When organising a group weekend—whether for a hen party, milestone birthday, family reunion, or friends' getaway—one of the first major decisions is where to stay. Should you book a block of hotel rooms or rent a large holiday house? Both options have their merits, but for most group celebrations, a private house delivers an experience that hotels simply cannot match.
In this guide, we examine both options honestly, helping you make the right choice for your specific group and occasion.
When a Hotel Makes Sense
Before we advocate for holiday houses, let us acknowledge the scenarios where hotels genuinely work better:
Business Trips and Conferences
If your group needs meeting rooms, AV equipment, and professional catering for a corporate event, purpose-built conference hotels are designed for this. A country house might feel inappropriate for quarterly sales meetings.
Very Short Stays (One Night)
For a single night—perhaps before an early flight or after a concert—a hotel near the venue offers simplicity. You arrive late, sleep, and leave. The communal benefits of a house require at least two nights to materialise.
Groups Who Prefer Independence
Some groups prefer the structure of hotel life: everyone has their own room, meals are provided, and there is no communal cooking or cleaning. If your group values personal space over shared experiences, hotels accommodate this.
Urban Centres Without House Options
In dense city centres like central London, large houses for groups are rare and expensive. A boutique hotel might be the practical choice if you want to be steps from attractions.
When a Large Group House is Better
For the majority of group celebrations, a private house wins decisively. Here is why:
Exclusive Use and Privacy
When you book a manor house or luxury holiday home, the entire property is yours. No sharing the lounge with strangers, no awkward elevator encounters, no noise complaints from neighbouring rooms. Your group can socialise freely, play music, stay up late talking, and create memories without interruption.
Communal Spaces That Actually Work
Hotels are designed for sleeping, not socialising. Finding a corner of a hotel lobby that fits 15 people is nearly impossible. A large holiday house is the opposite—it is built around communal living. Grand lounges, expansive kitchens, dining rooms with 20-seat tables, and outdoor terraces provide multiple spaces for the group to gather or split naturally.
The "Home" Experience
There is something special about a group cooking together, sharing bottles of wine in the garden, or having breakfast in pyjamas at noon. This domestic intimacy creates bonding opportunities that hotel stays rarely offer.
Cost Comparison for Groups of 10–30
The assumption that hotels are cheaper than houses is often wrong. Let us break down the numbers:
Hotel Scenario: 15 Guests in Bath
A mid-range hotel in Bath charges approximately £150 per room per night. For 15 guests (requiring 8 rooms, assuming some sharing), that is £1,200 per night. A two-night weekend totals £2,400 before breakfast, dinner, or drinks in the hotel bar. Add three restaurant meals for 15 people at £40 per head, and catering alone reaches £1,800. Total weekend cost: approximately £4,200+.
Holiday House Scenario: 15 Guests in Bath
A luxury house sleeping 16 in Bath might cost £3,000 for a weekend (Friday–Sunday). Self-catering breakfast and one big home-cooked dinner saves dramatically on food costs. Even adding a private chef for one evening (approximately £600) brings the total to around £3,600—and you have far superior facilities, privacy, and flexibility.
The Per-Person Calculation
When you divide house rental by guest numbers, the value becomes even clearer. A £5,000 manor house for 25 guests is £200 per person for the entire weekend—often less than a single hotel night per person.
Privacy and Shared Spaces
One of the most significant differences lies in how space functions:
Hotel Fragmentation
In a hotel, your group is scattered across corridors and floors. You might not see half your party between dinner and breakfast. Coordinating activities requires WhatsApp groups and text chains. The default setting is "apart," with effort required to be "together."
House Integration
A holiday house inverts this dynamic. The default is togetherness—people naturally gather in the kitchen for coffee, drift into the lounge for conversation, or meet at the hot tub after dinner. Quiet moments alone require seeking out a bedroom or garden corner, but the communal atmosphere remains.
For celebrations that are fundamentally about connection—hen parties, reunion weekends, birthday gatherings—this architectural difference profoundly shapes the experience.
