Family-friendly self-catering
Children pick out wonder and awe in the smallest detail. These family-friendly locations come with muddy puddles, rock pools and garden games for all.
Little ones see everything through rainbow-tinted spectacles, and travelling with children should be a halcyon experience. What was once mundane becomes a shiny sparkle: the smallest puddles can turn into an exciting ocean voyage across stormy waves; those gnarled and twisted trees on a woodland walk are now tall turreted towers that must be scaled. There's nothing like exploring a new area with a child-friendly luxury holiday home as a base, heading out wellies on and a little hand clasped in yours, pointing in awe at clouds shaped like giraffes and glow worms lighting up the night. All the better enjoyed with grandparents, multi-generational group gatherings allow parents to sneak off and enjoy moonlit dips in heated swimming pools, or pop open a bottle of bubbles under starry skies while sinking into a garden hot tub. Time spent together is time well spent, after all, and memories are made of this.
Papilio Creek
Milborne Wick, Sherborne, Dorset, UK
Contemporary and idyllic, romantic and bright, Papilio Creek in rural Dorset is a celestial haven of harmony and joy where gentle relaxation and garden naps are the only things on the agenda.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
From: £1,595 per week, £1,295 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Hot tub, sauna, steam room and a rowing machine are available
The Carriage House
A stylish luxury home for all the family to enjoy some time out close to Dorset's Jurassic coast in quaint Litton Cheney.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,095 per week, £850 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Use of tennis court
Prairie De Gorge
Prairie De Gorge started life as two tumbledown cottages and has been tenderly renovated into an elegant luxury retreat near Burton Bradstock exuding country charm.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,095 per week, £795 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
The Woodlanders
If you're looking for a wholesome family break in the country, look no further than this luxury self-catering holiday cottage set amidst lush flower-filled gardens in the rolling hills of Wiltshire near Shaftesbury.
Sleeps: 6 guests
From: £1,295 per week, £975 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Heated garden house with shower facilities
Sugar Ray
Huge sea views, bright interiors and an eclectic mix of furnishings make this clapboard beach house a unique Dorest stay.
Sleeps: Up to 6 (+2) guests
From: £2,595 per week, £1,950 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (May - September), shepherd´s hut and a trampoline
Elphinstone
Looking out across Studland Bay and the rolling Dorset countryside, this modern home is the perfect base for summer holidays by the sea.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
From: £2,500 per week, £1,995 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Cinema room, outdoor pizza oven, table tennis, games room with pool table
Orbis
Milborne Wick, Sherborne, Dorset, UK
Available as a unique pairing of properties with Papilio Creek, Orbis offers simple and contemporary living in the heart of rural Dorset.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £6,500 per week, £4,300 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Hot tub available. A sauna and steam room can be used when Orbis is booked with Papilio Creek
Montana
Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near Lyme Regis on the Devon border, this stylish architect-designed self-catering home boasts dramatic far-reaching woodland vistas.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £2,195 per week, £1,795 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 & Up to 6 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
The Old Monastery
The Old Monastery in Burton Bradstock is a luxurious self-catering manor house exuding elegance and style located just a stone's throw from the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. Nestled in tranquil gardens, there is plenty of space for all the family to enjoy.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £3,295 per week, £2,525 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: 50" TV with home cinema system and Sonos, Tesla electric car charger
Kingfisher Farm
Long Bredy, Burton Bradstock, Dorset, UK
Surrounded by a wild meadow and with far-reaching rural views, this luxury self-catering farmhouse near Hive Beach in Dorset is the family holiday location of dreams.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
From: £3,350 per week, £2,495 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 & Up to 6 guests
Features: Table tennis, badminton, lawn croquet, bowls
Butterfly House
Once a famous butterfly farm, this 16th Century manor near Sherborne flaunts a state-of-the art cinema room amidst its abundant art-filled living spaces. With the Jurassic coast less than half an hour away, one truly great escape awaits.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests (10 adults and 4 children)
From: £4,150 per week, £3,395 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome on prior request
Features: State-of-the-art cinema room
