Live like royalty: the best castles and mansions to rent for groups
Date published: 18 May 2026
There’s something undeniably fun about swapping a standard holiday cottage for a full-blown castle or grand estate. Whether you’re searching for castles to stay in with friends, or a spectacular manor house to rent for a family celebration, these larger-than-life properties turn an ordinary weekend away into something far more memorable.
Across the UK, you’ll find everything from turreted Scottish castles to elegant coastal mansions and sprawling countryside estates. Some are packed with roaring fires, antique-filled libraries and huge banquet tables, while others lean into modern luxury with hot tubs, games rooms and outdoor kitchens built for long, lazy evenings together.
If you’ve ever wanted to rent a mansion for a weekend just because you can, consider this your sign. These extraordinary group stays are made for milestone birthdays, reunions and special occasions – or simply gathering your favourite people together somewhere that feels a bit epic.
Dalnaglar Castle – Perthshire, Scotland
Sleeps: 20
Pets welcome: Yes – 2
If your group chat has ever spiralled into “what if we just rented a castle?”, Dalnaglar Castle is the answer. Turrets? Obviously. Open fires? Several. A proper library for pretending you’re in a mystery novel? Absolutely. Tucked away in the Perthshire countryside near the Cairngorms, this place feels wonderfully cut off from real life in the best possible way.
Days here can be as energetic or gloriously lazy as you like. Fish in the private loch, tackle a Munro, head to Glenshee for skiing, or simply claim a sofa near the fire and refuse to move until dinner. With grand dining spaces, huge bedrooms and endless Scottish scenery outside the window, this is the sort of stay people talk about for years afterwards.
Stardust Mansion – Surrey Hills
Sleeps: 12
Pets welcome: No
Stardust Mansion feels less like a country house and more like the sort of place an A-list musician disappears to after tour season. Hidden among 14 acres in the Surrey Hills, it mixes slick California-style design with proper countryside peace and quiet. Think floor-to-ceiling windows, sprawling social spaces and a heated pool that practically demands an all-day lounging session.
There’s plenty here to keep a group entertained without anyone needing to leave the grounds. One minute you’re in the hot tub with a drink in hand, the next you’re attempting a virtuous wellness reset in the gym, sauna and ice bath. Evenings are made for fire pit chats, long dinners and aggressively competitive table football tournaments. Somehow glamorous and cosy at the same time, this is group getaway territory done very well.
Laguna Mansion – Torquay, Devon
Sleeps: 10
Pets welcome: No
Laguna Mansion has serious “hidden world behind the gates” energy. Sitting just moments from Torquay’s harbour, beaches and restaurants, this huge Victorian mansion somehow manages to feel both right in the action and completely private. Beyond the grand entrance, you’ll find sweeping staircases, elegant reception rooms and enough space for your whole group to spread out without ever losing that big-house-weekend atmosphere.
The real scene-stealer is outside. Three acres of gardens in central Torquay is wildly rare, and the cedar wood hot tub, fire pit and outdoor kitchen turn it into a proper all-day hangout spot. Inside, there’s a games room for pool tournaments, a gym for the ambitious and a kitchen built for dramatic dinner-party moments. It’s polished without feeling stuffy – exactly what you want from a mansion by the sea.
Green Manor House – North Norfolk
Sleeps: 14
Pets welcome: No
Green Manor House is the kind of place that makes everyone instinctively slow down a bit. Set on a huge North Norfolk estate that’s been in the same family for generations, this sprawling manor mixes creaky character, antique-filled rooms and roaring fires with the sort of comfort that makes you want to stay put all weekend. There’s an Aga for long, chatty breakfasts, elegant dining rooms for celebration dinners and gardens seemingly designed for drinks at golden hour.
The surrounding estate is part of the fun too. Wander through wildflower meadows, stop by the on-site brewery for award-winning craft beer or head to the coast for windswept beach walks and fish and chips by the sea. Back at the house, there’s space for every version of group holidaying – board games in the library, fireside gossip sessions and children disappearing off to claim the upstairs lounge as their own kingdom.
Stonegate Castle – Peak District, Derbyshire
Sleeps: 26
Pets welcome: No
Stonegate Castle looks exactly how a Peak District castle should. Dramatic sandstone walls, ancient halls, stained glass windows and a setting so deep in the hills it feels entirely removed from normal life. Sitting beneath Kinder Scout on old pack horse routes, this 14th-century hideaway has the kind of atmosphere that makes every weekend feel slightly more legendary than usual.
Inside, there’s a wonderful sense that you’ve stumbled into another era – albeit one with very good heating and plenty of space for 26 guests. The medieval banqueting hall is the headline act, perfect for huge dinners and celebrations, while the cosy pub, roaring fires and tucked-away reading corners keep things feeling relaxed rather than formal. Add 30 acres of Peak District countryside outside the door, and you’ve got a place built for long walks, late nights and big group memories.
Culver Down Manor – Isle of Wight
Sleeps: 16
Pets welcome: No
Culver Down Manor is pure old-school glamour perched high above Sandown Bay. Built in the 1920s, this Art Deco mansion is packed with dramatic details – stained-glass windows, grand staircases, vintage touches and sea views that constantly steal the spotlight. It feels wonderfully eccentric in the best possible way, like stepping onto the set of a stylish period drama where someone’s always holding a cocktail.
Outside, the clifftop setting is hard to beat. Coastal walks begin right beyond the garden, while the huge terrace and original 1930s pond make excellent spots for long lunches and sunset drinks. Big family dinners around the enormous dining table are practically mandatory here.
Highbury Mansion – Bournemouth, Dorset
Sleeps: 24
Pets welcome: No
Highbury Mansion delivers full-on grand house energy just minutes from Bournemouth’s beach and buzzing town centre. Behind its Tudor-style exterior, you’ll find huge social spaces, richly decorated interiors and 12 ensuite bedrooms, meaning nobody gets stuck with the awkward box room. It’s built for big reunions, milestone birthdays and those weekends where dinner somehow turns into a six-hour event.
The location is part of the appeal too. Beach days, arcades and seaside fish and chips are all within walking distance, while the mansion’s gardens, fire pit and hot tub handle the slower moments back at base. Equal parts elegant and easy-going, this is the sort of place where memories tend to happen accidentally.
Manse Manor – East Lothian, Scotland
Sleeps: 11
Pets welcome: No
Manse Manor feels like a place designed for rainy-night red wine, oversized jumpers and competitive family board games by the fire. This handsome Scottish manor dates back to 1780 and comes packed with grand rooms, crackling fireplaces and sprawling gardens, all just a quick train ride from Edinburgh. It strikes a rare balance between country-house calm and easy access to city adventures.
Days can be spent exploring Edinburgh’s castles, pubs and festivals before retreating back to your own private manor for long dinners and late-night chats around the piano. Outside, the huge gardens come with football nets, tennis games and plenty of room for everyone to properly switch off.
Feeling inspired to upgrade your next group getaway? Alongside these castles and mansions, we’ve also got plenty of other luxury accommodation for big groups, including countryside estates, stylish barn conversions, coastal retreats and huge party houses perfect for special occasions. Wherever you’re heading, there’s a stay that makes the trip feel a little extra.
Meet the author
Ian LewisIan's worked in travel for over 15 years and has written about destinations across the whole of the UK (and beyond). He loves all kinds of getaways with every member of the family on two legs or four, seeking out the more unique and interesting properties wherever he can.
