Best Of
Best Half-Term Staycations UK
Half-term arrives with the regularity of clockwork and the urgency of a last-minute dash. One week to entertain, exhaust, and occasionally educate the children — and a staycation is increasingly the smartest way to do it. No airport queues, no jet lag, no passport panic. Just a well-chosen property within driving distance that gives the whole family a genuine change of scene. The best half-term stays offer a combination of structured activities and the freedom to make your own fun. Country estates with nature trails, den-building kits, and evening wildlife walks. Coastal retreats where the beach provides limitless entertainment regardless of the weather. Farmhouse conversions where feeding the animals becomes the morning ritual. What distinguishes a great half-term staycation from a mediocre one is the recognition that parents need a holiday too. The best properties provide enough activities to keep children engaged while offering parents the space to read a book, take a long bath, or simply sit still for half an hour. These stays thread that needle — and they do it across every half-term, from the February frost to the October gold.
Showing 75 Stays
- 1
Climping, West Sussex
Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa
Medieval-style manor near the beach with luxury spa
£££
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
Reynoldston, Gower
Fairyhill
Romantic retreat in Britain's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
£££
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
Benderloch, Argyll
Isle of Eriska Hotel & Spa
Your own Scottish island with spa and Michelin dining
£££
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
Blanchland, Northumberland
Lord Crewe Arms
12th-century abbey guesthouse in a hidden Pennine valley
£££
- 28
- 29
Grantown-on-Spey, Highlands
Muckrach Country House Hotel
Victorian country house with Cairngorms on the doorstep
££
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
Bagshot, Surrey
Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa
Exclusive hotel and spa in 123 acres of Surrey parkland
££££
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
Stobo, Scottish Borders
Stobo Castle Health Spa
Scotland's premier destination spa in a Japanese-inspired castle
£££
- 38
Lichfield, Staffordshire
Swinfen Hall Hotel
Grade II listed Georgian manor with 100 acres of parkland
£££
- 39
- 40
- 41
Madehurst, West Sussex
THE PIG in the South Downs
The PIG's South Downs outpost with rolling chalk hills
£££
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
Nethy Bridge, Highlands
The Dell of Abernethy
Vintage-chic lodge with wildlife watching Springwatch-style
£££
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
Acton Trussell, Staffordshire
The Moat House
Canal-side dining destination in the Staffordshire countryside
£££
- 56
- 57
- 58
Elcot, Berkshire
The Retreat at Elcot Park
Vibrant country house hotel and spa in the Kennet Valley
£££
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
Colbost, Isle of Skye
The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By
Legendary Skye restaurant with luxurious rooms
££££
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
Llangefni, Anglesey
Tre-Ysgawen Hall Country House Hotel & Spa
Victorian country house with hydrotherapy spa
££
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Wilton Court Restaurant with Rooms
Riverside restaurant with rooms in Ross-on-Wye
££
- 74
- 75