Family Holidays in Staffordshire

What the six family stays here actually look like

Six family places are published on BritStays in Staffordshire, which is a small enough set that you can read the whole lot in an evening and know exactly what your options are. They split into two holiday parks, two hotels, one caravanning site and one campsite — so you're choosing between self-catering lodges, a pitch of your own, or a hotel room with the beds made for you.

Three of the six have a swimming pool, three list WiFi and three list parking. Beyond that, the facilities thin out quickly: two are near a bus stop, two have a gift shop, and there's one hot tub, one restaurant and one stay near a train station between them. That's worth knowing before you build expectations — this is a region where the stay is often a comfortable base rather than the whole holiday.

Countryside, not coast

Staffordshire is inland, so if you've got your heart set on a beach, this isn't the trip. What you get instead is countryside, market-town surroundings and easy reach of big-ticket days out. The spread of locations tells the story: Nr Leek, Freehay, Freehay and Cheadle, Denstone, West Bromwich, plus Stoke-on-Trent as an area within the region.

• Rural and quiet: Rudyard Lake Lodges at Nr Leek sleeps 6 and is the only stay in the set listed as near a train station as well as near a bus stop — useful if not everyone in the party is driving.
• Rural with facilities: Quarry Walk Caravan and Camping Site at Freehay carries the swimming pool, hot tub and restaurant, so you get countryside without having to cook every night.
• Self-catering for a family of six: Quarry Walk Lodges at Freehay, Cheadle sleeps 6 and is near a bus stop.
• Town-edge and practical: Mercure Birmingham West Hotel in West Bromwich has a swimming pool, bar and WiFi — a straightforward choice if you're treating the holiday as a run of day trips.
• Hotel with facilities: Moorville Hall Hotel lists a swimming pool, gym and disabled access, which is the only stay in this set flagged for accessibility.
• Day-out feel: Lower Micklin Farm at Denstone lists a cafe, playground and gift shop — the sort of set-up that keeps small children occupied close to base.

Who each type suits

Families with younger children tend to do best where there's something on site: the playground and cafe at Lower Micklin Farm, or the pool at Quarry Walk Caravan and Camping Site. Families with teenagers often prefer a lodge that sleeps 6 — Rudyard Lake Lodges and Quarry Walk Lodges both do — because everyone gets their own space and you're not tied to restaurant hours.

Couples travelling without children will find the hotels simplest, and the hot tub at Quarry Walk Caravan and Camping Site is the only one listed in the region's family set.

Dog owners should note that none of the six lists dog-friendly facilities on BritStays. That doesn't necessarily mean no, but it does mean you need to ask the owner directly before you pay a deposit, and get the answer in writing.

What to do once you're there

The headline day out is Alton Towers Resort, and plenty of families build the whole trip around it. The Black Country Living Museum is the other theme-park-listed attraction and a good wet-weather alternative.

For a change of pace, Staffordshire is unusually well served for stately homes: Shugborough Hall, Sandon Hall, Wootton Lodge, Soho House Museum and The Oak House Museum are all listed here, with Stafford Castle covering the castle and heritage side.

Rainy days are where the museums earn their keep. In Staffordshire itself you've got Redfern Cottage, the Museum of Cannock Chase and Brampton Museum. Slightly further afield, Stourbridge Glass Museum and Dudmaston Hall sit in Worcestershire, while Wroxeter Roman Site Museum, Wroxeter Roman City Museum and Ditherington Flax Mill are in Shropshire — all worth a look if you're happy to drive.

Honest advice on booking

With only six family stays published, availability is the real constraint, not price comparison. The two lodges that sleep 6 are the most likely to go first for school holidays, half-terms and anything coinciding with a theme-park visit.

• Book school-holiday weeks as far ahead as you can — you're choosing from a handful of properties, not hundreds.
• Three stays list sleeps as not available. Confirm bed configuration and total occupancy by email before booking.
• Only three list parking, so check it explicitly if you're arriving by car with a boot full of kit.
• Only three list WiFi — assume patchy signal in rural spots and download anything the children need in advance.
• Camping and caravanning run to shorter seasons than hotels; ring to confirm opening dates rather than relying on a booking form.