We’ve noticed that we’re getting a lot of enquiries lately for cottages for large groups with a hot tub, and we were talking about it in the office, trying to pinpoint why. We concluded that there’s no particular reason, just that sometimes we all need a break from the hectic pace of modern life – you know, work, the school run, the washing, the ironing, the gardening, it goes on and on, and sometimes you just want to escape to somewhere where you don’t have to think about any of those things. A holiday in the country with a group of friends or family helps you to unwind, especially if there’s a lovely warm hot tub for you to have a soak in.

Our photographer’s been out to Frog Street this week, to capture the essence of this Somerset holiday house following a significant revamp from its former days as a successful B&B. And wowsers, what a result! As you can see from the pics, this big holiday cottage for 12 (plus 2 more at an additional charge per person) is a wonderful blend of gorgeous interiors and traditional country charm, and with a hot tub, 5m swim spa, BBQ lodge, play area and games room it’s got everything you need for any large group stay.

Where’s Spring gone then? Just when it looked like it had taken centre stage it’s gone all cold and blustery again! It’ll pick up of course but It goes to show that you can’t rely on the English weather and that’s why if you’re planning a holiday in the UK for 8-30 people it’s always wise to find large group holiday homes with indoor swimming pools. Add to that games rooms, covered hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms and you’ve got it covered; it matters not if the sun has got his hat on or not, you’ll all be fine.

This year kicked off with a big event in our family – my father’s 70th birthday; he wanted to mark the occasion by doing something that meant a lot to him – a celebration but not a party. “You can rent big houses for family celebrations” he said. “Let’s do that, let's all have a weekend away together. My treat.” The task of finding the perfect place to stay was left to my siblings and me, but with Sleeps 12 it was a doddle.

So Spring has officially sprung! It might still seem a bit gloomy out there but look around and you’ll see there’s so much going on – birds are busy nesting, the trees are starting to come into leaf, flowers are pushing up and bursting into bloom, and there are clouds of blossom in the hedgerows and in gardens everywhere. It always seems a bit of a struggle from the dark days of December to now, but next weekend the clocks go back so the days will be longer, and soon it will be Easter - a great time of year to get together with a group of family or friends and enjoy a large group holiday in the country.

Well, what a beauty! We’ve been bursting to show you the latest addition to our ever increasing portfolio of large group holiday homes, and at last, here it is – Pippinsands, a gorgeous and very welcoming big holiday cottage in Devon with a hot tub and snooze space for 14. The location? In a word, wonderful – amidst the wide open fields and big skies of the Blackdown Hills, overlooking the Otter Valley, just a mile or so from Honiton. If you crave the kind of holiday that takes you far, far away from the hustle and bustle of city life, where you can completely relax and unwind, Pippinsands is for you.

Finding a holiday house for 10 is easy enough but finding a holiday house with plenty to keep you all entertained can be quite a chore – until now. We have this gem in the Devon countryside – Foxhill Lodge, and it’s perfect in every way, it ticks all the boxes. This gorgeous holiday home sleeps 10 and has a hot tub, BBQ lodge, outdoor table tennis and use of an outdoor pool.

When it comes to holidays in Somerset there are certain things that just have to be done, things that capture the essence, the character of the West Country – like visiting a cider shack where the ‘elixir of life’ (as the locals call it) is still made to traditional methods, buying proper job Cheddar from a farm shop, and of course, spending time in a lovely old country pub. When it comes to the latter, the problem is – which one? There are so many! Well, here’s one we’re more than happy to recommend – The Farmers Arms at Combe Florey.

The excitement has been mounting in the office since our team went out to see Dustings a few weeks ago and we’ve been working hard to get it ready to show you – and here it is; once a stable block on a working farm, now an amazing large group holiday home for 16 in Somerset. With a hot tub and a games room it’s a great one for all kinds of group stays – it would suit multi-generational families, three or four young families with children, walkers, hen parties and corporate groups for both team building and hospitality. What’s more, dogs are welcome, so bring the family pooch along too.

We woke to a world of white down in Somerset this morning, the first sprinkling of snow this year but even though it’s so cold now it won’t be long until Spring is here and everything starts to warm up. Spring is a popular time for large group holidays, particularly around the Easter period; if it’s something you’ve been thinking about now is the time to find that perfect holiday house whether it’s for a whole week, a few days or a weekend away. Most of our luxury self catering holiday accommodation is already booked for the Easter weekend but we do still have some availability so read on to see what we’ve got.