Catering and Self-Catering Options
Food is a major consideration for any group weekend:
Hotel Catering
Hotels offer convenience: breakfast is served, room service is available, and restaurants are on-site. However, this comes at hotel prices, limited menu choices, and often the inability to accommodate large group bookings at a single table.
Self-Catering Freedom
In a holiday house, the kitchen is yours. This opens multiple options:
- Full self-catering: Guests share cooking duties, creating meals together. This works wonderfully for foodie groups who enjoy collaborative cooking.
- Hybrid approach: Breakfast and lunch are self-catered, with one or two dinners out at local restaurants.
- Private chef: For special occasions, hire a chef to prepare a multi-course dinner in the house. This provides restaurant-quality food with the intimacy of dining at home.
- Delivery and takeaway: Many areas offer excellent local delivery options, from pizza to Indian cuisine.
Properties with professional-grade kitchens—double ovens, commercial dishwashers, large preparation spaces—make catering for 20+ guests genuinely feasible.
Flexibility for Celebrations
Hotels operate on fixed schedules: breakfast ends at 10am, check-out is at 11am, the bar closes at midnight. Your celebration must fit their timetable.
A private house offers complete flexibility:
- Brunch at 1pm? No problem.
- Want to set up a surprise birthday breakfast before the guest of honour wakes? Done.
- Planning spa treatments in the afternoon? Arrange them at the house.
- Late-night conversations that run until 3am? The lounge is yours.
This flexibility is particularly valuable for hen parties, where activities like cocktail making classes, afternoon tea, or pamper sessions can happen at the property rather than requiring transport to external venues.
Weekend Itinerary Examples
To illustrate the difference, here are two contrasting weekend schedules:
Hotel Weekend (15 Guests, Brighton)
Friday: Arrive individually, meet in hotel bar. Dinner at restaurant (struggled to find one seating 15 together). Back to hotel bar, early night as bar closes at midnight.
Saturday: Breakfast in shifts (restaurant seats 8 max). Day activities in town. Afternoon tea at external venue. Dinner at another restaurant. Night out in Brighton.
Sunday: Rush to vacate rooms by 11am. Awkward goodbye in hotel reception. Head home.
Holiday House Weekend (15 Guests, Brighton)
Friday: Arrive and explore the house. Unpack and settle into rooms. Welcome drinks on the terrace overlooking the sea. Catered welcome dinner at the house (private chef). Games room tournament until late. Hot tub under the stars.
Saturday: Leisurely breakfast together at the big dining table. Walk along Brighton seafront. Return for a pamper session arranged at the house. Cocktail making class in the kitchen. Group dinner cooked together. Late-night dancing in the lounge.
Sunday: Final breakfast. Photos in the garden. Relaxed check-out at 10am with time for proper goodbyes.
The house weekend is richer, more connected, and—usually—cheaper.
Realistic Expectations for Group Stays
While we firmly believe holiday houses offer superior group experiences, it is important to set realistic expectations:
You Will Not Have Hotel Service
There is no concierge, no room service at 2am, no housekeeping during your stay. If you want towels changed daily or beds made, a house is not replicating that hotel luxury.
Self-Organisation is Required
Someone needs to coordinate shopping, cooking rotas (if self-catering), and cleaning up. This is part of the communal experience, but it does require willing participants.
Properties Vary in Quality
Not all holiday houses are equal. Read reviews carefully, examine photos thoroughly, and book through reputable platforms like Escape Houses that vet properties for quality.
Making Your Decision
Choose a hotel if:
- Your stay is one night or less
- You need professional conference facilities
- The group prefers independent schedules and personal space
- No suitable houses exist in your target area
Choose a holiday house if:
- Connection and celebration are central to your weekend
- You want exclusive, private space for your group
- Flexibility with schedules and activities matters
- Value for money is a consideration
- Facilities like hot tubs, games rooms, and large gardens appeal
Ready to Book?
If a large group house sounds right for your weekend, explore our curated collection. From large holiday houses perfect for family reunions to houses with hot tubs ideal for hen parties, we have properties across the UK's most popular Cotswolds, Bath, and Brighton locations.
Start your search at our property listings, or contact our team for personalised recommendations based on your group's specific needs.
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