Considering a luxury lodge break for your family this year? Meet holiday experts Darwin Escapes, who offer locations full of adventure potential in lovely natural surroundings with all the comforts of home.
Get into nature with a luxury lodge break
Luxury lodge breaks to suit every kind of family
Darwin Escapes have holiday resorts all over the UK, from Scotland to Cornwall. They’re big on location, so expect beautiful surroundings and great local attractions. They’re also big on individuality, so no replicated formula for their resorts – each has its own personality and perks. Finally, they don’t want you just to like their lodges, the Darwin Escapes wish is to find you a place you will truly love, and want to revisit time and time again.
Their family lodges are fully kitted out with all the amenities you’d expect in a good hotel, but as they’re self-catering with lots of living space, they’re also a home away from home. And with the resorts being set within beautiful grounds, it’s an ideal opportunity for kids to roam in safety and explore the natural environment. And you won’t need a dog sitter, either, as pets are welcome, so you’re free to bring your four-legged friends.
Self-catering lodges give great flexibility for families and help lower holiday costs, but you’ll have onsite restaurants for convenience, and restaurants in the local area. Which we think is the best of all worlds, with no commitments to meal plans or needing to wash up. The same goes for days out – the resorts are within easy reach of multiple family attractions and surrounded by countryside – but if you just want to relax, then you don’t need to leave the resort unless you want to. So all in all, should you choose a family lodge break this summer – you’re looking at a fabulous stay with Darwin Escapes.
Sunset over the green at Dundonald Links
Dundonald Links Resort in Ayrshire – the wild west coast of Scotland is a family lodge dream holiday
Scotland’s west coast is renowned for its scenery, and the Dundonald Links Resort is set in the grounds of historic Dundonald Links golf course, with gorgeous coastal views of the Firth of Clyde. There are two, four, and six-bedroom lodges, so perfect for a larger family lodge break. The lodge bedrooms are all ensuite, so no queuing for the bathroom, and the six-bedroom lodges also have a pool table: perfect for some inter-family competition.
Although there has been a golf course at Dundonald Links since 1911, it was redesigned and reopened in 2003. So as you’d expect, there are plenty of opportunities to get on the green, and the whole family can get involved. And, if you don’t fancy cooking, the Clubhouse restaurant offers Scottish specialities and children’s menus.
Explore the Firth of Clyde coastline on your family lodge break
The beautiful coastline along the Firth of Clyde is well worth exploring, with its stunning views, sandy beaches, and coastal walks.
Head further inland for rolling hills, forests and plenty of space for tranquil ambles. Local attractions include 14th century Dundonald Castle, just 10 minutes drive away, and Culzean Castle, with its beautiful gardens and woodland. Another great excursion with kids is the Heads of Ayr Farm Park: an adventure park with animals, play areas, and kids’ activities. The Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine is worth making time for too, and Glasgow is only 40 minutes drive away, for art galleries, great restaurants, and some of the best shopping streets in the UK.
Explore Dundonald Links Resort holiday lodges here and check availability
Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat, Oxfordshire
Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat – a palatial base for discovering beautiful Oxfordshire
Set in the beautiful grounds of Blenheim Palace, the Baroque birthplace of Winston Churchill and only non-royal palace in the UK, new Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat is an ideal base for adventuring around Oxfordshire, with a feast of family fun right on your doorstep. The Retreat offers a range of one to three-bedroom lodges, and the local area is full of great places to explore once you’ve found your feet. As it’s a brand-new resort, the lodges are in mint condition, and the designs featured in the final of Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr, it’s easy to see why.
The palace has a busy annual events calendar, and plenty to thrill kids, including the newly refurbished Walled Garden Adventure Playground, which is all climbing apparatus and ziplines. There are also interactive palace tours aimed at younger visitors. And of course, the extensive parkland surrounding the palace and lodges, makes the perfect place for picnicking and outdoor adventures.
Discover quaint country living in Woodstock, then paddle in beautiful Bourton-on-the-Water
For days out, try the pretty countryside town of Woodstock, with its picturesque streets, shops, and cosy traditional pubs. Bourton-on-the-Water is another nearby Cotswolds village, this time with a river running through the middle, where kids can paddle and catch minnows like in an Enid Blyton novel, and you’ll find an excellent cream tea. Alternatively, head into Oxford and to the Ashmolean Museum, one of the oldest museums in the world, full of art and antiquities. Cotswolds Wildlife Park & Gardens makes a great local day out too, don’t miss the giraffe walkway and make full use of the extensive gardens for burning off excess energy.
The Four Poster suite at the KP
Kilnwick Percy Resort & Golf Club – 120 acres of woodland in picturesque East Yorkshire
Kilnwick Percy Resort & Golf Club, known as the KP, is a collection of one to three-bedroom holiday lodges and hotel pod rooms (like a cross between a lodge and a hotel room) with lovely golf course views, all set in 120 acres of woodland near York in East Yorkshire. The area is rich with walking trails, woodland paths and the endless countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds, perfect activity country for a family lodge break. There’s wildlife, secret paths, and magical nature adventures your kids will love.
As well as the luxury lodges, the woodland hotel pods offer the ultimate in peaceful surroundings, and there are also suites, including the Four Poster suite, if you fancy looking up at the starry Yorkshire skies from the comfort of your own private hot tub.
If you golf, the 18-hole course will provide plenty of putting time, and if you don’t – sign the kids up for lessons while you indulge in a treatment at the Tranquility Spa Lodge.
Let your kids find their big Viking energy in York
As for days out, nearby York is a big attraction with its historic roots, and less than a 30-minute drive from the KP. Don’t miss a trip to the Jorvik Viking Centre to transport your kids back to the Viking age, though it’s always advisable to book during the school holidays. Walk the Kilnwick Percy Nature Trail to connect with nature, and head to Burnby Hall Gardens with its lakes, waterlilies and koi carp, as well as formal themed gardens.
See all Kilnwick Percy lodges here and check availability
Pod exteriors, Springs Resort & Golf Club
The Springs Resort & Golf Club – a perfect family lodge break in Oxfordshire
Another high end Oxfordshire resort from Darwin Escapes, the Springs Resort & Golf Club offers uniquely decorated one, two, and three-bedroom luxury lodges with private terraces, some with private hot tubs. Tasteful luxury is the overall vibe, alongside chic hotel pods, and beautiful suites in the main building.
The Springs also has a 133 acre golf course, as well as an onsite spa retreat with relaxation pool, added during the recent renovation of the Tudor-style country house and clubhouse. So while golf is a big deal here, these days the Springs is about more than putting.
The Ridgeway restaurant has a great local reputation, so it’s perfect for a special meal when you don’t want to go far. But of course, you’re staying in a lodge, so you have your own fully equipped kitchen to satisfy big appetites, fussy kids and even store your own wine!
Medieval castles, museums and the historic university town of Oxford
There’s a lot to do in the surrounding area, including day trips to medieval Wallingford Castle with its walking trails and scenic views, as well as the castle ruins themselves for a slice of medieval history. For car lovers, there’s the Aston Martin Heritage Trust and Museum, and railway buffs have the nearby Cholsey and Wallingford Railway. Oxford itself is only half an hour away, with its historic university, pretty cobbled streets, antique quarter and great museums.
Explore all Springs Resort lodges here and check availability