suits your group. There are group spaces including sitting rooms and dining areas that are designed for the size of the group. You have much greater flexibility in a large holiday home than in a hotel, with fewer restrictions on schedule and how you use the space. You also enjoy more privacy, with no other guests present. Finally, you pay one price for the whole property, not a price depending on the number of rooms you occupy or guests that attend (up to a pre-agreed maximum) meaning if someone drops out last minute, you aren’t going to have to cancel anything.
Some might miss the hassle-free luxury and services of a hotel stay. There’s no daily housekeeping, no one to handle your shopping and cooking for you, and sometimes the amenities are a little less luxury than in a hotel. But the trade-off for the togetherness, cosiness and independence is more than worth it for groups that choose large holiday homes.
What regions offer best value for large holiday homes?
If you’re happy to prioritise value over a cool postcode, you’ll find spectacular properties in less-fashionable regions with the same space, facilities, and quality for a much lower cost.
For best value from a quality-to-cost ratio, you cannot beat Wales (especially mid-Wales and the Brecon Beacons), Shropshire, the Forest of Dean, rural Yorkshire, the East Midlands, and Northeast England. These regions typically price significantly below southern England equivalents.
In the mid-range category, you have the Peak District, the Lake District edges (excluding central Windermere), Suffolk, and inland Devon and Dorset.
Premium spots (read: beautiful but expensive) include the Cotswolds, North Norfolk, the Cornish coast, the central Lake District, and the Scottish Highlands estates.
Should large holiday homes provide all equipment and supplies?
Under-equipped rentals are a problem for bigger groups: too few plates, not enough cutlery, undersized pans.
Most large holiday homes in our collection provide kitchen equipment (pots, pans, utensils, crockery, glassware) suitable for the guest capacity, bed linens and towels for all guests, cleaning supplies, basic toiletries, WiFi, and heating. Some owners also provide welcome hampers to get you started (tea, coffee, milk), firewood for wood burners, outdoor furniture, BBQ equipment, and games.
Generally, food for meals, alcohol, toiletries beyond hand soap, specialised dietary products, and infant equipment (though many provide high chairs/cots on request) are not included.