The Nest, Lincolnshire: A Family-Friendly Review

We build family holidays up in our heads as the pinnacle of relaxation. The reality? They can often be anything but. A week at an all-singing, all-dancing resort can leave you needing a lie down before you’ve even unpacked. Between the airport queues, the flight with children, the battle for a sunbed, the sensory overload of waterparks, mini discos and buffet restaurants, it’s entirely possible to arrive home wondering whether you actually need a holiday to recover from your holiday. Which is exactly why The Nest, tucked away in Lincolnshire, has become the family escape I’ll be recommending to absolutely everyone. Sitting in the heart of England, its location works brilliantly as a no-annual-leave-needed weekend for most of the country. Think finishing the school run on Friday, arriving in time for a soak in the hot tub, spending Saturday paddleboarding, fishing or exploring villages and attractions that rival the Cotswolds, then heading home on Sunday with enough time to unpack, put a wash on and get ready for Monday. That said, don’t mistake it for a place that’s only worth a weekend, you could dreamily fill a week here too. We headed to The Nest for a weekend away with the kids (and the dog), and by Sunday afternoon we were already trying to work out when we could come back for longer. Keep reading for our first-hand review

Words by Frankie Collinson

Published: 30th June 2026 | Last updated: 30th June 2026

Your most asked questions, answered

The Nest: What Makes It So Good For Families?

Not every family getaway needs a Kids’ Club, soft play, mini disco or an activity schedule packed from breakfast until bedtime. Sometimes the most memorable family holidays come from slowing down and spending quality time together. Set around a peaceful private lake and made up of just three beautifully designed canvas-and-wood lodges, The Nest feels like your own tiny, exclusive holiday camp in the countryside. Children get all the adventure and freedom of being outdoors, while parents don’t have to sacrifice comfort, wellness or the opportunity to dip in and out of nearby market towns and enjoy the sort of gastro pubs and restaurants that elevate the trip to a proper escape

The location is another huge win. Within easy reach you’ll find family-friendly attractions ranging from adventure playgrounds and farm parks to stately homes, watersports and one of England’s best (seasonal) Aqua Parks. Yet it’s equally the sort of place you could check into and never want to leave. Days are naturally centred around the lake, with wild swimming and canoes available to use freely, alongside plenty of space for long walks. There are also plenty of optional extras to enjoy, including private ‘Film & Fireside’ outdoor cinema screenings, pizza nights, sauna sessions, and in-cabin massages if you want to fully switch off

What’s included for Families at The Nest?

Tiny Traveller Highlights

Baby Package (£35): One less thing to pack. Includes a cot with mattress and sheet, highchair, changing mat, bath support, children’s cutlery and nappy bags

Board games included: Family board games are tucked inside the coffee table trunk, ready for rainy afternoons or post-dinner competition

Firepit hire (£35 per evening): For toasted marshmallows, storytelling and stargazing

Complimentary kayaks: Kayaks and life jackets are free to borrow

Wild swimming: A holiday highlight for adventurous families, with the lake just moments from your lodge

Film & Fireside (£75): An outdoor cinema experience complete with projector, giant screen and firepit

Paddleboard hire (£40 per board, per stay)

Fishing (bring your own kit)

Parental Perks

Lakeside sauna (£50 per hour)

Wood-fired hot tub (£200 per stay), needs to be booked in advance!

Wellness: In-lodge treatments such as massages (from £65 for 60 mins), facials, yoga and Pilates sessions can all be arranged without leaving your lodge (from £85 for 60 mins).

Wood-fired pizza oven (£60 for up to 6 people): The Nest supplies the dough and passata; you simply bring your favourite toppings

Private catering: For those occasions when cooking, shopping and washing up aren’t on the holiday agenda

Forest bathing: Unwind in the large hammock tucked away in the woodland opposite the lodges and experience the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing)

What’s the dining set up?

