It’s always fun to get away with a big group of friends or family, but sometimes organising it can be quite a bother, especially if you’re talking about a week long holiday. If you’ve got kids you can only go out of term time, when the roads are busier and the world and his wife are out and about visiting the family attractions! If you fancy something a little quieter, something where you can go at your own pace, that takes less organising, the answer is to have a group weekend break instead.

Somerset. What do you think of when you think of Somerset? Let's guess – tractors, cows, cheese, cider…. ooh-aaarrrr! Well, yes, things like that might spring to mind but it’s not all like that you know, we're not all carrot-crunching wurzels, we’re actually quite sophisticated round these parts these days! We’re biased of course, we live here, but the fact that Somerset is a popular holiday destination speaks for itself – it’s a beautiful county, a wonderful part of the West Country, and because it’s bisected by the M5, it’s easy to get to.

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!

More and more people are choosing to take their holidays in the UK these days and that’s understandable because despite being a relatively small island there is so much to see and do and such a staggering amount of diversity, from the vibrant cities of London, Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol, to the varied scenery of the mountainous Lake District, the rolling Yorkshire Dales, the golden sands of Devon and the tucked away coves of Cornwall.

Here’s the scenario: you and your buddies, say up to 18 of you, want to go away for a few days for a good catch up; you were all at uni together and since then you’ve all grown up, got careers, husbands, children, mortgages, etc. You haven't seen each other for a few years so there's heaps to talk about, and of course you want to have a laugh reminiscing. But you also want to stay somewhere where there’s enough to keep you all entertained – a swimming pool, or a hot tub, a games room, spa facilities, things like that.

Book a Group Stays winter short break for your large group and you know you’re in for a treat! There’s something about getting away in the winter that makes it all very special – the summer holidays are long gone, even October half term seems a distant memory, and if it’s a mid-week stay, just knowing that you’d normally be at work makes you savour a few days away even more.

There’s a strong trend for big family holidays these days, an opportunity to get together with friends and their children or for multi-generational large group stays. Our big holiday houses and cottages sleep 8-30 people and are perfect for either – for a get away for a few younger families or for a week or weekend celebrating a special occasion with brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents. We’ve got all the facilities you need to keep people of all ages entertained, and as most of our amazing properties are dog friendly you can even bring the family pooch.

So many people have dogs these days and we all know how quickly they become part of the family, so naturally, when you go away on holiday leaving them behind with relatives or in kennels can be quite a wrench. With Group Stays you don’t have to worry about that because most of our large group self-catering accommodation is dog friendly, so you can pack all your pet pooch’s favourite things and bring him along too. And what a tremendous time you’ll all have together; we think it’s safe to say that little tail just won’t stop wagging!

Wow, it’s baking hot out there and has been for weeks; if you’re something of a sun worshipper that’s great and we shouldn’t grumble, but for some it’s a little too much. That’s the English weather for you – unpredictable! Things tend to get a bit more steady after August; we can still rely on some sunshine and decent temperatures, but it’s a little cooler and more manageable, which is one reason why September breaks make sense.

Large group holidays are so much fun! It doesn’t matter if it’s a big family holiday, a break with friends, a corporate stay, or a celebration, if you find the perfect property it’s all fun, fun fun! We have large group holiday accommodation for 8-30 people, so dip in, have a browse; you’ll find cottages, lodges, rambling farmhouses, converted barns, and beautiful country houses, most of them set in glorious countryside in Somerset, Devon, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Wiltshire and France. Think peace and quiet, open air – that’s a good starting point.