If you are looking for some inspiration for winter getaways in the UK with kids or for the best family Christmas breaks in the UK, then look no further. This round up covers luxury family breaks in winter to more budget friendly options which still have plenty of activities for all the family whether you are looking for the best places in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
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Luxury options for family winter holiday in the UK
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Chewton Glen, Hampshire
Ever wanted to take a sheep for a walk? Well here you can! Chewton Glen is a privately owned luxury Country House Hotel & Spa on the edge of New Forest. Accommodation ranges from family-friendly rooms & suites, with access to gardens and grounds (plus extra beds or cots can be arranged for the little ones), to Treehouse Loft Suites; each has a secret room upstairs for children.
Kids stay free throughout the school holidays and can enjoy many of the daily Kids Club activities – scavenger hunt, raft races, all about the bugs and the birds and more. Take the friendly Teddy Bear Sheep for a ramble and learn about the breed as you wander – sure to be a talking point back at school!
Other activities include tennis, croquet, clay pigeon shooting, falconry, duck herding. If you can drag yourself away from the hotel, then visit the nearby family-friendly places such as Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World, Bird World, Beaulieu National Motor Museum or Marwell Zoo. For more family activities in Hampshire with kids, this outdoor guide will provide some ideas too!
- Activates available on the estate include: Scavenger Hunts, All About The Bugs and Birds learning session, Raft Races and more.
- Kids stay free throughout the school holidays
- Art Classes available – An art leader will adapt the session to suit your capabilities and requests.
- The Chewton Glen Teddy Bear Sheep walk is great for families. Take them for a ramble around the estate. Learn where they are from, what they are famous for and enjoy these friendly characters who thrive on attention.
Paid Activities:
- Forest Bathing package (From £370 per room, per night) – Overnight stay and breakfast, Forest Walking Trails, Forest Bathing Book
- Family activities – Half Day Bushcraft, High Ropes & Canoe Experience (2.5 Hours, £450 for a family of up to 6), Escape Rooms (2 Hours, £450 for a family of 4), Foraging (90 minutes, £120 for a family of up to 6)
- Activities suitable for 4 Years+: Teddy Bear Sheep Walk (£65.00 per child*/adult), Art classes (Price on Application), Activity Hamper (£35 per child)
The Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire
Guests of the Four Seasons Hotel get to enjoy a quintessentially British experience with its luxury services and high-quality amenities.
Complimentary family amenities include rollaway beds, cribs, high chairs, nappies, swim nappies, wipes, bed guards, bottle sterilizers, baby bathtub and organic bath amenities.
Aside from the famous Hampshire Kids For All Seasons program, the hotel offers other kid-friendly activities such as ice skating, horseback riding, tennis, fishing, croquet, cycling, kids swimming pool and falconry. The family can also enjoy the Highwire Adventure, featuring a series of exhilarating high and low rope challenges for adults and children. Scale the treetops up to 12 meters above ground, take the 235-meter zip wire down again, and try out the Power Fan parachute simulator.
Promotional Packages:
- Escape to the country package – Enjoy 20% off our Room Rate when you book this offer at least three days in advance.
- Family Moments package – includes 50% off a second room, complimentary kids’ meals, 30-minute kids’ swimming instruction with our professionals at Sharkie’s Reef once per stay, Kids’ low-/high-wire zip line adventure once per stay
The Ickworth, Suffolk
The Ickworth is part of the Luxury Family Hotels group, and is perfectly located in the surrounding Suffolk countryside. This luxury hotel offers offers extensive facilities and services for all the family; including a tennis court, a swimming pool, bikes, trampolining and a range of activities arranged by their very own den team. There is even a cinema room!
Guests can hire bikes from the hotel, with options of having child seats or stabilisers, and explore the all-weather 9.4km (six-mile) trail.
There is an indoor heated swimming pool, which is well stocked with floats and noodles, and a fairy garden, complete with cars, wendy house and trampoline.
Kids can also enjoy the National Trust adventure playground and are given a children’s welcome pack with 20 activity ideas.
