Party Houses in Derbyshire for Big Group Weekends

The party houses Derbyshire does best

Start with the beds, because everything else follows. These holiday houses sleep anywhere from 12 up to 34 guests, so a big family birthday and a hen do of a dozen friends both have somewhere to land. Use the sleeps and bedrooms filters to narrow the list before you fall for a photo.

Then check the bathrooms, because a holiday cottage with a bathroom for nearly every bedroom makes mornings painless. One with fewer asks your guests for a bit more patience.

Expect farmhouses, a converted barn or a big hall with a living room and lounge that takes the whole group of guests. Space matters more than you'd expect when a large group gets together, so look at the dining and living room photos before you commit. Several are listed as luxury holiday cottages too, so the extras filter helps if the group wants a treat.

• Sleeps and bedrooms: the filters narrow it fast.
• Bathrooms: the listing shows how many.
• Dogs: use the dogs filter if yours are coming, as plenty of dog friendly houses are listed.
• Games room: check each listing for one if you want evenings in.
• Views: the photos tell you if it's fields or the lane outside.
• Hot tub: the tub type and extras filters show what each house has.

Which corner of Derbyshire suits your party?

Derbyshire's countryside is bigger than it looks on a map, so choose an area first and the stay second. The High Peak, the Derwent valley and the gentler south each have a different feel.

Matlock and Matlock Bath

Several of our biggest holiday houses sit around Matlock Bath and Darley Dale, with a pub close to some of them. Above Matlock Bath, a cable car climbs to a hilltop estate with Peak District views, which makes a good outing for a group on a lazy afternoon. The catch is parking. The estate has no car park of its own, so you use the council pay and display car parks in Matlock Bath, which take cash or phone payment but not cards. Trains run to Matlock Bath from Derby and Matlock, so leave a few cars at home and explore together.

Buxton and Chapel-en-le-Frith

Head north for the High Peak. Buxton has the Pavilion Gardens, Victorian gardens in the middle of town, with the Opera House beside them for an evening out. It's a fair drive from Matlock Bath though, around 36 minutes by road, so pick one side and stay there. Stays near Buxton and Chapel-en-le-Frith suit guests who want Peak District walking on the doorstep.

Biggin and Tideswell

Some of the party houses Derbyshire has to offer sit in quiet Peak villages like these. You'll have wide skies and walking from the door, but not much late-night life, so the party stays in the house. Some houses have a pub within reach, so check that before you plan a night out. The Tissington Trail runs near Biggin and the Monsal Trail isn't far from Tideswell, both flat old railway lines for a slow group walk or a bike ride the morning after.

Ashbourne, Belper and Derby

Down south the country gets gentler. Ashbourne is about 22 minutes from Matlock Bath and Belper 23, which suits friends travelling in from the Midlands or the south. Dovedale's stepping stones are a short drive from Ashbourne and a self-catering house here keeps the family close together.

Hot tubs, tables and quiet hours

A hot tub turns a late evening into the best part of the weekend. One of the halls has a pool too. Check the tub type filter to see what's on offer. Prefer something cosier? Several houses have an open fire too. Our large cottages with hot tub in Derbyshire are a good place to start for a party house with a hot tub.

Bringing the dog? Plenty of the houses are happy to have one. The dogs filter makes that easy to sort. It's friendly on the family too, as nobody has to stay behind.

Here's the part worth a message before you book. Not all the party houses Derbyshire owners let out are happy to host a loud one. Tell the owner it's a celebration, whether that's a hen or stag weekend or a birthday gathering, then ask about music and quiet hours and how many day guests are allowed.

Days out for the group

Count the drive before you plan the day out. Times are from Matlock Bath, on the edge of the Peak District, where several of the biggest houses sit.

The far north is the longest run, which is why we'd split a long weekend between one area and a single day trip, rather than racing round the county.

The best time for a party weekend

Summer suits long outdoor evenings and hot tub nights, while winter calls for an open fire and a short walk to the pub. Planning a December get-together? Our large Christmas cottages in Derbyshire are worth a look.

Plan around the cable car if it's on your list. The Heights of Abraham closes for winter and reopens in February, though it runs evening light shows from late November through December.

Already picked a base? Matlock and Buxton both have big houses for a large group stay. Both make easy bases for the days out above.

What to book ahead

Book a table for the whole group at a pub well ahead, because a kitchen that copes with ten won't always manage twenty. Check availability for your dates early too. If nobody fancies cooking for twenty, ask the owner whether they know a local catering firm or private chef for the big dinner night. Buy tickets for the cable car from the official Heights of Abraham site and see what's on at the Pavilion Gardens before you go.

If you're still weighing up how big to go, our big houses to rent in Derbyshire compare the full range. You can see every house we list for groups on the Derbyshire Group Cottages homepage too.

Pick your house, pick your date and tell everyone to bring a coat.

Questions people ask

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