Large Group Houses near Bath: FAQs

Booking and availability

How far ahead do we need to book?

For summer weekends, bank holidays and anything near Christmas, six to nine months for the larger houses. The houses sleeping thirty or more are the scarcest – there are around eighteen above twenty-six guests in the whole collection. Midweek and off-season dates are much easier and often considerably better value.

Is there a minimum stay?

Usually, and it varies by property and season. Three nights is common at weekends and a full week is normal in peak summer. The individual listing is the place to check.

Can we view a house before booking?

These are working holiday lets, so viewings are rarely possible. Ask for extra photographs or a floor plan instead – most owners will provide them, and a floor plan tells you more about how a weekend will go than photographs do.

The houses

Do all the houses really have hot tubs?

Yes – all eighty-six. What varies is how many it seats and where it sits, which is worth asking about for a group over twenty.

How many have swimming pools?

Eleven, all heated, indoor or outdoor. They are the first to book up in summer.

How big do the houses get?

From fourteen guests to thirty-six. The most common sizes are sixteen, eighteen, twenty and twenty-four.

Are the houses in Bath itself?

Mostly no, and that is the trade-off that makes them possible – a house for twenty with grounds and a hot tub does not exist in the middle of a World Heritage city. Expect a short drive in.

Practicalities

Can we have a party?

Property by property, and the answer genuinely differs. Some are set up for it; others are in villages with close neighbours and firm rules about music and hours. Confirm before booking rather than after.

Can we bring a caterer or a chef?

Usually yes, and plenty of groups do for one night. Check for restrictions on outside suppliers.

Are dogs allowed?

Some houses welcome them and some are strictly pet-free. Check the individual property.

What about accessibility?

Many of these are period buildings, so stairs and thresholds vary a lot. If anyone in the group has mobility needs, ask about ground-floor bedrooms and bathrooms early – it will narrow the list, and better now than on arrival.