Belton House B&B

We were 17 people staying at Belton House for a big birthday, and it was spacious enough that everyone had plenty to do. The kitchen was well equipped, there were several fridges around the house, which was ideal for a group that size, and there was already a good supply of ice. Hazel was welcoming and quick to respond, and we felt right at home. The area is gorgeous, and the accommodation was fantastic. We brought our own towels as the Airbnb listing said, but hadn’t expected there to be no hand towels in the bathrooms.

For a hen do weekend, the layout worked perfectly, with a spacious kitchen and function rooms. There were plenty of fridges and freezers for keeping food over the whole weekend, and the owner was friendly and helpful. It had everything we needed. I’d definitely recommend it for a party group or a big family get-together.

We made good use of the barbecue, and the kids loved the outdoor play area and the Wii. Inside, the log fires, comfy sofas, separate living room and huge kitchen made our five days lovely. The bar and party room were great too, and the views were wonderful. Thanks to Hazel for all her effort, and for putting up with our fireworks and music until 3:30 am on Wednesday. Sorry! We did struggle a bit to serve everyone at once because there wasn’t enough cutlery, serving spoons or bowls. Still, it’s a beautiful house in a beautiful village.

We had a really enjoyable weekend with our large family. There’s plenty of space, the small pool table room was great for the children, and the surrounding countryside gave them room to explore while we enjoyed walks. The house is clearly set up as a party house, as the website shows, but it worked well for our family gathering. The main difficulty was cooking for 22. The kitchen is beautiful, but the Raeburn range shown in the photos isn’t a working stove, so we had just a standard hob and one oven. I wish we’d known in advance, as we’d have planned meals differently. There’s a large slow cooker too, but it wouldn’t feed 22. The big kitchen has only one small sink, which made food prep and washing pots awkward. We managed around those limitations and had a great weekend. Read the emails carefully for what isn’t supplied and the housekeeping instructions. It’s a lovely rural spot, but there’s nowhere nearby to pop out for forgotten loo roll or a washing-up sponge. The damage deposit was also reserved on our card more than a week before the weekend, which surprised us because we thought it would happen on arrival. We may have missed that information somewhere. It’s a great place.