IT’S one thing renting out a cottage for all your mates – but what if you could hire out a village?
In the UK there are three whole villages where you can rent out the whole place and some even have heated swimming pools, barbecues and outdoor cinemas.
On Groupaccommodation.com, there are three spots to rent out and the biggest sleeps up to 100 people – so you’ll need a hefty guest list.
Darwin Lake in Derbyshire has a group of charming stone holiday cottages all centered around a pretty lake with woodland walks and a village green.
In the heart of the village is Darwin Hall, a space for up to 200 guests so it’s great for a special occasion.
Along with a stay in the village, there’s also a Peak Adventures activity package.
Your group can try raft building or canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding on the lake, archery or bushcraft in the woods, or tackle a climbing wall.
Guests can use the complimentary rowing boat or fish on the lake, free of charge.
If you’d prefer a pampering session, there’s the chance to add spa and beauty treatments onto the booking.
With up to 93 overnight guests, the second village is the Knockerdown Holiday Cottages in the Peak District.
Near Carsington Water, it’s made up of 16 stone cottages which between them have 42 bedrooms.
If a group dinner is on the cards, the largest houses are The Farmhouse and Two Dales which can seat up to 12 guests in each.
Or you can hire out the Brackendale Function Room for up to 93 diners.
This village has its own heated indoor swimming pool too as well as a children’s play area, lounge with a games room, a dog exercise area and plenty of parking.
Thanks to its location, you can easily get to Alton Towers, Chatsworth House and Crich Tramway Village from here.
For both Darwin Lake and Knockerdown Holiday Cottages you need to enquire to get rates for hiring out the entire villages.
Lastly, there’s Orchard Hideaways in Cumbria which is made up of glamping pods rather than holiday homes.
Each pod has all the essentials from a mini-fridge to a microwave, kettle, heating and outdoor seats – some pods are fitted with TVs too.
When you’re not cosying up in the pods, guests can head to the Chill Out area – a space kitted out with a hot tub, sauna, outdoor cinema.
When it comes to cooking, head to the Sizzle Shack which has its own barbecue and an indoor fire pit.
If you opt for celebration packages, you can even have events like live DJ silent discos, saxophone performances and live shows – so it’ll be more like having your own music festival.
You can also organise outdoor adventures like guided hikes to Lake Ullswater as well as paddleboarding, lakeside archery.
All the accommodations here are dog-friendly so furry friends don’t have to miss out.
Rates are based on the hiring of the whole site including 16 pods and access to the social spaces – these start from £3,999 – or £31pppn (based on a four-night midweek stay).