Finding the perfect holiday home isn’t always easy, especially with all the choice there is these days, and if you’re a large group looking to go away for a week or a few days, it can be even more of a trial because there’s so much that has to be just right - the sleeping arrangements, the bathrooms, leisure facilities like swimming pools, hot tubs, and games rooms, and if you have children in your group you’ll be thinking about the garden – is it safe and enclosed, is there play equipment. So much to think about!
At Group Stays we’ve got it covered; we’ve been doing this for over a decade so we know all there is to know about holiday lettings for large groups. We have luxury self-catering accommodation in Somerset, Devon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire and Worcestershire to sleep 8-30 people, so we’re fully aware of how much space you need and we know for instance, that the size of the kitchen is important; you need enough room to move about and to cook, and we really appreciate that you need all the whizzy gadgets and machines possible to make it all stress free. That’s why you’ll usually find more than one dishwasher, more than one fridge and more than freezer, because we know what it’s like; you rock up at your holiday cottage with bags of food and boxes of booze, and you need somewhere to put it. The same with the cookers; there’s always enough oven and hob space to cook for your group, and there’ll be extra resources as well, like another cooker, or an inset halogen hob. Even the smaller things – cafetieres, teapots, pots and pans, crockery and cutlery; there has to be more than enough.
The dining table has to be big enough for you all to sit round; very important for those special occasions that you might be celebrating, like birthdays, anniversaries, or hen weekends. You can even get professional caterers in to cook up a feast for you; we’ve got a list of them, each one tried and tested. Our properties often have a huge open plan living space which makes it all that much more sociable, whoever’s cooking needn’t feel left out, they can join in the chitchat, have a glass of wine, perhaps a bit of a dance.
Comfy seating. There has to be enough for you all to put your feet up and snuggle together for a movie night. So big TV’s are a must and to cater for all tastes there’s often a Sky package, and TV’s in the bedrooms. We have games rooms, or at the very least, a games area, which tends to be a pull not just for the teenagers, but for the Dads as well! Some of our big holiday cottages might only have a pool table, whilst others will have table football or air hockey, and sometimes the lot.
The sleeping quarters need to have flexibility, so we advise our property owners to have zip and link beds that can be arranged as superkings or twins; all you have to do is let us know how you want them configured and we’ll do the rest. We suggest extra beds where possible, and we recommend travel cots and toddler beds, and whilst we’re on that subject, even stairgates and highchairs – hardly the sort of thing you want to be squeezing in the car, so we make sure it’s already there for you at your holiday home. Most of the bathrooms are en suite, but if they’re not we ensure there are enough facilities for everyone without it being a problem. And of course you’ll find loos upstairs and downstairs.
And the big things. The things that put a capital F in FUN on a large group holiday, the things that keep everyone amused and entertained, like a swimming pool. Only a handful of our large group holiday lettings don’t have swimming pools; most have indoor pools so you can use them anytime of year, but wow, what a difference it makes, the kids love it, the grown ups love it, everyone just joins in and larks about, and that’s the beauty of it, you don’t even have to be a good swimmer because the pools are nearly always an even 4ft deep. Most have steps down into them and hand rails to assist the less able bodied. It’s the works basically, loungers round the pool and everything, even inflatables to play with.
No need to ask about hot tubs – of course! And because nearly all of large group accommodation is out in the sticks you can sit back and relax with far reaching country views by day and a sky sprinkled with glittering stars by night. Bliss!
As if that’s not enough, Group Stays even brings added luxury to your large group holiday, with some of our five star properties having a sauna or a steam room. Now you know why we like to shout about our holiday homes!
Outside you’ll find plenty of space for the kids to run about and safe play areas; sometimes even a separate one for toddlers. What’s proving to be quite a hit is the Scandinavian style BBQ lodges; despite having room for you all they are incredibly cosy so you can all get together in there, toast marshmallow and keep warm wrapped in reindeer hides under the fairy lights.
Group Stays’ properties aren’t all the same of course, we like to mix it up; some might have outdoor dining pavilions with a firepit or pizza oven, some have the hot tub beneath a gazebo, some have a barrel sauna, but the first rate facilities and high standards are never compromised. Take a look at our portfolio and book the perfect holiday home for you and your large group.