Rooms are equipped with baby equipment including cots, nappy bins and bottle warmers. Children’s menus are available and Children’s High Tea is served from 5 pm to 6 pm.
Parents can also use the free childcare service in the hotel’s Ofsted-registered crèche so they can enjoy their quiet time in the indoor pool or have a drink in the historic walled gardens. Complimentary audio and visual child monitoring system are available too.
The Ickworth are offering bookable swimming slots for the indoor pools for resident guests.
The Elms, Worcestershire
If you are looking for a classic English country house hotel with up to date facilities, this family friendly hotel is perfect for you. The Elms features a state-of-the-art spa, award-winning cuisine, beautiful gardens and stunning views of the Teme Valley in rural Worcestershire.
Make it a winter break to remember with a stay in one of The Epicurean rooms and enjoy the plush furnishings. Epicurean rooms can be found in the main house on the first floor and are equipped with fabulous en-suite bathroom, a roll-top bath and a separate walk-in shower. The room can accommodate up to 4 people, has tea and coffee making facilities, and equipped with Elemis Spa bath products.
The Elms is an ideal retreat for the whole family. Kids can enjoy the wooded Fairy Trail, adventure playground, tennis, croquet, football, rounders, trampolining and a cinema.
Parents can book activities from horse-riding to hot-air ballooning, golf to gliding, or just relax and dine at the restaurant as it becomes an adult-only zone after 7 pm. The hotel is also dog-friendly so your four-legged best friend can enjoy acres of grounds and open countryside in every direction.
Clydey Cottages, Wales
Clydey Cottages has been established with children’s needs in mind. Pack less in the car, as the team have thought of all you might need to have a relaxing home away from home.
Baby needs such as full-size wooden cots with mattresses, high-chairs, baby carriers, backpacks, step-ups, sterilizers, spare wellies, stair-gates, step-ups, potties, back-packs, monitors, changing mats are all available.
Clydey Cottages offers luxury self-catering holiday cottages with super king beds, crisp white linen, fluffy towels, underfloor heating, microwaves, dishwashers and wifi.
Lodge options range from one bedroomed stone cottage, which sleeps 2 with space for a cot; to a farmhouse, which sleeps 8 and has its own private hot tub.
All guests are welcomed with fresh flowers, milk, tea selection, coffee, sugar, Welsh cakes, locally hand-made jams.
Take away food is available nearby, Clydey has frozen ready meals for guests to purchase or they can order groceries online and have them delivered directly to their cottage.
Kid-friendly activities and facilities include outdoor and indoor play area; daily interactive animal feeding and egg collecting; juggling, stilt walking, plate spinning, Diablo tricks and hula hooping at Circus School (available on main school holidays); and a complimentary Children’s Club that runs four times a week on Monday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons, as well as on Friday mornings. There is also a heated indoor pool, a sauna, and three hot-tubs.
Furthermore, guests are now covered by our new Master Cancel refund guarantee and be able to have a FULL refund if they need or wish to cancel, right up until 2 days prior to their arrival. Peace of mind in such an ever changing world.
Celtic Manor, Newport, Wales
This year, Celtic Manor in South Wales is offering festive afternoon teas, Christmas Day Dining, Boxing Day Lunch and more festive dining options along with all the luxurious facilities of a world-class resort.
For an extra fee, kids can also enjoy room delivery of treats, a festive gingerbread house and a beautifully decorated artificial Christmas tree.
Families can indulge in treasure hunts and woodland walks, family swims to sharp-shooting at archery and laser clays activities, and even Forest net climbing for young adventurers from 3 years upwards, to the giant bounce zone with its forest lookout, vertical slides and ladder tubes -high in the treetops.
Bluestone National Park Resort, Wales
If you have energetic kids, they will love all the outdoor activities at Bluestone National Park’s woodlands and nature trails.
There is the Serendome, famous for water play or sand play, and the Blue Lagoon water park which is guest exclusive from 9 am to 12 pm.
The Adventure Centre Main Hall holds various activities such as Circus Zone, Live Music and Pub Quiz. Parents can indulge in a range of luxury treatments in the on-site spa while the kids enjoy a bike or buggy ride.
