Our Dorset Life

Over the last few years, we’ve been lucky enough to holiday with my husband’s side of the family, and big family houses have become one of my favourite ways to do it.

There’s something really lovely about having everyone under one roof. Big shared meals, children running around, cousins playing together, grandparents, slow mornings, games, walks and evenings where you don’t have to organise too much.

When there are lots of you travelling together, it’s not just about booking somewhere that looks pretty. You need enough bedrooms, enough bathrooms, a kitchen that can cope, space for everyone to eat together, somewhere for the children to run around, and ideally a few little extras like a pool, games room, hot tub or a good pub nearby.

These are a few of the big family houses and group stays we’ve either stayed in ourselves or would look at for a future family gathering.

Who we book with

For big family houses, we usually look at Kate & Tom’s or Big House Experience.

We’ve used Kate & Tom’s a few times now, including stays in the Cotswolds and Dorset, and they’re brilliant if you’re looking for special large houses that work for big family gatherings, birthdays, celebrations or multi-generational holidays.

This year, we booked through Big House Experience, which was another great option for finding a house that could properly fit a large group.

What I like about both is that they make it much easier to search for houses that are designed for groups, rather than trying to make a standard holiday cottage work for too many people.

What we look for in a big family house

Before booking, these are the things I’d always check now:

Enough bedrooms for each family
Enough bathrooms
A kitchen that works for a big group
A table where everyone can eat together
A second living space or snug
A garden or outdoor space for children
Parking
A walkable pub, shop or village
A pool, hot tub or games room if possible
A layout that works for early risers and late nights

The Freeth, Netherwood Estate

Location: Herefordshire / Worcestershire border
Sleeps: Up to 18
Booked through: Big House Experience / also listed with Kate & Tom’s
Best for: A special big family gathering with a pool

Our most recent big family stay was at The Freeth at Netherwood Estate, and we absolutely loved this house!

It’s a beautiful large country house on the Herefordshire and Worcestershire border, with enough space for a family gathering. The Freeth describes itself as a large luxury holiday home sleeping up to 18 guests, and it has a private indoor heated swimming pool, which was such a bonus with children.

The house feels spacious and comfortable, with plenty of room for everyone to be together, but also enough corners to disappear to when you need a quieter moment. The indoor pool made it feel really special, especially because you’re not relying on the weather to entertain the children.

Why we liked it:
Private indoor heated pool
Sleeps up to 18
Great for multi-generational stays
Proper countryside setting
Enough space for everyone
Lovely for a celebration weekend

Worth knowing:
This is the kind of house where the facilities really make the holiday. If you’re travelling with children, a pool can make such a difference because it gives everyone something easy to do without needing to leave the house.

Cotswold Valley Court

Location: Cotswolds
Sleeps: Six bedrooms
Booked through: Kate & Tom’s
Best for: Chocolate-box village charm and cosy family weekends

We stayed at Cotswold Valley Court through Kate & Tom’s and it was such a lovely one for a Cotswolds family stay.

It sits in a proper chocolate-box village and has that cosy countryside feel you want from a Cotswold break. The house has six bedrooms and lots of character, with exposed brick, ancient beams and dog-friendly gardens. It feels like the kind of place made for slow mornings, country walks, big meals and evenings by the fire. There was also a local pub you could walk to, which the grown ups enjoyed!

Why we liked it:
Beautiful Cotswolds location
Six bedrooms
Lovely character and charm
Dog-friendly gardens
Cosy fireside feel
Good for family weekends and celebrations

Worth knowing:
This is a great one if you want charm, countryside and a proper Cotswolds setting. I’d say it’s best for a slower family stay rather than a full-on activity break.

Nethergrove

Location: Dorset
Booked through: Kate & Tom’s
Best for: Dorset countryside with beaches and days out nearby

Nethergrove was our Dorset big family house, and it’s a lovely option if you want a countryside base with the coast within reach.

Dorset is such a good place for this kind of holiday because you can mix slow time at the house with beaches, villages, pubs, walks and days out. For us, a house like this works well because you get the space and comfort of a big group stay, but you’re not too far from things to do.

