Large House vs. Hotel – Which is Best for a Big Family Birthday?
Large House Vs. Hotel? Which is best?
Last weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting a multi-generational family from London who had travelled up to Norfolk to celebrate Mum’s 70th birthday together.
When they first started planning, their initial thought was to book a boutique hotel. But after weighing up the pros and cons, they decided to book North Cottage Cromer instead.
It got us thinking about a common dilemma: when celebrating a major milestone with a dozen family members, which is best – a big house or a hotel?
If there are 70 of you, a hotel might win (though you’d better start saving up!). But for most families, with a gathering of around 12 guests – usually the grandparents, three grown-up children, and a handful of grandchildren – then a big house can be a big hit.
Here’s why a large holiday cottage literally takes the cake!
Private Space to Celebrate
The main reason our recent guests chose North Cottage Cromer was the entertaining space. They wanted to be together without intruding on anyone else – and crucially, without anyone else intruding on them. You don’t get that at a hotel unless you rent out the whole place.
At North Cottage, every space is exclusively yours. Our phenomenal Garden Room is 70 square metres. To give you an idea of just how big that is, you could park six family-size cars inside! (although please don’t try this). It leads directly onto large lawned gardens, which are perfect for a big family get-together.
When it comes to dining, our kitchen is fully equipped for large-scale entertaining. The kitchen flows into the dining room – so the chef doesn’t miss out on any of the chat. The dining table seats 12. Prefer something more relaxed? The Conservatory features another dining table for 8 and there’s comfy seating too – perfect for morning coffee or evening cocktails. And when the day winds down, there’s even a fourth reception room: a cosy living room complete with a log burner.
Ground floor bedroom and wet room
Booking six hotel rooms usually means the family is spread across different floors at the mercy of the computerised booking system.
Everything is personal here. North Cottage has six spacious bedrooms. A big decider for our most recent guests was the ground floor accessible bedroom with a king-size bed. There’s a step-free wet room right along the hallway too. There are five more bedrooms on the first floor.
When it comes to accessibility, there’s even a lift from the park directly outside the house down to the promenade, making a trip to the beach much easier for guests of all mobility levels.
Do please feel free to contact us about any accessibility requirements you have and we’ll be delighted to discuss this with you before you book.
Space for everyone
Hotels can often feel a bit restrictive for energetic grandchildren. When you book a holiday cottage everything is a bit more relaxed. There are no other guests to consider, and you can keep tabs on all the little ones too. The kids in our visiting family were thrilled to have a giant sleepover – something they rarely have the space for back in London. Our indoor and outdoor games – including badminton and boules – were a big hit too.
North Cottage provides a vast space to explore, and our large lawn is perfect for practising handstands and cartwheels. Even better, the beach is just a two-minute walk through the park. We even provide a beach trolley and beach towels, so there’s no need to pack the kitchen sink, which many of our guests really appreciate.
Location, Location, Location
Surprisingly, although North Cottage Cromer is very secluded, you’re just a few steps from the heart of everything. The shops, cafes and bars are literally just footsteps away. The house is perfectly positioned for picking up a few souvenirs, grabbing a fresh Cromer crab, or bringing in a fish and chip supper. Cromer’s iconic pier, and its Pavilion Theatre are just a five-minute stroll away.
Hotel vs. House – The Verdict
So to sum up if you’re still weighing up your options, you might just be thinking – but surely a hotel offers a more personal touch? Not necessarily.
At North Cottage Cromer, we welcome all our guests personally. We provide a quick guided tour of the facilities upon arrival, so you don’t have to waste time working out how the oven works or where the wine glasses are kept. We’ll share some great tips to help you get the most out of your stay too. Then, you can immediately get down to celebrating in luxurious style.
Choosing a venue that will win the approval of the entire family is a big ask. But if anyone questions your decision to reject the hotel idea and choose a house, you can always point to our perfect 5-star reviews. Or, maybe you could mention our awards: we were the outright winner of the Visit Suffolk and Norfolk Tourism Award for Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year in 2025, and retained our status as the highest-rated house in Norfolk as the runner-up in 2026.
The Verdict: For space, privacy, and creating unforgettable family memories, a house rather than a hotel looks like it’s a clear winner – as our recent guests discovered.
We’d love to help you plan your big family celebration – we’ve hosted 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th and 80th birthdays! We’re very familiar with the logistics – just drop us a message or give us a call.