Bluestone National Park Resort offers luxury self-catering lodges and cottages with options of booking 1 to 6-bed accommodation.
Lodge facilities include linen, towels, cot, high chair, stair gate and wifi. Guests can enjoy the use of all on-site facilities on their check-in day from 11 am. And while check-out time from lodges is 10 am, guests are welcome to stay on-site until 3 pm.
Paid kid-friendly activities include Senses for Babies, Senses Toddler Time, Children’s Games Night, Woody Wild Crèche and Family Ranger Sessions
Winter offers:
- Kingdom of the Elves 2020
- Christmas Breaks – 5 Night Pre-Christmas Break, 5 Night Christmas Break, 2 Night Twixmas Break
- 5 Night New Year Break 2021
- Christmasland
- Winter Lights (Details for what’s happening in 2021 are currently under wraps)
- Toddler Breaks
- What’s Included In A Bluestone Break– free entry to Serendome, Blue Lagoon Water Park, The Village, Nature Trails & Guided Walks, self-catering luxury accommodation
- Read Tripadvisor reviews
Gleneagles, Perthshire, Scotland
Little ones will love the beautiful fairytale woodland themed creche for two – nine year olds . Two hours are offered complimentary.
With cosy chairs, toad ‘stalls’, an indoor slide, plenty of games and opportunities for imaginative play, you may have to drag your child away to enjoy everything else on offer!
The luxury hotel also offers 850 acres of space with two indoor pools, an outdoor thermal pool, Resident Spa, Day Spa, The Beauty Lodge, and an on-site gym.
Relax and enjoy any of the 205 beautiful bedrooms and 28 luxury suites, which are all inspired by the mountains and meadows, rivers and lakes of the Perthshire countryside. Book the family room to get two large bedrooms with space for an extra bed or cot, with stunning views of the estate.
Paid activities:
- The Shooting & Fishing School – Clay shooting (only open for registered experienced shooters)
- Off-road Driving Lessons (£360 per vehicle, 1 or 2 people)
- Junior Off-Road – Kids aged from 4 to 9 years old have their own off-road course and mini Land Rover Replicas (£115 per child)
- Family Falconry (45 minutes lesson – £335 per family)
- Family Gundog Lesson – Your instructor will explain the principles of controlling gundogs in the field (45 minutes and £335 per family)
- The Equestrian School’s Own a Pony – two hours learning to groom, ride and look after a pony (£95 per child, ages 6 years and older)
- Walking & Cycling
- Tree Climbing (£85 per person) – Jacobs Ladder, Balance Post, Short Zip Wire (40m in length), Long Zip Wire (100m in length)
- Zip Wire (£50 per person) – 1 hour, Short and Long Zip Wire
Winter offers:
- Half-Way Holiday – from one night stay, including all food and entertainment; children’s programme, festive tasting sessions and live music entertainment
- Christmas at Gleneagles – 3-night stay including all food* and entertainment, plus you can enjoy an extra night for free (23rd or 27th Dec)
Crieff Hydro, Scotland
Situated in the beautiful Strathearn Valley, Crieff Hydro Hotel is set in a 900-acre estate with a Victorian spa, 9-hole par 3 golf course, off-road driving courses, tennis courts and a rifle range.
The hotel offers over 60 indoor and outdoor activities including a Forest Jump treetop adventure, Laser Combat, horse riding, quad biking, archery, and crossbow.
The impressive facilities include an adventure playground, soft play, BIG Country (For 2-12-year-olds) and Glen’s Adventure Park for the kids; steam room, sauna and spa bath for the adults; and a fab-looking indoor pool, cinema and the Victorian gardens for the whole family.
Guests can book one of the Hotel’s Family Apartments with two separate sleeping areas and can accommodate up to families of six, or a dog-friendly self-catering unit which comes with unlimited Wi-Fi, free fun (pool, gym, cinema), free childcare in BIG Country and rainy day entertainment.
