There’s something magical about spending Christmas in a traditional farmhouse. With exposed timber beams, inglenook fireplaces, wood burning stove, spacious country kitchen, elegant dining rooms, and plenty of space for family and friends they’re the perfect setting for a festive gathering.
We’ve rounded up some of our favourite farmhouse stays all set on working farms or country estates across the British Isles. Wake up the sounds of animals grazing in the nearby fields, spend the day exploring on frosty winter walks, and enjoy a festive tipple in the local village pub, before returning to a warm fire and a beautifully decorated home.
These special farmhouses can get booked up quickly for Christmas, but don’t worry if you’ve left it too late. We have a collection of plenty more beautiful farmhouses, so there’s still time to find somewhere for your perfect festive escape.
Situated within a secluded valley, The Old Farmhouse is a stunning historic homestead set within the grounds of a private country estate on the edge of Exmoor National Park.
The farmhouse has a wealth of original features including ancient timber beams, a minstrel’s gallery, and a Grade II listed staircase dating back to the sixteenth century, while he country-style kitchen centred around a large island has everything you need to prepare an unforgettable Christmas dinner including an impressive range cooker. With a wood burning stove housed in an exposed stone fireplace, the elegant sitting room is the perfect space to enjoy some old-fashioned parlour games or simply relax with a glass of fizz.
Outside, The Old Farmhouse benefits from its own private hot tub, while guests can also enjoy the estate’s fantastic facilities, including a games room, children’s wooden play area, and a indoor heated swimming pool if you fancy a dip on Christmas Day. It is also home to a delightful array of friendly animals including alphas, pygmy goats, pet sheep, and peacocks wandering the grounds.
With direct access to the stunning moorland of Exmoor, where herds of red deer and iconic wild ponies roam, the farmhouse is ideally placed for a brisk Boxing Day walk, before returning to the warmth and comfort of this beautiful country home.
The Old Farmhouse steps 6 guests in 3 bedrooms. Book your stay.
Set on a remote sheep and arable farm in an unspoilt landscape, High Ranachan is a great choice for a peaceful Christmas getaway with family and friends.
The farmhouse is full of period character, with timber beams, vaulted ceilings, and a beautiful stone fireplace now housing to a wood-burning stove. With a spacious kitchen-diner for gathering over long, leisurely meals, and a cosy sitting room with stunning views across the Kintyre Peninsula, it’s the perfect place to switch off, slow down, and escape the Christmas chaos. Younger guests are well catered for too, with a games room where they can burn off some of their excitement in the run-up to the big day.
Why not extend your stay and see in the New Year with a proper Scottish Hogmanay? Gather together to watch the clock strike midnight, raise a wee dram, and sing Auld Lang Syne. And, if you want to follow tradition, find a tall, dark-haired man to cross the threshold with a lump of coal to bring good fortune for the year ahead.
High Ranachan sleeps 7 guests in 3 bedrooms. Book your stay.
Brickwood is a stunning period farmhouse, with plenty of space for a large Christmas celebration. Tucked away on an organic farm in the heart of the South Downs National Park surrounded by ancient trees and grazing animals, it’s a wonderful place for a festive countryside break.
At the heart of the house the kitchen-diner, complete with an AGA, is a fabulous space to cook, eat, and enjoy a festive drink together. There are also a choice of beautiful living rooms to retreat to, including an elegant drawing room, a cosy snug, and a study, each with its own wood burning stove, as well as a conservatory with stunning views across the surrounding countryside.
Outside, the garden has a built-in fireplace, the perfect spot to wrap up warm and spend Christmas Eve under the stars while waiting for a very special visitor.
The historic city of Winchester is just twenty minutes away whose magnificent cathedral hosts one of the best Christmas markets in the country. Inspired by traditional German markets, visitors can browse the wooden chalets adorned with twinkling lights and filled with handcrafted gifts and artisan produce, accompanied by carols and the aroma of mulled wine.
Brickwood Farmhouse sleeps 10 guests in 5 bedrooms. Book your stay.
For a stylish Christmas in the Peak District, Stag Cottage has it all. Beautifully restored with exquisite attention to detail, the house retains its original character with oak beams, vaulted ceilings, and exposed stonework, while contemporary fixtures and fittings ensure a comfortable space for a festive gathering.
It’s the kitchen that really has the wow factor, complete with an AGA and every appliance you could think of to create the perfect Christmas menu. After dinner, there’s even a piano for some impromptu musical entreatment!
With the choice of a bright and airy sitting room and a cosy snug both warmed by wood burning stoves, there’s plenty of space for the everyone to relax in the evenings over drinks or a board game.
Set on a busy working farm, with patches of ancient woodland, Stag Cottage offers an authentic rural experience. The farm is home to large flock of sheep, as well as pigs, cows, chickens, and friendly alpacas. Depending on the farmer’s schedule, guests maybe be able to join a tour of the farm, collect fresh eggs, and help feed the animals.
Stag Cottage is perfectly placed for experiencing the magic of Christmas at Tatton Park, when the historic mansion is transformed into a spectacular winter wonderland inspired Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days. Enjoy dazzling seasonal displays, an illuminated garden trail, and a festive visit from Santa to the farmyard.
Stag Cottage sleeps 6 guests in 3 bedrooms. Book your stay.
The Old Farmhouse is a beautiful period farmhouse tucked away on a working livestock farm, on the border of the Welsh Marches and the Shropshire Hills.
Thoughtfully renovated to a high standard and decorated in a soothing palette, it retains plenty of traditional charm while offering all the comforts you could want for a Christmas away from it all. With breathtaking views across the surrounding fields, it’s a peaceful place to spend the festive season.
