Fun Places to Stay for Families

Listed by The Guardian as one of the best glamping sites in the UK and set within a woodland copse just outside Bury St Edmunds, West Stow Pods are a popular choice with families. The Mega Pods sleep 4 and come with a double bed, double sofa bed wet-room with shower, kitchenette and TV with DVD player. You will need to take your own bedding and towels (as if you were camping) but the pods are heated and so you can enjoy a night under the stars whatever the season!

Alternatively, book the Woodland Lodge which features a double bed and bunk beds, en-suite shower room, kitchenette and dining table and chairs or why not try one of the new Pod Hollows, a glamping pod set within the ground, think a Hobbit hole in The Shire!

To book visit West Stow Pods website.

The Angel is the perfect location to being to explore not only the town but also the wider area in Suffolk. With a variety of bedrooms, the hotel is able to offer larger rooms with sofa beds or extra beds without feeling you’re all squeezed into a small space. The children’s menu also caters for all tastes from offering sausages or pasta, even an afternoon tea tailored to your little ones!

To book visit The Angel Hotel website.

Excellent facilities inspire quality family time both indoors and out at The Ickworth Hotel. Make a splash with the children in the pool, explore the estate on foot and by bike, and enjoy leisurely family meals. Then turn the children over to their expert crèche staff and babysitters, switch on the baby-listening system, or leave older children to make friends in the games room, while you sip champagne in the gardens or chill out with a treatment.

Despite the grandeur of Ickworth, they welcome the sound of little feet – and paws too – and expect you to treat their hotel like your own country home.

To book visit The Ickworth Hotel website.

Kettles Farm Glamping pods sit in a tranquil location surrounded by grass and farmland overlooking a fishing lake on the outskirts of the Suffolk village of Rattlesden - perfect for families looking to get away from it all this summer. The site is a great base for walking, cycling, fishing and visiting Bury St Edmunds and the wool towns of Lavenham, Long Melford and Clare.

Each pod is fully equipped and insulated and the 3 larger pods also have their own toilet and wash basin (there's a spacious toilet and shower block on site too).

To book visit Kettles Farm website.

If you decide to stay in Bury St Edmunds itself, you’ll have a wealth of family-friendly activities on your doorstep. Younger children will enjoy spotting wildlife and playing in the park in the Abbey Gardens and if your children are interested in arts, culture and horrible histories, you could pay a visit to Moyse’s Hall Museum. If the weather isn't too good, you can watch a family classic at Abbeygate Cinema or visit East Anglia's biggest playframe and enjoy a spin around the roller rink at CurveMotion - there's plenty of fun on offer for all ages including family skating sessions, roller discos, basketball and football, plus a cafe serving snacks, hot drinks and meals.

If there’s one thing that pretty much all kids love, it’s Harry Potter. And in fact, some of the scenes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I were filmed in Lavenham. The village’s Tudor houses, half-timbered cottages and 15th-century church were the inspiration for Harry's birthplace, Godric's Hollow and so made the perfect backdrop for the boy wizard’s adventures and still make a great location for a bit of exploration and discovery today.

Whatever the weather, Suffolk is a great place to explore as a family. Get out and have some fun as a family with a trip to Clare Castle Country Park and explore the remains of its 13th-century castle, which is set at the top of a 70ft-moat overlooking the town. Or take part in a range of activities including archery, pottery, spinning and flint axe polishing at West Stow Anglo Saxon Village and follow the Beowulf and Grendell Adventure Trail at West Stow Country Park; a wonderful interpretive trail at West Stow Country Park has been inspired by the ancient saga of Beowulf and Grendel and takes you on a journey through parts of the unique Breckland landscape including, heathland - where you will meet the sleeping dragon - woodlands and lake settings.

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