Why we liked it:
Dorset location
Good for coast and countryside
Great for multi-generational stays
Space for family time
A good base for exploring

Worth knowing:
With Dorset houses, I’d always check drive times to the beaches or places you know you’ll want to visit. Being close enough to get out easily makes a big difference with children.

The Castle on the Coast

Location: Coastal UK stay
Booked through: Kate & Tom’s
Best for: A celebration stay with a bit of wow factor

The Castle on the Coast is one of those stays that feels like a really special break.

It’s not your standard big family house. It has more of a special, dramatic feel, so I think it works really well for milestone birthdays, celebrations or a weekend where you want the house itself to be part of the experience.

Why we liked it:
Coastal setting
Feels memorable and different
Great for celebrations
A proper “wow” stay
Good if you want something more unusual

Worth knowing:
For a house like this, I’d think carefully about the group. Some homes are amazing for adults and older children, but it’s always worth checking practical things like layout, stairs, bedrooms and outdoor space if you have younger children with you.

Fairoaks Barns

Location: Hollybush, Herefordshire, near Ledbury
Sleeps: Up to 24 across four barns
Best for: Large group gatherings with a shared pool

Fairoaks Barns is a collection of four converted barns set in a peaceful countryside location near Ledbury. It’s a lovely option if you want a large group stay with a bit of flexibility, because the accommodation is spread across separate barns rather than everyone being in one single house.

Fairoaks describes itself as a luxury collection of four holiday barns on the Herefordshire/Gloucestershire border, near Ledbury and the Malvern Hills. Other listings describe it as sleeping 24 across 12 bedrooms, with an indoor heated pool.

The shared heated swimming pool is a huge bonus, especially if you’re travelling with children. Having separate barns can also work really well for multi-generational groups because different families can have their own space while still coming together for meals and time together.

Why it looks good:
Collection of four barns
Great for larger groups
Shared heated swimming pool
Countryside setting
Good parking
Near Ledbury
Flexible setup for different families

Worth knowing:
This could work especially well if you want to holiday together, but still like the idea of each family having a little bit of their own space. The pool is shared, so worth knowing there will be other families around.

Westbrook Court

Location: Wye Valley, near Hay-on-Wye
Sleeps: Up to 26
Best for: A mix of relaxation, adventure and countryside views

Westbrook Court is tucked away in the Wye Valley and feels like a really good option for a big group that wants both downtime and things to do.

Kate & Tom’s describe it as a Wye Valley retreat sleeping 18–26, with a year-round hot tub and games room. It has that lovely mix of relaxed countryside stay and adventure, with space to explore, a hot tub, games room, courtyard, orchard and options for experiences nearby.

I think this would be a brilliant one for a family group with older children or adults who want a little more than just sitting around the house. You can slow down, read, eat outside and sit under the stars, but there’s also plenty nearby if you want to get out and do something.

Why it looks good:
Wye Valley setting
Hot tub
Games room
Courtyard and orchard
Great for groups
Adventure and activity options nearby
Good for relaxed evenings and countryside days

Worth knowing:
This feels like a good choice if you want the house to work for both the people who want to relax and the people who want to do something a bit more active.

My biggest tips for booking a big family house

The biggest thing I’ve learned is to think about how the house will actually work, not just how it looks in photos.

Check the bedroom setup carefully. If you’re travelling with several families, make sure the rooms work for couples, children, grandparents and anyone who might need a quieter space.

Look at the bathroom situation. When there are lots of you, bathrooms matter more than you think.

Check the kitchen and dining space. One of the loveliest parts of a big family holiday is everyone eating together, so make sure there is a proper table and enough kitchen space to cook for a group.

Think about children. Is there a garden? Is it enclosed? Is there a games room, pool, snug or space where they can play?

Think about the weather. A pool, games room, cinema room, snug or hot tub can really help if the weather isn’t great.

And finally, think about location. Sometimes it’s lovely to stay somewhere remote, but with children it can be helpful to have a pub, shop, beach, village or walk nearby.

Big family houses have become one of our favourite ways to holiday because they give you something that hotels often don’t: time together.

For us, the best ones are the places that make life easier: enough space, enough bathrooms, good kitchens, outdoor areas, things for the children to do and somewhere that feels special without being stressful.

Hopefully this gives you a few ideas if you’re planning a big family getaway, birthday, celebration or multi-generational holiday.

Sarah x