16 Places to Go for a Perfect Festive Getaway
If you're thinking about celebrating the big day away from home this year, check out our top picks for the perfect festive getaways
Headlam Hall
There’s plenty of opportunity to celebrate Christmas at Headlam Hall. Their popular Snowball Party Nights include an arrival drink, three-course meal and dancing until midnight, or settle down to a festive two- or three-course lunch during December. They’ve also arranged a special afternoon tea, served during December, in the Main Hall Lounge or Stable Lounge with part of the proceeds going directly to St Teresa’s Hospice. Want the luxury of a hotel stay but with extra privacy? Book The Hideaway, the hotel’s apartment just 30 metres from the hotel with its own private hot tub but within easy reach of all the other facilities.
Near Gainford DL2 3HA
Rothay Manor
Christmas in the Lake District is a magical time of year, and nowhere is more welcoming than the dog-friendly Rothay Manor. Let the festivities begin with canapés beside the open fire in one of the lounges before you dine on the delectable Tasting Menu in the hotel’s restaurant. Midnight Mass is a tradition in the local church but make sure you are up in time for a Bucks Fizz breakfast and then take a stroll through the pretty village of Ambleside to work up an appetite for the traditional Christmas lunch served with all the trimmings. Post lunch there’ll be films to slumber through in Rothay’s own cinema (popcorn obligatory) whilst Boxing Day gives you the opportunity to explore (and walk off another delicious breakfast). Round off your stay with a festive a la carte dinner in the fine-dining restaurant, for what will be a truly memorable breakaway.
Ambleside LA22 0EH
Grassington House
This award-winning restaurant with rooms is in the picture-perfect village of Grassington. And whilst it is all about rest and relaxation over Christmas, there’s always plenty of excitement in the house and village for guests to enjoy. Can’t stay over? Their Boxing Day lunch is a great tradition, and one way of escaping the washing up, or why not celebrate the start of 2023 at the exclusive New Year’s Eve, five-course Gala Dinner.
5 The Square, Grassington BD23 5AQ
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Swinton Park
Treat family and friends to this year’s festivities at stunning Swinton Park with a three-night stay which includes a very special Christmas feast, opulent afternoon tea, Boxing Day walks on the estate and a black tie Boxing Day party. With plenty of other activities on offer, from archery to macaroon making at the Cookery School, and the fabulous on-site spa to spoil yourselves in, it will be a Christmas to remember.
Swinton Estate, Masham HG4 4JH
Grand Hotel Tynemouth
This landmark Victorian hotel overlooking the beach is the place to go when you want to blow away the cobwebs of winter. Fresh sea breezes and boisterous tides outside give way to understated luxury and calmness within. With festive menus served in The Brasserie, including a sumptuous afternoon tea to be taken in The Brasserie or Drawing Room, and a special Christmas Day Lunch served in The Orchid Suite, The Grand is the definition of modern luxury with more than a little playful panache. Book a Sea View Deluxe room and wake up to a stunning vista each morning. Taking the family? Book the Laurel House Maisonette sleeping up to seven guests.
Tynemouth NE30 4ER
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Middleton Lodge Estate
Celebrate the perfect Christmas in the country at Middleton Lodge Estate. With a home-from-home feel, the beautiful rooms at Middleton Lodge are dotted throughout the estate and the celebrations will start as soon as you check in on Christmas Eve. The halls will be decked, the fires lit and you can even start (or end) your day with a dip in the beautiful heated outdoor pool! Tuck into festive feasts throughout, starting with a special afternoon tea on Christmas Eve and, of course, a classic Christmas Day lunch with all the trimmings, all lovingly prepared with produce from the estate. Walk it all off with a stomp through the grounds, or why not book a restorative massage in the treatment rooms to help you recover on Boxing Day. Can’t stay over? Why not start your celebrations with dinner and carols at The Coach House on 22nd December and help raise funds for RETT UK too.
Middleton Tyas, Richmond DL10 6NJ
Raithwaite Sandsend
Spend an unforgettable Christmas at Raithwaite with friends and family. Their three-day break will see you arriving in good time on Christmas Eve to be welcomed with a seasonal cocktail and canapés. Once you’ve dropped your bags, why not head to the spa to chill before a festive four-course dinner in the Restaurant, and round the night off on the terrace, beside a fire pit, mulled wine in hand, being serenaded by the choir quartet singing everyone’s favourite carols. The big day includes a special four-course lunch which you can walk off in the hotel’s stunning grounds or nearby beach, before settling down to a Christmas buffet in the evening. The special Boxing Day lunch is a Ploughman’s Christmas platter, full of festive fancies, and you can snooze it all off in The Hide with an afternoon of Christmas Movies, popcorn, nibbles, and hot chocolate. Then it’s back to the Restaurant for a three-course menu and a fun-filled Christmas quiz with fabulous prizes to be won.
Sandsend Road, Whitby YO21 3ST
The Wensleydale Heifer
This award-winning, family-owned luxury boutique hotel is the perfect place to cosy up over the festive period. The 13 individually-designed and themed rooms are made for celebrating with names such as Gin, Champagne and Chocolate, but it’s in the restaurant where you’ll probably spend most of your time. Championing the best local produce, the delicious, award-winning dishes keep guests coming back for more. The Wensleydale Heifer has a special Christmas Package available from 1st December which includes mince pies and mulled wine on arrival, a festive-themed room, Christmas tree and treats, and a three-course festive menu, all followed by a bucks fizz breakfast when you wake. A great way to ease yourself into the season, you’ll even receive a gift to take home too.