The spacious country-style kitchen is a real highlight, with a large range cooker, vintage farmhouse dining table, and charming seating area warmed by a wood burner. For a family or group of friends spending Christmas together, this is the kind of room you’ll find yourselves reluctant to leave.
To get into the festive spirit, a visit to Powis Castle is a must. At Christmas, the state rooms are transformed into a magical wonderland, while the medieval castle walls are illuminated for late-night openings. Enjoy breakfast with Father Christmas in the Bodley Stables, or pull on your winter woollies and explore the Baroque Garden and Italianate Terraces, which are particularly beautiful in their winter setting. And, of course, the castle shop is the perfect place to pick up those last minute Christmas gifts.
The Old Farmhouse sleeps 10 guests in 5 bedrooms. Book your stay.
Set on a working grassland farm, with sheep grazing in the surrounding fields and the coast just two miles away, Oak is a beautiful period farmhouse that has been thoughtfully modernised. With plenty of space for everyone, it’s the perfect setting for an extended family or group of friends to come together and celebrate Christmas.
The farmhouse retains plenty of original character, including oak beams, brick fireplaces, and exposed stone walls. The country-style kitchen has large farmhouse table, the perfect spot for leisurely breakfasts, relaxed suppers, and catching up over a festive tipple. Elsewhere, there’s a spacious formal dining room for Christmas dinner and an elegant sitting room both with a wood burning stove, and a bright conservatory, with stunning views out to the surrounding countryside.
Upstairs, children will love waking up in the attic bedroom, tucked into charming sleigh beds and eagerly checking their stockings to see what Santa has brought. The master suite is equally special, with a sumptuous four-poster bed and a freestanding bath for a truly indulgent Christmas escape.
Ventnor is home to the famous Boxing Day Swim, when hundreds of brave swimmers don fancy dress, pyjamas, and festive outfits before dashing into the sea to raise money for local charities. If you’re game enough to take the plunge, you can do so safe in the knowledge that Oak Farmhouse is just a short journey away, ready and waiting with a warm drink and a cosy place to thaw out.
Oak Farmhosue sleeps 12 guests in 6 bedrooms. Book your stay.
Yew Tree Farm is a Grade II listed 17th century farmhouse that’s made for a traditional Christmas. One of the Lak District’s most photographed buildings, it was once owned by Beatrix Potter and is steeped in history with original features including panelled walls, open fireplaces, a solid oak staircase, pitched ceilings, and exposed cruck beams.
There are even personal touches from Beatrix Potter herself including the dining table that once stood in her own teashop, and where you can now enjoy a memorable Christmas dinner.
The farmhouse is et on a working hill farm, home to hardy Herdwick sheep, known for their distinctive wooly coats and smiling faces. They’re sure sure to be the stars of your Christmas snaps.
The Lake District is magical at any time of year, but particularly so in winter when snow dusts the the higher mountain peaks. For a unique way to experience its beauty, climb aboard the Santa Express Steam Journey on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and travel through the stunning Eskdale Valley. At the end of the line, you’ll arrive at Dalegarth Grotto, where Santa and his team of helpers are waiting with festive food and Christmas gifts.
Yew Tree Farm sleeps 6 guests in 3 bedrooms. Book your stay.
Fancy a Christmas where you don’t ned to lift a finger? This could be the one for you. Blackthorn Farmhouse is a stunning 16th-century, flint chateau-style country house that combines historic character with glamorous Art Deco interiors, making it a rather special place to celebrate.
Set within a private estate comprising 2,000 acres of woodland and farmland, the house is fully dressed for Christmas with wreaths, a tree, festive decorations, and plenty of twinkling lights. Add an open fire crackling in the original inglenook fireplace and you have a pretty spectacular setting for Christmas Day, and the perfect backdrop for some Insta-worthy photos.
And when it comes to dinner, you really can leave it all to someone else. A private chef can be arranged to create a bespoke Christmas menu using local and seasonal produce, leaving you with just one important job: keeping the champagne on ice.
The farm is predominantly home to cattle, with a growing flock of sheep fed on crops grown in the surrounding fields. When you’re ready to escape the dining table, the estate’s woodland is there to explore, an excellent excuse for a bracing walk and a little fresh air between Christmas meals.
And while there’s no need to head out in search of a Christmas tree, a visit to The Real Christmas Tree Farm in nearby Berkhamsted is well worth making. Each year, Santa takes up residence in the festive barn, where children can meet him, choose a gift from his tree, and say hello to his adorable Shetland pony. Just remember to take the camera for pictures that will be cherished forever.
Blackthorn Farmhouse sleeps 15 guests in 7 bedrooms. Book your stay.
Set within the grounds of a 110-acre working farm, home to sheep, cows and two pet goats, The Farmhouse is a gorgeous holiday home that’s distinctly stylish. Contemporary interiors in rich jewel tones sit alongside weathered beams and a wood-burning stove, creating a space that feels both chic and cosy on a crisp winter’s day.
Thanks to Cornwall’s relatively mild climate, you can make the most of the garden even in winter. There’s a wood-fired hot tub, sauna, and cold plunge bath for those feeling brave, while a fire pit is the perfect spot for roasting chestnuts or toasting marshmallows under the stars.
Christmas is a particularly good time to visit Cornwall, when the summer crowds have disappeared. Head to the Eden Project, which transforms into a festive wonderland with an ice rink, dazzling light displays, and the chance to meet Father Christmas.
Or make an evening of it at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, where the Night Garden brings the historic gardens to life with colourful installations and lanterns. Wander through glittering tunnels of light and beneath trees illuminated from within, stopping along the way for a spicy hot chocolate or glass of mulled wine.
The Farmhouse sleeps 8 guests in 4 bedrooms. Book your stay.
