SoRaiseYourGlasses

It's becoming increasingly popular for families or groups of friends to rent a large house together for a weekend and to make the whole weekend a celebration for a particular special occasion or event.

The key to this is to plan well in advance. Whilst there are some fantastic large houses available for short rents and some groups of houses together on the smae complex in lovely rural settings, they tend to be booked up well in advance as they are in limited supply, particularly if you want something in a specific area.

There are many websites on which you can look for such houses and we have identified a few although we cannot personally endorse them:

Historic UK    Unique Home Stays     The Big Domain     Group Accommodation         

There are one or two extra things to think about when planning a weekend away with a group of people and worth giving these some thought to ensure that everyone enjoys their time together:

• Make sure the date suits everyone before you book
• Make sure the location is accessible to everyone, particularly if some will be using public transport
• Make sure the accommodation will suit the groups of people, not just the overall number. If there's 24 people in a house for 24 and it means that one couple have to sleep apart, and with other people's children, things may not work out quite as you imagined!
• Organise the food and drinks - who is going to bring all that is needed for the stay? - who decides what is going to be eaten? - have special dietary needs been considered? - who's responsible for the cooking, and for which meals? - don't forget breakfast, and snacks, and essentials like milk, sugar, tea and coffee
• Check whether bedding, towels etc. are supplied and included in the price, and check that electricity, gas and/or oil is also included in the price
• Make sure that you get there first, or that anyone who might arrive first can get in