Choosing a holiday cottage that really sleeps your group
Beds and bedrooms
The sleeps figure on a listing is a ceiling, not a target. Some of our Derbyshire cottages and halls sleep a little under twenty. Others take more, with one going up to thirty-four. With twenty guests, count the beds rather than trusting the headline number.
Bed types matter too. A big Derbyshire family get-together is happy sharing a bunk room, but friends on a birthday weekend usually want a room each or a double to share. Check the bedroom, lounge and kitchen photos before you fall for a cottage. The filters above narrow things down.
What the cottages come with
Most are near a pub, which helps a large group on a self catering break.
- Wifi in every one
- A hot tub at several
- A pool at one luxury hall
- Plenty of space at the two luxury places
- An open fire at a couple
- A garden at one
- Dog friendly at most
Bringing the dog? Our large dog friendly cottages page and each listing's details show where they're welcome.
Accommodation for 20 People Derbyshire Offers, Area by Area
These holiday cottages sit in a loose arc around the southern Peak District, so the real choice is which side of Derbyshire you want on your doorstep. Each location gives you a different set of Peak District days out.
Matlock and Matlock Bath
Two of our Derbyshire holiday homes are here, sleeping sixteen and thirty-four. Stay here and the Matlock Bath cable car is under a mile away, about two minutes by car. The trade-off is distance from the quieter White Peak dales, about half an hour off, with Alton Towers closer to three quarters of an hour. Derby is about half an hour south. Our group accommodation in Matlock page covers the Derbyshire town in more detail.
Darley Dale
A luxury hall with a pool sits here, sleeping eighteen. Bakewell is about eleven minutes away and Chatsworth House about thirteen. That suits guests wanting lunch in town and a grand house for the afternoon. The Monsal Trail starts just outside Bakewell for a flat walk or bike ride.
Biggin, near Hartington
The barn here sleeps nineteen and sits inside the Peak District National Park with a pub nearby. Dovedale is eighteen minutes away and Bakewell sixteen, with the old spa town of Buxton a short drive north. If a Derbyshire village is your kind of base, our group accommodation in Hartington page is worth a read.
Thorpe, near Ashbourne
This spacious Peak District cottage sleeps twenty-two and has an open fire and a garden, so the gathering can spill outside when the Derbyshire weather lets them. The stepping stones over the River Dove are four minutes away by car. The price is a longer trip up to Chatsworth, around forty minutes. Alton Towers is much closer for a family day out.
How far is it to the big days out?
Drive times from each Derbyshire base
Drive times below are from the stays in each area, so click a heading to sort.
| Staying in | Chatsworth House (minutes) | Bakewell (minutes) | Heights of Abraham (minutes) | Dovedale stepping stones (minutes) | Alton Towers (minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matlock Bath | 21 | 19 | 2 | 30 | 42 |
| Darley Dale | 13 | 11 | 11 | 32 | 46 |
| Biggin | 26 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 36 |
| Thorpe, near Ashbourne | 38 | 29 | 25 | 4 | 23 |
Plan one big day out in Derbyshire and leave the rest free. With twenty guests, getting everyone into cars takes longer than the drive.
Best time for a Peak District group holiday
Autumn and winter
Autumn and winter suit a big holiday house well. Think long dinners among friends round the dining table, an open fire in the cottages that have one and a hot tub to finish the day. For the festive season see our large Christmas cottages.
Spring and summer
Spring and summer are for long walks through the valleys and out into the countryside, with plenty of activities for friendly groups of every age. The cable car in Matlock Bath doesn't open all year. Check its official site for dates before you plan around it.
Livelier weekends
Want more activities for your guests? Our party houses and large cottages with hot tubs suit a birthday celebration or hen weekend in Derbyshire, while swimmers can head to the large houses with swimming pools.
What to sort first
Before you choose
- Agree dates first, because twenty diaries take time
- Check the bed mix against your group
- Pick a barn, hall or cottage that suits your party
- Ask about parking
- Plan the self catering food shop and who cooks
- Reserve a table for the whole gathering one night
Car parks and walks
The car park for the stepping stones is run by the National Trust. It can fill up at weekends, so get there early or try a midweek morning. For walking routes and rules, check the Peak District National Park Authority.
Browse the big houses to rent in Derbyshire or head to the Derbyshire Group Cottages homepage for a holiday of any size. Get the beds and the table right and you'll have some of the best accommodation for 20 people Derbyshire has to offer.
Questions people ask
Can a house really sleep twenty people?
Some can. Our Derbyshire cottages sleep from sixteen to thirty-four guests. Check the sleeps figure and the bedroom details on each listing before you choose.
Are dogs allowed in the big houses?
Most of the cottages are dog friendly but not all, so look at the dog details on each listing or use the dogs filter.
Do the houses have hot tubs?
Several do. The tub type filter shows which ones. Listings give the details.
How far are the houses from Chatsworth House?
It depends where you stay. The closest is about thirteen minutes by car and the furthest, near Ashbourne, is about thirty-eight.
Where can a group of twenty eat out?
Most of the cottages are close to a pub, so ring ahead and book a table for the whole group.
How much does it cost?
Each card above shows a from price for that house, so you can compare as you go.