In a world that rarely slows down, time together is the real luxury.
More and more, families are recognising that it’s shared experiences – not things – that bring lasting happiness. Holidays offer the perfect opportunity to gather stories, not souvenirs; to build memories that will be retold for years and remembered for a lifetime.
To help you start planning your next family holiday, we’ve come up with our favourite places to stay for large family groups. This is more than just a list of villas with extra bedrooms. It’s the exclusivity of space to reconnect: across generations, around the table, in the wild, or simply doing nothing at all.
Every family is different, so instead of just listing properties, we’ve focused on what inspires you to travel together. A handful of extraordinary places where the setting, the people and the pace give you room to breathe, and bond.
Think of each as a home from home, just a little more magical. And if something from our collection of exclusive use family properties below sparks an idea, our team would love to talk. They’re travel experts but they’re part of families too.
A Private Safari with Purpose in South Africa
The Setting: Melton Manor, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Eastern Cape
Sleeping: Up to 8 in 4 bedrooms
Suggested duration: Minimum 4 nights
Included: Private guide and vehicle and private chef
Getting there: A two hour drive from Port Elizabeth or East London airport
When to Go: May to September
Best suited to: A trip for families who seek not just the thrill of the wild, but the meaning behind it, who want to explore together and play a part in protecting what they’ve come to see. There’s space to slow down, but also plenty to get involved in, from wildlife tracking to fireside chats. It’s a safari with purpose, made for sharing across generations.
Making Memories: Work together, learn as a family and make a positive impact. Be part of a rhino monitoring drive, tracking and locating some of the black and white rhino within the reserve using bush skills and drones to aid in their preservation.
A contemporary safari villa to call your own, and 30,000 hectares of wilderness to explore entirely at your pace, always in the safe hands of expert rangers. – Illona, South Africa expert
Combine it with: The Coot Club or Perivoli Lagoon House on the Western Cape coast
Exclusive Mobile Camping in Botswana
The Setting: Two private tented camps at Beagle Expedition Camps, Okavango Delta
Sleeping: Up to 10
Suggested duration: Minimum 4 nights
Included: Dedicated private camp team including chef and private guide
Getting there: Helicopter flight from Maun
When to Go: May to October
Best suited to: This trip is ideal for families who value privacy and space, seeking an exclusive and wild adventure far from the crowds. Accessible only by helicopter, you’ll split your time between the two private tented camps, travelling by vehicle or on foot for a more immersive safari experience.
Making Memories: Imagine gathering at first light, still wrapped in the hush of morning, to follow fresh lion tracks across the floodplains. Every moment at Beagle Expedition Camps amidst the raw beauty of the African wilds is a memory made. It’s the intimacy of experiencing it as a family, with no one else in sight, that makes it unforgettable.
These two camps in a remote corner of the Okavango Delta are only accessible by helicopter – real adventure and solitude where wildlife, not people, are your only neighbours. – Chris, Botswana expert
Combine it with: Matesi River House or Elephant Camp on Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe
Estancia Life in Argentina, Just for Your Family
The Setting: Estancia Los Potreros, Sierra Chica mountains
Sleeping: Up to 12 in 7 bedrooms
Suggested duration: Minimum 4 night
Included: Dedicated host team including private chef
Getting there: A 45 minute drive from Cordoba airport
When to Go: Year round (excluding May, June & July)
Best suited to: Bond over shared meals, new cultures and hands-on experiences during this trip. It’s perfect for families who see travel as a way to connect across generations, whether in the saddle, the kitchen or around the table.
Making Memories: Every day is different on the estancia and there are activities for all generations, from the would-be gauchos to the bird watchers and the aspiring chefs. Ride, walk, swim in natural pools, together or apart but return together every evening to share stories and the best of Argentine food.
