December has a habit of filling itself.
There are presents to find, diaries to coordinate and plans to make. Somewhere between the Christmas shopping and the big day itself, though, is a very good excuse to get away.
A December break does not need a packed itinerary. It might mean a frosty walk before dinner, an afternoon in the spa while daylight disappears early, Christmas shopping followed by afternoon tea instead of the drive home, or simply waking up somewhere different with breakfast being taken care of.
Whether you are looking for a full festive escape or a December weekend break before Christmas, our five hotels offer five very different ways to do it. From Dartmoor National Park and the Cotswolds to the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon, here is where to make a little more of December.
December suits Dartmoor National Park.
The landscape feels bigger, the air a little sharper and the return indoors all the more welcome. At Bovey Castle, that contrast is part of the experience. The hotel sits within a 275-acre estate, so a winter walk can begin almost as soon as you step outside, while Dartmoor itself stretches beyond.
For those who want to venture further, Bovey Tracey and the surrounding towns and villages offer independent shops and makers, while MAKE Southwest is a good stop for Christmas gifts with a local story behind them.
Back at the castle, the Taste of Christmas Stay is deliberately unhurried. Festive afternoon tea marks your arrival before an overnight stay in a Classic Room, with a full English breakfast waiting the following morning.
It is an easy way to experience Bovey Castle at one of the most atmospheric times of year, without needing to wait for Christmas Day itself.
The stay is available from 1st to 23rd December 2026, from £374 per room, per night.
Discover the Taste of Christmas Stay at Bovey Castle.
There comes a point in December when doing very little starts to sound extremely appealing.
The Greenway makes a strong case for it. Set just outside Cheltenham, the Elizabethan country house has eight acres of grounds and the Cotswolds beyond, but the real temptation at this time of year may well be staying inside.
The Festive Spa Escape includes unlimited use of Elan Spa, with its indoor hydropool, outdoor vitality pool, sauna and steam room. It is the sort of afternoon that makes checking the Christmas list feel considerably less urgent.
There is still time to head into Cheltenham for shopping or take a drive through the surrounding Cotswold countryside, but this is a stay built around slowing things down. Festive afternoon tea with a glass of fizz is included, followed by an overnight stay in a Classic Room and full English breakfast the next morning.
For anyone searching for a Christmas spa break in the Cotswolds, it gives December a very different rhythm.
The escape is available from 1st to 23rd December 2026, from £280 per room, per night. Spa treatments are available separately.
Discover the Festive Spa Escape at The Greenway.
One night away is lovely. Two gives you time to stop thinking about when you need to leave.
That is part of the appeal of Mallory Court's Two-Night Festive Escape. Set within ten acres of Warwickshire countryside, the hotel gives you enough time to enjoy the stay itself as well as everything around it.
Royal Leamington Spa is close by for Christmas shopping, Warwick Castle offers an easy seasonal outing, and the grounds at Mallory Court make a good excuse for a slower morning. There is also Elan Spa, for those whose preferred December activity involves a robe rather than a shopping bag.
The stay begins with mulled wine on arrival. Across the two nights, guests can enjoy a festive three-course dinner in The Warwick, festive afternoon tea, full English breakfast each morning and an hour of Elan Spa access.
It feels less like squeezing in a quick night away and more like giving December a proper pause.
The escape is available from 1st to 23rd December 2026, Wednesday to Sunday, from £382.50 per room, per night, based on a two-night stay.
Discover the Two-Night Festive Escape at Mallory Court.
Not every winter break calls for countryside and walking boots.
At The Arden Hotel, December is happening right outside the door.
Stratford-upon-Avon's shops, streets and riverside are within easy reach, while the Royal Shakespeare Company theatres sit directly opposite the hotel. It means an afternoon of Christmas shopping can turn into dinner, theatre and an overnight stay without the usual journeys in between.
The Taste of Christmas Stay includes festive afternoon tea with mulled wine, followed by £27.50 per person towards food at dinner. After a night in a Classic Room, full English breakfast is included the following morning, along with a complimentary room upgrade where available.
The real luxury here is location. You can spend the day exploring Stratford-upon-Avon, return to the hotel when you feel like it and leave the car alone.
For a December break that feels festive without requiring a countryside retreat, it is a rather good way to do Christmas in Stratford-upon-Avon.
The stay is available from 1st to 23rd December 2026, from £270 per room, per night. Theatre tickets are booked separately.
Discover the Taste of Christmas Stay at The Arden Hotel.
Brockencote Hall does not need a long itinerary.
The Victorian country house sits within 70 acres of Worcestershire parkland, with a lake, countryside and enough space for a winter walk before the evening begins.
Here, dinner is very much part of the reason to stay.
The Festive Dining & Stay begins with a half bottle of wine and festive macaroons waiting in your Deluxe Room. Later, £65 per person towards food is included for dinner in The Malvern Restaurant, before a night at the hotel and full English breakfast the following morning.
Worcester is within reach if you fancy Christmas shopping or a visit to its cathedral, but Brockencote works equally well when the plan is simply to arrive, settle in and stay put.
There is something particularly appealing about finishing a long dinner in December and knowing the journey afterwards is only as far as your room.
The stay is available from 1st to 23rd December 2026, from £305 per room, per night.
Discover the Festive Dining & Stay at Brockencote Hall.
The best December break depends on what you want from it.
Bovey Castle offers Dartmoor landscapes and the atmosphere of a castle in winter. The Greenway turns the month into an excuse for spa time in the Cotswolds. Mallory Court gives you two nights to combine Warwickshire outings with The Warwick, afternoon tea and time in Elan Spa.
At The Arden Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon is part of the stay itself, with shopping, theatre and the riverside outside the door. Brockencote Hall keeps things quieter, with countryside, dinner and an overnight stay at the centre of the experience.
December does not have to be something you simply work through on the way to Christmas.
Sometimes the nicest part of the month is disappearing for a night or two before it all begins.
