Where to Spend Christmas this Year
If you're thinking about celebrating the big day away from home this year, check out our top picks for the perfect festive getaways this Christmas
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 some time at Christmas. The 24 rooms and suites are divided between the original house and the Carriage House, but each is individually designed and has every little luxury you’d hope to find. Dine in the oak-panelled 1881 restaurant, where the team of chefs serve delicious seasonal dishes made using produce from the surrounding estates and their own kitchen garden. Just want to escape the looming Christmas chaos for 24 hours? Take advantage of their Winter Warmer Break with an overnight stay for two, curl up beside the large open fire and take some time out to relax in the run up to the big day. Available until 23rd December.
Barmoor Lane, Scalby YO13 0PB
wreaheadhall.co.uk
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 your day with a dip in the beautiful heated outdoor pool. Tuck into festive feasts throughout, and of course, a classic three-course Christmas lunch lovingly prepared with produce from the estate. Walk it all off with a stomp through the grounds before a light supper, or why not book a restorative final dip to recover on Boxing Day before checking out?
Middleton Tyas, Richmond DL10 6NJ
middletonlodge.co.uk
Matfen Hall Country Hotel, Spa & Golf Estate
Enjoy the most festive of breaks at Matfen Hall with an Emerald two-night stay on this stunning estate in Northumberland. Arriving on Christmas Eve, guests will be treated to mulled wine and mince pies before enjoying a five-course dinner in the Emerald Restaurant. Kick off the big day with a sumptuous breakfast and explore the grounds and golf course, or curl up with a book or game in the snug before Champagne and canapés followed by a five-course special festive lunch. Spend the evening beside the roaring fire, and enjoy a charcuterie board and sweet treats to round off the perfect Christmas Day. Boxing Day breakfast will be served in Cloisters and you can enjoy a late check out, at 12pm.
Emerald Break, £2,100 per room.
Matfen Village, Northumberland NE20 0RH
matfenhall.com
Woodland Chase Luxury Glamping
The perfect luxury hideaway over the festive holidays, the individually handcrafted cabins, with their modern but very cosy interiors, come complete with a private wood-fired hot tub and fire pit at this adult-only, luxurious treehouse and cabin escape. Cosy up in the award-winning treehouse, or book The Fieldhouse which boasts its own private spa complete with a wood-heated sauna, outdoor shower, wood-fired hot tub and cold dunk bucket. For something extra special, enjoy a relaxing massage or treatment in the comfort of your cabin.
Old Felton Farm, Felton, Morpeth NE65 9NT
woodlandchaseglamping.co.uk
The Tempus
Enjoy a fabulously festive retreat at Charlton Hall’s The Tempus this Christmas with a two-night break. Kick off the celebrations with a welcome drink on Christmas Eve. Afternoon tea is followed by a delicious dinner in The Orangery. The big day begins with a breakfast mimosa, followed by fizz and canapés before sitting down to a Christmas Day feast. Spend the rest of the day chilling out in this uniquely magical space before the evening buffet. You don’t need to check out until 1pm the next day, so there’s plenty of time to enjoy a Boxing Day brunch before heading home.
From £899 per room.
Charlton Hall, Chathill, Northumberland NE67 5DZ
charltonhall.co.uk
Gisborough Hall
There’s something special about the festive season at Gisborough Hall and it feels like there’s a little bit of magic in the air. Join them for a three-day break starting on Christmas Eve. From the moment you arrive you are guaranteed a warm Yorkshire welcome, so all you need to do is look forward to fizz by the fire. The big day itself will start with a hearty breakfast which you’ll need to walk off before the Champagne reception and Christmas lunch. Watch the King’s speech in The Old Hall as you enjoy Christmas cake and coffee, and the festive feasting continues into the evening with the chef’s special buffet. Boxing Day sees an informal lunch and a trip to the local panto, before returning to the hotel for a cocktail reception, black tie dinner and casino and race night.
Christmas Break £765 per person.
Whitby Lane, Guisborough TS14 6PT
gisborough-hall.com
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. 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
headlamhall.co.uk
Saltmoore
Enjoy a magical three-day festive break at the all-new Saltmoore at Sandsend. On Christmas Eve enjoy mulled wine and mince pies on arrival before heading to Saltmoore’s brand new, state-of-the-art spa, The Sanctuary, for some welcome relaxation. Kick off the evening with festive fizz followed by a three-course feast in the Brasserie and while away the rest of the night on the terrace, lit with roaring fires, where a local choir will entertain guests with carols. The big day starts with a traditional Yorkshire breakfast, followed by a five-course Christmas lunch. To round off your day, a light festive supper will be served followed by an evening of entertainment. Boxing Day is yours to enjoy: head to the spa, stroll along the beach or hike the moors before a delicious three-course dinner in the evening. Leave truly rested after a full Yorkshire breakfast the following morning.
Package from £1,700 based on two adults sharing a snug bedroom.
Sandsend Road, Whitby YO21 3ST
saltmoore.co.uk
The Collingwood Arms
Enjoy a cosy Christmas at this beautiful Grade II-listed Georgian hotel (with great views of the River Tweed) where, until the end of February 2025, you can enjoy three nights for the price of two. There are 15 luxurious bedrooms, a cosy bar and a restaurant boasting an AA Rosette award. Head chef Peter Snelgar focuses on seasonality and locality in his dishes, and for Christmas, their Festive Fayre menu includes dishes like Scottish heather honey and English mustard-glazed ham hock, and a festive choux bun with pumpkin purée and salted caramel cream.
Main Street, Cornhill-on-Tweed TD12 4UH
01890 882424
collingwoodarms.com
Swinton Bivouac
Enjoy a two-night stay in a Tree Lodge on Swinton Estate for a relaxing off-grid experience this Christmas. Your log burner and hot tub will be lit ready for your arrival, hot water bottles tucked into your bed and a S’mores kit, mulled wine or hot chocolate delivered to your door. You’ll also receive a Christmas Welcome Hamper of treats, and there’s full access to the woodland sauna.
From £325 per lodge per night.
Swinton Estate, Masham HG4 4JH
swintonestate.com
Coquet Cottages
There is something magical about Christmas in Northumberland, and you’re never far away from some great Christmas cheer. Whether you prefer to be beside the sea or in the countryside, the many pretty Northumbrian villages take Christmas very seriously and you can enjoy festive lights and plenty of Christmas spirit wherever you choose to go. Coquet Cottages have an award-winning collection of self-catering accommodation across the county, all festively decorated for your arrival. Contemporary yet characterful, Heron House in the charming market town of Alnwick sleeps four guests (and one dog) and is the perfect home-from-home this Christmas. Near many local attractions, restaurants and of course shops for those last-minute gifts, this terraced period property has a cosy lounge, separate dining room, modern kitchen and parking is available along the street.
coquetcottages.co.uk
Darwin Forest Luxury Lodge
Spend Christmas in a stunning woodland lodge sleeping six, with your own outdoor hot tub. Set within 47 acres of woodland, The Glade Exclusive 3 Spa Lodge includes a large open-plan living space with a well-equipped, contemporary kitchen, dining space, comfy sofas and large flat screen TV, Chromecast for streaming and Playstation 4 games console, perfect for keeping all the family entertained. French doors open out onto a private deck with a large hot tub and on-site facilities include a swimming pool, spa and gym and the Foresters bar and restaurant.
Darley Moor, Matlock DE4 5PL
darwinforest.co.uk