A working cattle farm where life is unhurried and deeply connected to the land. Owner Kevin Begg’s genuine welcome makes it feel like visiting family—albeit one with 6,000 acres of adventure. – Sue, Argentina expert
Combine it with: Finca Valentina, near Salta or Las Balsas in the Argentine Lake District, both a flight from Cordoba
A Private Home in the Galapagos
The Setting: Montemar Villas, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos
Sleeping: Two private eco villas (one four-bedroom, one two-bedroom) sleeping up to 12
Suggested duration: Minimum 5 nights
Included: Private naturalist guide, farm-to-table meals, dedicated host team
Getting there: Fly from Quito to Santa Cruz Island followed by a 45-minute drive
When to Go: Year Round
Best suited to: Islands bring the perfect balance of stillness and adventure. For families who are drawn to the ocean but seek more than just a boat-based experience, this offers space to slow down and settle in. Set between the mountains and the sea, Montemar is ideal for those who want to explore both land and water, to swim with sea lions one day and walk beside giant tortoises the next.
Making Memories: Set sail on a private yacht to explore beyond your island home. Snorkel and swim, picnic on the beach, and spot penguins on the rocks or dolphins surfing the bow. With a naturalist guide by your side and no set schedule, it’s all about freedom and discovery.
Owned and run by a Galapagueño family who know this land inside out, these villas offer space to settle in, unwind and explore the Galapagos on and off the water. – Roxy, Galapagos expert
Combine it with: Hacienda Zuleta in the Ecuadorian Andes, around 2.5 hours from Quito
An Exclusive Himalayan Retreat
The Setting: Happy House, Phaphlu village, Solokhumbu region of northeastern Himalaya
Sleeping: 10 en-suite bedrooms
Suggested duration: Minimum 5 nights
Included: All meals
Getting there: From Kathmandu, take a 40-minute flight to Phaplu airport (10 minutes from Happy House) or take advantage of Happy House’s helipad and take a private helicopter.
When To Go: September to December / March to May
Best suited to: A trip for families with a love of the wild, Happy House is the perfect mountain base. Activities can easily be tailored to suit all levels of fitness: biking and trekking for the more active members of the family, with 4×4 expeditions to nearby monasteries suiting those looking for a less strenuous experience.
Making Memories: Family breakfasts and picnic lunches in and around Happy House are perfect for reconnecting with your loved ones. Visit Chiwong monastery for lunch, prayers and meditation with the resident monks. Take an overnight trek to Ratnange Camp – it’s hard to leave the comfort of Happy House, but the views of the Himalayas’ most iconic peaks make it well worth it.
This is a refuge for travellers seeking serenity, spirituality and adventure in the Himalaya, with a team of over 30 people dedicated to making the house your own happy place. – Charlotte, Nepal expert
Combine it with: Shinta Mani in Mustang or Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge in Chitwan National Park
Your Very Own Bedouin-style Desert Camp
The Setting: Hud Hud Desert Camp, The Empty Quarter
Sleeping: Your own private luxury camp will be tailormade to suit the size of your group
Suggested duration: Minimum 3 nights
Included: All meals, guides and excursions
Getting there: A spectacular full day 4×4 drive from Salalah, through the Qara Mountains, Wadi Dawkah and the Land of Frankincense
When To Go: October to April
Best suited to: The desert is the perfect place to unplug, giving you time and space to reconnect with your family. You’ll need to be happy substituting the four walls of conventional hotel rooms with the canvas of your own private tent on this trip. You’ll also need to be comfortable with space, emptiness and tranquility; however, that’s not to say you can’t break the silence of the desert with the sound of affable conversation and laughter with your family.
Making Memories: Take a camel trek along one of the Empty Quarter’s ancient frankincense routes, stopping to visit a Bedouin family for Omani kahwa (coffee) and dates. Under the expert tutelage of our Omani drivers, get behind the wheel of a 4×4 to drive across the desert to explore a nearby wadi, stopping at rock pools for a refreshing dip and a picnic. The most memorable moments may well be the times of reflection, watching the sun set over the dunes, or listening to the stories of your Bedouin guides whilst sitting around a camp fire.
You couldn’t wish for a more comfortable and atmospheric base from which to explore the incredible landscapes and star filled skies of Oman’s Empty Quarter. – Kate, Oman expert
Combine it with: Your own private luxury camp on a secluded beach near Mirbat, or charter the Ibra, a modern dhow to explore the Dimaniyat Islands, a small archipelago off Muscat renowned for its rich biodiversity.
If one of our exclusive use family properties has caught your eye, our team would be delighted to help shape your plans. They know travel, and they know family life too – so if something speaks to you, just get in touch.
