Best family Christmas breaks UK: fab festive escapes to book

If you’re looking for festive celebrations combined with fun outdoor activities to keep the whole family happy - and maybe a trip to the spa when Mum and Dad need a rest - Celtic Manor Resort in Cardiff has everything you need for a Christmas family break.

The five-star family resort sits on a lakefront in Newport in South Wales and is set in more than 2000 acres of parkland. There’s no chance of kids getting bored here with a host of activities on offer, from swimming in the indoor children’s pool and mini golf to treetop adventures for older children, as well as tennis, biking trails, archery and air hockey. 

The hotel has plenty going on to help you get into the festive spirit. In the run up to Christmas, children can make reindeer food, write a letter to Santa and design a Christmas stocking. From 26 December, there’s pottery painting and gingerbread making. You can also book a Santa’s tea party. These activities do cost extra but there’s also some free fun on offer including an Elf hunt (note that lots of the activities will be unavailable on 25 December but Santa pays a visit to the Caernarfon Ballroom where a festive Christmas Day feast is served).

If all this sounds exhausting, there’s a spa and a gym for parents to enjoy. The hotel also hosts a variety of Christmas parties during the festive period - and you can even add a Christmas tree to your room (at an extra cost)! 

Reviewed by Mumsnet Editor, Rebecca Roberts: read our full review of Slaley Hall

If you want to escape to the country over Christmas, Slaley Hall is set in 1,000 acres of Northumberland countryside. With an on-site 36-hole golf course and plenty of wildland to walk off your Christmas dinner, you can truly escape the stress of the festivities and unwind. 

Choose to stay in the contemporary new wing or the elegant Edwardian mansion, with beautiful views of the golf course and surrounding countryside. There’s an option to book adjoining rooms for older children too. The two- or three-night festive package includes mulled wine and mince pies on arrival and live music on Christmas Eve to entertain you before the big day. 

On Christmas Day you can enjoy a festive quiz and a five-course meal, with a visit from Santa to add some extra magic to the day. There’s also brunch and a live singer on Boxing Day to finish off your break. 

If your kids need to burn off some energy, there’s an All Out Adventures activity centre on the grounds, with kids’ quad biking, paintballing, segway adventures, archery and more to keep you all entertained. There’s also an indoor pool with kids’ splash times and a spa and a gym for parents who need a bit of time out. While it stills costs around £1148 for a two-night stay for a family of four, this is one of the more affordable hotels on our list and there’s plenty to enjoy during your stay.

The Grove in Chandlers Cross, Hertfordshire provides an idyllic setting for a family-friendly Christ,as break. Children stay for free and there's a kids' club on site as well as a babysitting service (at an extra cost). Children will love the playground, woodland area and nature trails for exploring. Other activities include swimming, archery, soft play, bike riding and a forest school.

During your three-day Christmas stay, you can expect carol singers, a Santa’s grotto, Christmas arts and crafts including bauble design and t-shirt decorating and of course a spectacular Christmas lunch with all the trimmings served in the Stables. And there’s mulled wine and a range of festive treats on offer too. At The Grove, parents can make the most of some child-free time to play golf, go for wintery walks or relax in the pool and sauna or have a treatment in the spa. 

This luxury package does come with a hefty price tag, but it’s a magical setting for a memorable escape. 

Family-friendly Scottish hotel, Crieff Hydro, in Perthshire transforms into a Winter Wonderland in December and you’ll find an ice rink and fairground rides in the grounds . The three-day Christmas package includes daily entertainment for the kids such as crafts, games, dancing, quizzes and movies, and there’s lots of festive food on offer. There’s also free daily childcare factored into the price if you want a bit of time to relax and rummage through the Quality Street tin. 

The hotel has some special Christmas activities on offer including a Santa’s grotto and a reindeer experience. Set on 900 acres, there are plenty of other family-friendly amenities too, with over 60 activities to choose from like rock climbing, zip-lining, swimming, golf, hiking and archery. There’s also a fun adventure playground, childcare for children aged 2-12 (at an extra cost), as well as a spa for some child-free time.

Some guests claim the hotel looks a little tired in parts but the appeal here is the huge range of fun activities on offer so it’s perfect for active families looking for lots to do over Christmas. 

On Lake Windermere’s shoreline, Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa pairs festive celebrations with stunning views. 

The three-day festive break starts with a welcome glass of mulled wine and a cream tea, followed by carol singers, seasonal activities and a festive story (served with hot chocolate) for the children. Christmas Eve is finished off with a three-course meal in one of the two restaurants, ready for the big day of celebrations. 

On Christmas morning you can enjoy a breakfast with panoramic views of the lake and a swim in the pool before Father Christmas visits to give out gifts for the children. If you still have space after the traditional Christmas Day lunch, you can enjoy Christmas cake in front of the King’s speech and a light evening buffet with games.