Winter offers:
- Christmas Self-Catering Breaks at Crieff Hydro (from £70 per person, per night) – Three or four-night stay, Festive entertainment, Up to two free daily childcare sessions in Big Country, free fun (pool, gym, cinema)
- Santa’s Grotto (£15 per child) – Meet and greet with Santa, A professional picture with Santa, Storytime with Santa’s elves, A present from under the tree, Christmas singalong
- Christmas Market (Free) – 10:00am – 6:00pm Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th of December
- Picco’s Winter Wonderland
- Aladdin, The Pantomime (£10 for kids under 12, £15 for over 13’s) – Saturday, 19th of December – Sunday, 20th of December┃Wednesday, 22nd of December – Thursday, 23rd of December 2020
Tredethick Farm Cottages, Cornwall
Tredethick is one of the top choices for a relaxing, family-friendly farm cottage getaway in Cornwall. They offer eight, light and airy cottages, each with its own safe, enclosed garden. With all the equipment provided and plenty of activities, it’s a perfect place for the family to unwind.
Aside from the wooden floors, rugs and exposed rafters, the cottages come with bedding and towels, central heating, Wifi, electric oven and hob, washer/dryer, HD TV, fridge with icebox, dishwasher, and a supply of free logs.
Families also get a toddler-friendly kit including wooden cots, bed guards, black-out blinds, night lights, highchairs, plastic bowls and plates, child-friendly cutlery, booster seats, frozen toddler-friendly meals, microwave bottle sterilisers, non-slip mats and step-ups for the bathroom.
The farm offers a wide range of activities for any weather, indoors or out. The kids can enjoy a pony ride or join the daily animal feeding with Farmers Jenny and Ashlyn.
There is also a Balance Bike Track and an Outdoor Play Park with big toy tractor, swings and bouncy chickens, play tower with ropes, tunnel and slides.
The Indoor Play Barn has a sandpit, a Wendy house, a giant interactive mural and playboards and there is also an Indoor Soft Play Room for quieter activities. The farm has its own Indoor Heated Pool-with-a-view where guests can enjoy the views over the Fowey Valley from the huge picture window at the end of the pool.
- Read Tripadvisor reviews
Knowle Farm, Devon
Set in 44 acres of South Devon countryside, the farm has its very own woodland and riverside walks.
All of the cottages have been converted from barns, with the majority having original thick stone walls, and can sleep up to 4, 6, or 8 plus cot.
Booking a cottage comes with a welcome tray of cookies, tea and coffee, wood-burning stove, washer/dryer, electric hob and oven, HDTV, Wifi, Fridge/freezer and more – a perfect home from home.
Stair gates, booster seats and steps are available for the little ones and guests can request high chairs, cots, blackout blinds, changing mats, microwave sterilizers and baby toys at no extra charge.
The farm’s family-friendly facilities include an indoor heated pool which overlooks the pond and countryside. Guests can also enjoy a tennis court, a Play Barn soft play area (with ball pool, slide, tunnels and loft house), Wooden Play Unit, Walk-in Rabbit Area and Toddler ‘Race Track’ enclosure.
Need a meal or a snack in a hurry? Ready meals, luxury ice creams, biscuits and drinks can be bought on-site.
Kids can feed a pig, stroke a donkey, meet a sheep, walk amongst our pet rabbits and hear a cockerel crow.
Aside from the farm’s facilities, families can also explore the local area and visit nearby attractions such as Pennywell Farm and Dartmoor National Park (5mins); South Devon Steam Railway (8mins); River Dart Country Park (15mins); National Marine Aquarium (20mins). For more Devon suggestions, see our ‘things to do in Devon’ guide
- Read Tripadvisor reviews
Darwin Forest, Matlock Bath
Darwin Forest is a 47-acre woodland paradise with 137 luxury lodges, each one with its own veranda and outdoor furniture for dining alfresco, and an option of woodland or parkland view. Spa lodges have a hot tub on the veranda.
The lodges also come with sofas and a dining table, cooker, microwave oven, refrigerator, dishwasher, fridge with freezer compartment, crockery and cooking utensils, flat-screen TV, linen and towels. A cot or high chair is available for rent for £9 per short break or £12 per week.