Main Street, West Witton DL8 4LS
Carpenters Arms
This popular pub with rooms has a fabulous festive menu which runs throughout December, but Christmas Day turns into a five-course feast which starts with fizz and canapés and carries on through to a variety of desserts, including Christmas pudding with brandy and rum sauce, or a delicious sounding chocolate and orange panna cotta with clementine curd. There’s a special kid’s menu too which is rounded off with hot chocolate and marshmallows. Check out their Winter Wonderland Festive packages for a luxurious two-night stay-over which includes dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day lunch too.
Felixkirk YO7 2DP
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Wrea Head Hall
This elegant country house hotel is renowned for its timeless luxury, great food and excellent service which all go towards making it the perfect place to spend Christmas. The 24 rooms and suites are divided between the original Mansion and the Carriage House, but each are individually designed and with every little luxury you’d hope to find. Dine in the oak-panelled 1881 restaurant with its expansive views over the hotel gardens and National Park beyond, and where the team of chefs serve delicious seasonal dishes using produce from the surrounding estates and their own kitchen garden. Curl up beside the large open fire and take some time out to relax in the run up to the big day or, when you do feel the need to walk off some of that festive feast, the hotel is set in its own mature grounds yet within easy reach of the North York Moors and the dramatic cliffs and seascapes of this part of the Yorkshire coast, all well worth exploring.
Barmoor Lane, Scalby YO13 0PB
Walwick
There’s nothing understated about celebrating Christmas at Walwick Hall, where you’ll be spoilt from the moment you arrive on Christmas Eve. You’ll be greeted with mulled wine and mince pies that will set the tone for your memorable stay. A sensational Christmas Day Lunch awaits on the big day, while Boxing Day begins with a delicious à la carte breakfast hopefully followed by a bracing walk to blow the cobwebs away. With roaring fires, gorgeous festive decorations, delicious dining, and lots of extra treats along the way, you won’t want to leave – and don’t before you’ve found the hotel’s spa with its glass walled pool (fingers crossed for snow to make it even more spectacular), fitness suite and luxury jacuzzi.
Humshaugh, Northumberland NE46 4BJ
No.1 by Guesthouse, York
Give the gift of pure luxury this Christmas and head to No.1 by Guesthouse in the historic city of York. Their special two-night stay begins on Christmas Eve and you’ll enjoy plenty of surprises along the way until you check out on Boxing Day. They love Christmas here, so you’ll be treated to lots of traditional festive touches, from bucks fizz at breakfast to carol singers (accompanied by cocktails) in the bar, and a delicious Christmas Day lunch. Don’t want to leave? It’s easy enough to add an extra night onto your stay, and that will give you time to enjoy the Guesthouse Spa and even explore some of the city on your doorstep.
1 Clifton, York YO30 6AA
Beadnell Towers
Christmas by the sea may not bring snow (although it’s not unheard of) but what could be better that a stroll over frosty dunes on Christmas Day? Start the celebrations with some carol singing on the Terrace as you indulge in mulled wine and festive nibbles, before sitting down in the cosy bar to enjoy a relaxed evening in this warm and welcoming pub with rooms. Breakfast with fizz should most definitely be followed by a beach walk to blow away any lingering cobwebs before you get together for a festive lunch with all the trimmings on the big day. After crackers, curl up in the Reading Room in front of a family film, or head to Beadnell’s harbour for a twilight pre-supper stroll. Boxing Day brunch brings an end to your celebratory stay but it will no doubt linger long in the memory.
Beadnell NE67 5AY
Hotel Rendezvous
This family-friendly hotel hotel sits canal-side in Skipton and is the perfect place for a full-on, fun and festive break. Celebrate your Christmas with a three-night special stay which starts on Christmas Eve with mulled wine and mince pies on check in, followed by a Gala Dinner and live entertainment. The big day starts with a special breakfast, and a long walk would be in order before you sit down to a traditional Christmas lunch. A festive buffet will be served in the evening for anyone still peckish. Boxing Day starts the same way, and there’s a festive lunch, followed by a three-course dinner and entertainment in the evening. Non-stop celebrations ensure this will be a Christmas to remember.
Keighley Road, Skipton BD23 2TA
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Fauconberg Arms
There’s a Christmas Party menu available all though December at this cosy pub with rooms, but it is the prefect place to celebrate your Christmas holiday. Their two-night Christmas package includes a festive meal on Christmas Eve, a Yorkshire breakfast and of course a special lunch on Christmas Day with lots of festive fun in between. Sadly, you’ll have to drag yourselves away from the warmth and hospitality of this popular pub after a hearty breakfast on Boxing Day.
Coxwold YO61 4AD
Collingwood Arms
A perfect place to escape some of the fuss and bother of the festive season, this Grade II-listed luxury hotel sits in glorious Border countryside beside the River Tweed. And whilst there’s plenty of celebrations going on too, expect the warmest of welcomes at this multi award-winning retreat with 15 classically furnished bedrooms, friendly bar and restaurant. You’ll find an eclectic mix of guests and locals enjoying one of the local ales propping up the bar all-year-round, and delicious food in the Dining Room and the bar from the talented team in the kitchen. The Collingwood Arms is dog friendly, so your four-legged friends can join in all the festivities too.
Main Street, Cornhill-on-Tweed TD12 4UH
