How big a house do I need for a family reunion of 20 people?

For 20 people, look for a property with 9–10 bedrooms. For family reunions specifically, aim for a property with multiple reception rooms and at least one ground-floor bedroom with accessible bathroom. A dining space that seats the full group is essential.

What should a family reunion house have for different generations?

Ground-floor bedrooms for elderly relatives, an enclosed garden or outdoor space for young children, multiple living rooms so different generations can relax separately, a kitchen that works for collaborative cooking, and comfortable dining space for the whole group. Accessible bathrooms on the ground floor are particularly important.

What is the best UK destination for a large family reunion?

The Cotswolds is consistently popular for multi-generational family reunions — easy walking, beautiful villages, excellent pubs, and good farmhouse properties with enclosed grounds. The Lake District and Cornwall both offer excellent options for families who want outdoor activities across age ranges.

How far ahead should I book a house for a family reunion?

For summer school holidays, bank holidays, and Christmas, start looking 9–12 months ahead. Large houses with 10+ bedrooms in popular areas get booked up very early. Off-peak family reunions (spring half-term, October half-term) can often be arranged 4–6 months in advance.

Family Reunion Houses UK: How to Pick

A family reunion is one of the most logistically complex group stays to organise — and one of the most rewarding to get right. You're typically dealing with multiple generations, varied mobility levels, children who go to bed at 7pm and grandparents who follow at 9pm, and adults who want to stay up talking until midnight. The right house makes all of this work. The wrong one creates friction from the first evening. Here's how to find the right property.

What Makes a Good Family Reunion House?

Multiple living spaces

This is the single most important feature for multi-generational family stays. You need a quiet room where older relatives can sit without the noise of children's bedtime or adult conversation, a main living room for the group to gather, and ideally an additional snug or TV room where teenagers or younger adults can decompress separately. A single open-plan living space sounds appealing on paper but becomes exhausting quickly when the group has widely varying noise preferences.

Ground-floor bedrooms and accessible bathrooms

For family reunions that include elderly relatives or anyone with limited mobility, at least one ground-floor bedroom with an adjacent accessible bathroom is essential. This is worth explicitly asking about before booking — many large houses have all bedrooms upstairs and steep staircases.

Safe outdoor space for children

Enclosed gardens or grounds where young children can play freely without constant supervision dramatically reduce the stress on parents. A flat lawn, some outside toys, and an enclosed perimeter transform a child-friendly stay.

Generous dining capacity

Family reunion meals are central to the whole experience. The dining table (or tables) need to seat the whole group together. For 20+ people, a farmhouse with two long tables or a house with a formal dining room that seats 24 is worth prioritising over a prettier property with a small dining area.

A well-equipped kitchen

Family holidays often involve collaborative cooking — the shared experience of making a large meal together is often as much a part of the reunion as eating it. Look for multiple hob rings, two ovens if possible, adequate fridge space, and good knives and pots. Alternatively, book a private chef to handle the main meals.

Best Property Types for Family Reunions

Manor houses and country houses are the natural choice for large family reunions — multiple reception rooms, extensive grounds, and enough bedroom variety to accommodate grandparents, parents, and children with appropriate sleeping arrangements. Large holiday homes with separate annexes or outbuildings work particularly well for families who want adults and children in slightly separated but connected spaces.

Best Destinations for UK Family Reunions

Cotswolds: Excellent for families with a mix of ages — beautiful walking, good pubs with children's menus, gentle countryside. Properties tend to be farmhouses with enclosed gardens.
Lake District: Spectacular scenery and outdoor activities for every fitness level — lake cruises for older relatives, kayaking and ghyll scrambling for younger ones.
Cornwall: Beach access keeps all generations entertained. Look for properties near low-energy beaches (sheltered coves) rather than surf beaches for mixed-age groups.
Devon: Similar appeal to Cornwall with wider variety — surf, countryside, and historic towns all accessible.
Yorkshire: Strong combination of moorland, market towns, and coast (Whitby and Scarborough are exceptional). Generally good value compared to the southwest.

Managing the Logistics

Start planning 9–12 months ahead for summer family reunions — these are some of the most competitive dates in the large group accommodation market
Use a shared spreadsheet or payment app for collecting contributions fairly
Assign one person per family unit to be responsible for dietary requirements
Plan meals in advance — who cooks which meal, what's being delivered, what dietary requirements need accommodating
Allocate bedrooms thoughtfully — couples in doubles, grandparents on ground floor, families with young children near bathrooms

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