House needed for New Year 2002 (to sleep 15 +)

[Rioja]

Hi, I'm new to the site and wondered if anyone could help me. A big group of us are looking to hire a big house for New Year (sorry, I know it seems a long way off!!). It has to be very child friendly as there will be lots of children going. Does anyone know anywhere or any companies that specialise in large house lets??

Thanks a lot in advance.

Sorry, I meant to say it could be anywhere in England, Scotland or Wales!

Dont know any details but have heard you can rent a castle! Sounds like fun if your budget can stretch that far.

Rioja, sometimes if you look at the small ads in the back of Good Housekeeping mag, they have some ads for large houses to let.

Try www.english-country-cottages.co.uk. They have about 50 properties that sleep more than 11. Or you can phone on 0870 585 1155. R

Some Youth Hostels can be hired whole and the more recently refurbished ones have proper bedrooms, many with ensuite shower rooms. Not sure if they do New Year lets. The YHA was hit VERY badly by Foot and Mouth, so do check them out!
YHA
If it's a special occasion, I'd definitely also look at Pamina's recommendation, the Landmark Trust. Picturesque, atmospheric, but expensive. I would also have a doubt in my mind as to whether LT are that child-friendly. "Well-behaved" children who like doing brass-rubbings etc, yes...children who pine for the VCR and think the deep countryside is stinky (their houses don't have TVs), maybe not...

Landmark Trust

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I received my Landmark Trust brochure today - wow! But unfortunately everything thats big enough is also way too expensive. But lovely just to look through though - I've put it in the loo!

Still haven't found anywhere but I spent the 20 mins waiting for my doctors appt copying out numbers from the back of Good Housekeeping, so maybe one of them will come up trumps.

marina, I meant to say thanks for the YhA tip, I thought that sounded excellent but unfortunately my comfort loving husband and lazy kids vetoed it!

pamina, I am now becoming obsessed. If I ever get a weekend away with no kids I'll definitely do it...ahh I can dream...

oh, they sound lovely. I would take the kids (9, 5, 4) too but am a bit concerned that the buildings are so beautifully furnished that we might ruin them (not that they are THAT badly behaved - just normal sticky hands etc!). What do you think?

Rioja, Helpful holidays have some huge houses - one sleeps 70!

www.helpfulholidays.com

We stayed in a large house in Suffolk a few years ago which slept about 16. It was very cheap (about £600 in Oct half-term if I remember correctly), although a bit basic. The attic rooms had a definite 'servants quarters' feel to them, and very steep staircases. I think we booked through UK and Emerald Cottages www.cottages.co.uk/

That's good to know Pamina, we hope to Landmark some day if we win the lottery. My sister and her singleton glam friends have been all over the country in them including the castle in a layby in Perthshire and the cottage in Frenchman's Creek. They all love them too.
Rioja, the Leominster hostel is in the middle of a charming town, near a station for those without cars, newly converted and has a small number of double rooms with ensuite facilities. That's what it says in the brochure, not been myself - but have eyes on it for surprise weekend for dh's 40th. (We can't afford lovely Landmark either).
The days of YHAs being full of dripping socks and gloomy showers are generally long gone. Your dh and kids are wusses ! Hope you find somewhere nice soon.

Well, Rozzy, the Landmark Trust do own Rudyard Kipling's house, Naulakha, in Brattleboro, Vermont...not sure how many it sleeps but I recall it looks big and I bet it would be sooo beautiful in January!

It's 01628 825925, Rozzy.