The first new property to be added to our collection of luxury large group holiday houses for 2026, is Merryhill Manor in North Devon. With a heated saltwater pool, a games room/snooker room, yoga/dance studio, tennis court, sauna and gym, plus 5 acres of gorgeously landscaped gardens, this is a house with something for all ages. Book all 10 bedrooms to sleep 20, or plump for 6 bedrooms to sleep 12; either way all those fabulous features are yours for the whole of your stay.
Merryhill Manor sits behind high stone walls at the edge of a small hilltop town; the views from the terrace and the house are astonishing, stretching out far and wide across the North Devon countryside, with the uplands of Dartmoor in the distance. To come here is to escape; it’s looks and feels like another world, one that’s so remote from all the bad of the big wide. Hide away, be captivated, enchanted, wind down and truly appreciate the luxury of being with the people in your life who really matter.
Interiors are like something fresh out of a glossy country house mag, traditional with quirky modern touches and things acquired on trips around the globe. Funky artworks hang on the walls, a contrast to the antiques and original features, but it all comes together so well. The result is a house that’s homely and welcoming. Give it 5 minutes and you’ll feel so settled here.
And something else, something that not a lot of houses have. Two kitchens. Seriously. One is what they call the ‘domestic kitchen’, all lovely and fresh and cheerful. White painted walls, retro style tiles, a wooden table, chairs and workshops, and the comforting warmth of an Aga. Along the inner hall is the other kitchen, a fully equipped commercial one where anyone who loves to cook will be tying their apron strings in a flash. With 4 electric ovens and a 7 burner gas hob, it takes a lot of stress out of cooking for a large group, but the other things is that if you’re here to celebrate a special occasion, say a notable birthday or anniversary, and you hire private caterers, while you lot gather on the terrace for drinks, they can get on with creating a tremendous feast – out of the way, undisturbed. Brilliant!
If you book Merryhill Manor all 10 bedrooms are yours – 6 on the first floor, 4 on the second. They’re all such lovely rooms, all individually styled, most with ensuite bathrooms or shower rooms. Bedroom 1 (Principle Room) is quite something, with a king size four poster bed and in the ensuite bathroom, possibly the quirkiest and biggest bath you’ve ever seen.
If you book Mellow Manor you’ll have the 6 bedrooms on the first floor. Like we say, these bedrooms are gorgeous, each one is like a sanctuary, promising comfort, a restful sleep, and for most of them, incredible views to wake up to.
In a separate building across the courtyard at the back of the house you’ll find a laundry room, a gym with table tennis as well as the exercise gear, and up above, a games room/snooker room, and a light and airy yoga/dance studio with a decked terrace.
And the grounds, the gardens. Oh how exquisite, what a delight! Lovingly landscaped with paths that meander round and about, and surprises everywhere. Go and explore, linger by the fountain, take 5 from the blazing heat of the sun in the Victorian grotto, pause for a game of croquet. Wander over to the pool* garden, in its Med style walled courtyard, with a summer house, a terrace, a sauna and pagoda. What a place to hang out!
Grab your rackets and head off to the tennis court to show off your best serves; get in the Pimms and the strawberries and make like Wimbledon!
Going out? What, out out? If you can tear yourselves away from your earthly paradise, there are good things to see and do in these parts. Amble down to the town for a browse of the independent shops, see how quaint it is – narrow streets, thatched cottages, the backdrop of rolling countryside; stop for a pub lunch. Whatever your thing, you’ll find it within an easy drive; horse riding, golf, fishing, family attractions, historic houses, glorious gardens, the great outdoors with all its fields and hills, its sun dappled woodlands and pine forests. For big adventures, Exmoor National Park is very close by, Dartmoor just a little further. If the sea is calling, head over to the beach at Putsborough, Croyde, Saunton or Instow; you’ll find sand, hopefully, sun, and some of the best surf spots in the country.
But if going out is the last thing on your mind, that’s allowed, of course it is, and we totally get it because here, at Merryhill Manor is the best kind of merry, the best kind of mellow. This is a very special place to stay for all large group scenarios – family holidays, mini breaks with friends, unforgettable celebrations, elegant hen weekends, and super relaxing wellness retreats. Just don’t be at all surprised if you find yourselves wishing you could stay forever.