Our best group places for a special occasion

Grab five other big kids and head to glorious Yorkshire where you’ll find a fairytale turreted treehouse at the end of a boardwalk that weaves gently through the woods. It’s time to cast aside tedious adult responsibilities and let the natural surroundings cast a spell on you. The floor to ceiling windows at Rufus’ Roost give breathtaking views over rolling green farmland and on chillier days the cosy lounge is the perfect spot for an afternoon of boardgames. If Monopoly starts to get heated and you need some time out, just slide down the tunnel to the cosy reading nook beneath. End each day celebrating your special occasion with a feast whipped up in the outdoor pizza oven, followed by a glass of fizz in the hot tub under a sky full of stars.

For a gathering that includes everyone from Grandma to rosy-cheeked kids, Box Barn in Monmouthshire sets the scene for laid back togetherness. Accommodating up to 18 guests in bunks, a yurt and a byre, the big sociable courtyard is somewhere to dish up a mouth-watering celebratory dinner. Whoever nominates themself as head chef can decide whether to use the pizza oven, Traeger pellet burning smoker BBQ or the large fire pit with a suspended cooking pot. Regardless, roasting marshmallows is obligatory. There’s never a dull moment at camp when your entertainment comes in the form of a wood fired hot tub, a gym, yoga deck, plunge barrel and a table tennis table. In the Hay Barn there’s a stage with a puppet theatre and dressing up clothes so you can put on a family show. Von Trapps eat your heart out.

The Journeyman Treehouse has ‘milestone birthday’ or ‘ten year reunion’ written all over it. This grand treehouse sleeps up to ten guests in handcrafted luxury with a huge open-plan living space in which to eat, drink and be merry. We defy you to resist capturing the occasion with a few choreographed (some might say cheesy) poses on the sweeping wooden staircase at the front. Outside on the deck there’s a covered outdoor double bath, rain shower, BBQ and pizza oven, while inside you’ll find a pool table and a selection of musical instruments for group jamming sessions. There’s a tennis court five minutes away, green woodworking courses at Brook Farm House or you can visit the Cider House and sample the produce

Sometimes you want to see your people but you don’t want to see any other people. If that’s the case, book an off-grid break at Cottage in The Clouds in Cumbria, one of the most remote homes in England. Once you’ve seen the views you’ll be glad you’re not sharing them with anyone else. Celebrate your special occasion with some exhilarating outdoor adventures in the Lake District National Park. Hike around Coniston Water, go mountain biking on trails that criss-cross the landscape or explore the wild swimming spots. Then stay up late into the night playing games and drinking wine by candlelight, feeling blissfully disconnected from modern life. If you want to dip a toe back into civilisation, stroll to The Eagle’s Head pub for great food in a welcoming atmosphere.

Eight discerning guests, including kids and a four-legged friend, can stay at luxurious Knotting Hill Barn in Leicestershire. The spacious lake side cabin is deceptively high-spec underneath its rustic, charming decor – there’s underfloor heating, a double-ended bathtub and a sound system that will definitely get your party in the forest started. As will the hot tub, fire pit and pizza oven. Spend leisurely days relaxing on the wrap-around veranda, wild swimming and fishing on the lake or head to Melton Mowbury to stock up on famous pies for an easy, delicious group dinner. If you want to share your special occasion with a few more people, four additional adults can camp outside the barn.

This is how we wagons roll! Transport friends and family back to a simpler time with a group celebration in a collection of lovingly restored gypsy caravans. The Vintage Vardos are nestled in an idyllic glade in Devon where you can cook meals over an open fire, toast marshmallows, stargaze and get to know the local cows and sheep. On rainy days, head to the communal Gallery barn up at the farm for table tennis, table football, darts or a movie in the home cinema. As soon as the sun comes out, you can set on wonderful country walks in Exmoor National Park, explore the Tarka Trail cycle path and visit some of the best beaches in Britain.