You can also make use of the spa on Boxing Day or head for a local walk to work off some of the food on offer, including cheese and port. The day is finished off with a Vegas Party Night, if parents feel like letting their hair down.

Just because it’s December, doesn’t mean you can’t escape to the beach. Knoll House in Dorset offers stunning views of Studland Bay for your festive celebrations. The hotel has its own nine-hole pitch and putt golf course, tennis courts, a spa, and a games room with a pool table, table tennis and ice hockey tables. 

The outdoor pool may only be open in the warmer months but you’re within easy reach of the beach for a bracing Christmas Day dip. 

During your festive stay, you can enjoy festive food including warm mince pies by an open fire, afternoon tea, and a Christmas Day buffet feast. The King’s speech is aired in the cinema room and you and your family can join in the quiz for some fun entertainment.

This 3-star hotel doesn’t offer the same level of luxury as The Grove or Coworth Park, but it makes up for it with stunning coastal views and fun activities. Studland Beach is close by so you can go for a festive stroll to walk off some of your food. The hotel rents out a sauna hut and provides a mug of mulled wine or hot chocolate to help guests warm up afterwards. 

You can choose from two- or three-day stays over the festive period. If beach walks and cosy seaside views are your thing, this hotel is the one. Bear in mind that some guests say the rooms need updating.

Set in 300 acres of landscaped gardens and woodland, Rudding Park in Harrogate has two golf courses, a kitchen garden, three restaurants, a private cinema, a swimming pool, a sauna and an award-winning spa. Just about everything you might need for a relaxing and indulgent Christmas escape. 

The three-day package is designed to keep everyone entertained. Start with a Christmas Eve afternoon tea and then choose from one of the three restaurants for your Christmas Eve dinner, followed by a Christmas carol service at the Rudding Park Chapel with a glass of mulled wine.

On Christmas Day, you can play a six-hole golf competition and children can visit Santa’s Grotto. When it comes to your festive feast, you can choose from a traditional lunch in the Clocktower, with entertainment including a table magician and pianist; contemporary five-course fine dining in the Horto; or a family dinner at Rudding House, where children will receive a mocktail on arrival, enjoy table entertainment and visit Santa in the Grotto. Then, with full tummies, you can take a walk around the grounds or watch a variety of classic films that will be screened in the cinema throughout the afternoon.

Throughout the stay, parents can take turns to visit the spa, home to a rooftop spa and garden area. You may even be lucky enough to find the hidden Christmas stars and receive a prize. Children under 16 can splash around in the indoor swimming pool each day. Bear in mind, the package does not include Boxing Day food so you’ll need to pay extra for that. 

Sister hotel to the Dorchester in London, Coworth Park in Ascot is a luxurious retreat set in lush Berkshire countryside and at Christmastime you’ll find twinkling lights and roaring fires setting the festive scene.

The hotel offers two- or three-night Christmas packages (or longer if you don’t want to leave). Each comes with a luxury price tag but if decadence is what you are looking for (along with Michelin-star dining and an award-winning spa), then that’s exactly what you’ll get.

Choose from a room in the grand Georgian Mansion House, or in one of the cottages for a more secluded escape. Think elegant rooms with warm lighting, armchairs and copper roll top bathtubs. You can even add a Christmas tree to your room for that extra bit of magic.

Family activities include board games, card-making, festive decorations and horse-and-carriage rides. On Christmas Eve you can head out for Midnight Mass and be welcomed back with hot drinks. On Christmas Day, Father Christmas pops by with gifts before you sit down for your four-course Christmas feast while you enjoy the rustic charm and roaring fires at The Barn. Finish the day off with live music and more food. 

Set on 240 acres of parkland, you can take a stroll and meet the horses at the stables. On Boxing Day, you can enjoy classic countryside pursuits from falconry displays to archery and laser clay shooting. When it's time to unwind a bit, you can head to the hotel’s spa and treat yourself to one of the treatments or take a dip in the heated pool, with underwater music.

With walled gardens to wander around, Michelin-starred dining and a croquet lawn, Lucknam Park near Bath is the ultimate country house escape. A stay at this 5-star hotel does come with a 5-star price tag but it’s a fabulous setting for a family-friendly escape. 

The three-day Christmas package includes afternoon tea, a champagne reception and carols on Christmas Eve to kick off the festivities. As you’d expect at Christmas, you won’t leave hungry. In fact, you get to experience Mitchelin-star dining at Restaurant Hywel Jones. 

Father Christmas will arrive by horse drawn carriage to deliver festive gifts and offer carriage rides around the estate. On Boxing Day you can make the most of the hotel’s facilities including a spa, a gym, an indoor pool and an outdoor hydrotherapy pool, as well as a football pitch, tennis courts and an equestrian centre offering horse rides. There’s also an adventure playground for children to run around in. 

You can finish off the celebrations with a black tie dinner on Boxing Day, with a live band to get you up on your feet. There are cottages available with up to four bedrooms for larger groups of friends and family.