Talton House

A Grade II-listed Manor House set deep in the Warwickshire countryside yet not far from Stratford-upon-Avon, Talton House is the perfect holiday haven for large groups of friends and families. It's a Queen-Anne style mansion, set amid 34 acres of woodland, fields, manicured gardens and lawns, and makes for a luxurious but relaxed getaway, oozing charm and history and providing an opportunity to pretend that you really are 'to the manor born' – if only for a few days! Yet it's different from many country houses in several respects, with lots of fun and frivolous touches throughout, and a converted barn and a variety of glamping accommodation in the adjoining gardens adding a cool festival vibe to the aristocratic atmosphere of the manor. If you’re looking for a relaxed venue for a memorable gathering, party or reunion – or even a corporate getaway – Talton House may be exactly what you are after.

Talton House  was one of the owners' childhood home and one of the most charming things about it is the amount of family history throughout - there are portraits of her mother (a former racing car driver who raced against Steve McQueen),  not to mention various racy and brainy ancestors from years before. The house sleeps up to 23 guests in nine individually decorated bedrooms, each of which offers something unique. Downstairs, a large and very handsome entrance hall gives any to an elegant dining room with seating for up to 14 people, plus a bright and spacious sitting room and a smaller snug, and a well-equipped country kitchen with an Aga and all the facilities you need. There's also a games room with a pool table and other games for rainy days, and a bar with its own seating area. The ground floor also has an accessible bedroom and bathroom and the house comes equipped with Smart TVs, good WiFi and a Cambridge Audio Bluetooth speaker system. And if you have a couple of extra guests, book the Courtyard Room as an optional extra room. Accessible via a private external stairwell, it can be made up as a super-king or two singles and has an en-suite.

And that's just the house. Outside, there's an outdoor table tennis table, boules and mini croquet and an outdoor space where kids can run around the grounds to their heart's content, giving the gatherings, parties, anniversaries and reunions that they host at Talton Lodge a relaxed, family vibe. They offer a handful of activities too, from treasure hunts and sausage-making to beauty therapy and pottery classes, plus there's an astroturf tennis court if you're feeling really energetic and a natural (unheated) swimming pool nearby, with crystal clear water. You may want to opt for a spot of in-house catering too: Olivia trained as a chef under Gary Rhodes and Margot Henderson and dishes up delicious three-course dinners on demand.

​You may find there's plenty to keep you occupied on the estate, but for those eager to explore the surrounding area, the village is a short walk away and has shops and a couple of pubs; a short drive to the north is Stratford-upon-Avon while to the south the small and appealing town of Shipston-on-Stour is similarly close. You're also well-positioned for seeing some of the northern reaches of the Cotswolds around Chipping Camden and Broadway.