Onsite facilities include Little Monkeys Play Centre, Soft Play Centre, Toddler Play Area, Sports Pitch, Creche, Party Rooms; Activity Den with pool tables, air hockey and arcade games; Gymnasium and Fitness classes; Spa, Beauty Therapy & Massage; and an indoor swimming pool.
Park Activities (no need to be pre-booked):
- Activity Den – pool tables, air hockey and a range of arcade games
- Landal Adventure App – create your own Augmented Reality Treehouse; open the Mystery boxes around the park
- Bollo Trail – Pick up your FREE sheet from Reception
- Circular Walks – Pick up a free map from Reception and follow the colour coded signs
- Playground – includes a climbing frame, fireman’s pole, slides, climbing ropes and a swing
- Woodland Games – drum kit with guitars, noughts and crosses and draughts
- Trim Trak – climbing wall, monkey bars and balance beams
- Cycle Hire – £7 half day/£12 full day
- Forest Activity Pack – Hire the Forestry Commission pack for £5 (£10 refundable deposit) and receive a goody bag to take home
- nine-hole mini-golf course – Children £1.50; Adults £2.00
- Orienteering – Maps: £1 from Reception
- Recreation Field, swimming pool, Table Tennis
- Read Tripadvisor reviews
Tattershall Lakes, Lincolnshire
At Tattershall Lakes, families can indulge in the Aqua PLAY Splash zone, indoor heated pool, kid’s adventure playground, and high ropes course which are all including the price if you book with Away Resorts.
Further paid activities include: waterskiing, archery, crazy carts, laser tag, nerf sessions, disc golf, Drive-in Cinema Cars, Tye-Dye madness, Pottery painting, Sand & Slime, Superhero Academy, Fairy Academy, Nature Rangers and Mini Archery!
You can hire bikes, go fishing, boat on the lake and more!
Accommodation options include lodges to cosy caravans and well-sized pitches to equipped Bell Tents. Apart from glamping tents, all accommodation has a toilet, fridge, TV, knives, forks, cups, plates, pots, pans, microwave and even a kitchen sink; some include a private hot tub! Extras like a highchair or cot do cost extra to hire.
2020 Winter Special Events
- Festive Weekend SANDY BALLS (3 Dec, 10 Dec) – cosy woodland lodge, a festively themed village square, the smell of mulled wine and twinkly lights galore
- A Winter Wonder (19 Nov), Betwixmas (27 Dec), New Year’s Eve Sandy Balls
For more information and booking direct see here
Ribby Hall Village, Lancashire
Ribby Hall is a family owned five star holiday village set in over 130 acres of beautiful Lancashire countryside and a short drive away from the golden beaches of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast. Choose from cottages or lodges, with or without a hot tub and onsite restaurants if you prefer not to cook!
WHAT’S CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN YOUR BREAK:
- Self Contained Accommodation
- The Woodland Trail Walk and Village Garden
- Local Coastal Walks
- Fishing (Own equipment required)
- Children’s outdoor play areas
- Swimming Pools (Must be pre-booked, one swim session per accommodation per break) Indoor pool has slides!
- Boats
- Bike Hire
- Mini Golf
- Climbing Wall
- Outdoor Tennis
- 9 Hole Golf Course
- Gym & Fitness Classes
- Children’s indoor play areas
- Live Entertainment
- Activity Hub Activities
Other activities to enjoy at Ribby Hall!
- Visits to The Woodland Trail and Duck Ponds
- Outdoor Adventure Playground, Sand Pit and Pirate Ship Play Area
- Visits to Wild Discovery
- Mud kitchen, mini beast bughouse, vegetable patch and water play station
- Food prepared by our professional banqueting chefs
- Swimming lessons for children aged 2 years and above
- Yoga sessions with Little Yogis
- Unlimited access to the Indoor Soft Play area
- For more information see Ribby Hall Village
Bakewell, Peak District
Bakewell is the biggest town in the Peak District National Park and is located on the banks of the river Wye. Perfect for a relaxing family break with lots of accommodation options and activities to choose from. Here is some especially family friendly accommodation options – perfect for a UK winter holiday with plenty of things to do over Christmas to. For more budget family breaks, you may need to compromise on facilities, and/or choose off peak and mid week options.
