Organiser's notes
The houses here sleep at least 10, have at least one of a hot tub, games room, pool or cinema room, and do not say “no parties” in their listing. Where the listing says celebrations are welcome the card says so; where it says nothing, the card says “ask the owner”, and you should.
Say what it is. A 40th with a cake is not a hen party, and agencies know the difference. Tell them it is a birthday weekend, how many adults and how many children. Most houses that take celebrations are relaxed about a birthday; the ones that are not will say so.
Mixed group, mixed needs. If there are children, look for an enclosed garden and a ground-floor bedroom for anyone who does not do stairs. If there are no children, a hot tub and a long table matter more than a garden.
The kitchen is the room. A 40th is mostly people standing in the kitchen. Check the photos for a table that seats the whole group, a dishwasher (two is a luxury worth having) and enough fridge space for a weekend’s worth of drink.
Budget per head. A £3,000 weekend is £150 each for 20 or £250 each for 12. Set the per-head figure before you pick the house, not after, and include the food kitty and any hot tub heating charge.
Minimum nights. Two nights at a weekend is normal, three on a bank holiday. If the birthday falls midweek, a Monday to Friday break is often cheaper than the weekend either side.
Caterers and bands. If you plan to bring in a caterer or live music, ask first. Some houses are fine; some ban it outright because of noise or kitchen insurance.
Deposits. A security deposit of a few hundred pounds is standard. Agree how it is split if anything is deducted.
Sorted hot tub and games room first, then by size. Dates and the full price are on the agency page.