Accommodation near Bakewell:
Bolehill Farm
Bolehill Farm is known for their cosy, dog-friendly self-catering cottages that sleep 2 to 5 people. The farm is set 2 miles from the centre of Bakewell, in 20 acres of grounds which include 3 large fields, a paddock area (for dogs), guest lawns and a wooded area.
At the bottom of the courtyard there is a leisure area which consists of a lobby area containing books, local information, board games, puzzles and leaflets; a well equipped Games Room with pool table, table tennis, table football, board games and jigsaws; a group dining area with a separate kitchen; and a laundry room with washing machine and tumble dryer.
There is also an outdoor games shed with games to play out on the guest lawn. This popular accommodation has limited midweek availability in October.
Haddon Grove Farm Cottages
A family friendly set of cottages with an indoor pool, games rooms and children’s playground.
- Situated just outside the historic market town of Bakewell, in the heart of the beautiful Peak District National Park
- 1,2,3,4 and 5 bedroom accommodation sleeping 51 guests across 10 cottages
- Fruitpip (sleeps: 4) – 2 bedrooms (1 double, 1 twin, 1 bath and shower, log burner), Fully equipped farmhouse kitchen, Coffee machine (Nespresso pods), Television with Freeview, Full central heating, Wifi,
- Indoor heated swimming pool & games room; a children’s playground; outdoor seating and dining; multiple BBQ facilities; a communal laundry room secure bike store & a boot room
- Cots, high chairs, stair gates and fire guards are available to hire £5 each
- Nearby kid-friendly attractions – Gulliver’s Kingdom, Matlock Farm Park, The Playmill, Go Ape, The Heights of Abraham, Carsington Water
- dark sky sites for Stargazing near Haddon Grove – Parsley Hay, Minninglow, Surprise View
- Things to Do
Book Haddon Grove Farm Cottages or find out more
Twitchill Cottages
Twitchill Farm Cottages guests can swim in the indoor pool, go hiking or cycling, or relax in the garden and use the barbecue facilities.
Each unit features a patio, a fully equipped kitchen with a microwave, a seating area with a sofa, a flat-screen TV, a washing machine, and a private bathroom with shower and a hairdryer. A fridge, an oven and stovetop are also available, as well as a kettle. Free Wifi too for any teens!
Book Twitchill Cottages or find out more.
- For other areas of the Peak District, do look at Peak District Kids for plenty of ideas and local knowledge.
More Winter Getaway Options For Family Weekend Breaks UK!
Hoseasons Holiday Parks
Hoseasons currently has 636 holiday parks from coastal retreats, to indoor pools and more.
- Lodge Holidays for Christmas
- Holiday Parks for Christmas
- Cottages for Christmas
- Lodges with hot tubs
- Large cottages for Christmas
- Evermore Lodge Holidays
Centerparcs
Centerparcs are very well known for a UK winter holiday option so I won’t go into every detail, but here is a look at the sort of accommodation they provide and activities. Prices are significantly higher during school holidays, including half term family breaks, so do plan ahead and look at teacher training days to see if you can make a long weekend of it?
Lodges:
- Woodland Lodges (1-6 bedrooms)
- Executive Lodges (1-4 bedrooms)
- Exclusive Lodges (4 bedrooms)
- Waterside Lodges (3 bedrooms) –
- Treehouses (4 bedrooms)
- Hotels and Apartments (1 bedroom) – Perfect for couples or small families
What’s included in your break:
- All the necessities in your accommodation like towels, linen, pots and pans
- Timed entry into the Subtropical Swimming Pool with a pre-booked time slot
- Outdoor adventure playgrounds
- A beach with a watersports lake
- Free Friendly wifi
- Up to 400 acres of forest to discover
- Miles of woodland paths to explore
- During Winter Wonderland through to New Year a spectacular fireworks or pyrotechnics display
- Things to do at Centerparcs.
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