Dining at The Nest is as relaxed or as hands-off as you want it to be. Each lodge comes with a well-equipped kitchen (plus BBQ to borrow), and with supermarket deliveries available directly to your door. For families who enjoy cooking together, Gozney pizza ovens can be hired, with The Nest providing the dough and passata while you bring the toppings. If you’d rather leave the planning to someone else, owner Emma is a brilliant source of local recommendations and can point you towards everything from cosy country pubs to special-occasion dining

The closest option is The Millstone, an easy walk from the lodges. A short drive away you’ll find some of the region’s best pubs and restaurants, from the riverside setting of The Paper Mills and the welcoming family feel of The Bertie Arms, to The White Hart’s stylish interiors and roaring fires. For something a little more elevated, The Finch’s Arms combines excellent food with views over Rutland Water, while Hambleton Hall offers Michelin-starred dining in one of the area’s most beautiful country house settings. Stamford itself is packed with excellent options, including The George, an iconic coaching inn, and Milly’s Bistro, a neighbourhood favourite serving seasonal dishes made with locally sourced ingredients

Where is The Nest?

The Nest is tucked away in a peaceful corner of the Lincolnshire countryside, just outside Stamford. While Lincolnshire isn’t always the first county that springs to mind for a family staycation, that may be about to change. This pocket of the country is increasingly being dubbed the ‘Notswolds’ – a name that’s gathering momentum as more people discover its charming market towns, rolling countryside and understated luxury. It’s even been tipped by some as a serious rival to the Cotswolds

The location is part of the appeal, too. Sitting within easy driving distance of much of the country, it’s one of England’s best-kept secrets for a long weekend – the kind of place that’s close enough for a Friday-to-Sunday escape, yet feels wonderfully removed from everyday life.

Drive times are surprisingly manageable, with London around 2-2.5 hours, Birmingham 2 hours, Nottingham 1 hour, Leeds 1.5 hours, Manchester 2-2.5 hours, Sheffield around 1.5 hours, Leicester under an hour, Cambridge 1-1.5 hours and Newcastle around 3 hours. If you’d rather leave the car at home, Stamford sits on the East Coast Main Line and is just a short taxi ride from The Nest

One of the biggest draws is Stamford itself. Frequently named one of England’s prettiest towns, it’s full of honey-coloured stone buildings, independent boutiques, cosy cafés and traditional pubs that make it perfect for a slow wander. Just a few minutes away is Burghley House, where sprawling parkland, woodland walks and adventure play areas make it an easy family day out. Rutland Water is also within easy reach, offering scenic cycling trails, watersports, birdwatching and the UK’s largest inflatable aqua park during the summer months (May to September)

Best Time To Visit The Nest?

At The Nest, the main glamping season runs from late March through to early November, when the lake is at its most inviting and life is very firmly outdoors. There is also a year-round option in the all-weather ‘Teal’ lodge, which stays open through winter and is available for Christmas and New Year stays. For families, though, summer is where it really shines. It’s the kind of UK escape that makes you question the need for a flight at all – swapping sea and sand for wild swimming & canoe races. Spring and autumn bring a slightly different rhythm to The Nest. The weather is less predictable, but it’s also quieter, with off-peak pricing and far fewer people around. Instead of full lake days, it’s more about mixing time outdoors with creature comforts. You can head out on nearby pub walks through the Lincolnshire countryside, take a quick cold-water plunge in the lake, then warm up afterwards in the sauna or hot tub. Back at the lodge, the wood-burning stove and landscape-facing bathtub keeps everything cosy. Whichever way you time it, The Nest does has a rare ability to make a UK break feel like the main event, not the backup plan

Lodges

Luxurious lodges

I’m not going to lie: I am not a camping person. I like a proper bed. I like a bathroom I don’t have to share with strangers. And as the parent of young children, I most definitely do not want to be stumbling around in the dark looking for the loo in the middle of the night. That’s exactly why The Nest stole my heart. Made up of just three lakeside lodges (all near-identical inside, with Teal remaining open year-round), it offers everything that’s wonderful about being immersed in nature without asking you to sacrifice any of your home comforts

We stayed in Cuckoo, which has its own private hot tub, and from the moment we walked through the door I knew this wasn’t going to be your stereotypical glamping experience. The interiors felt thoughtfully designed, with artwork on the walls, oversized rattan pendant lights, elegant orchids on the dining table and a buttery Chesterfield sofa that practically begged you to curl up on it

The lodge was also surprisingly spacious, something I think really matters on a UK break. Unlike a sunshine holiday where you’re out from breakfast until bedtime, British weather has a habit of changing its mind, so it’s important to have somewhere you’ll genuinely enjoy spending time if the rain rolls in. Our lodge comfortably slept six, with a beautiful king-size bedroom overlooking the lake, a twin room and the children’s favourite feature: a cosy cabin bed nook. There was also room for two travel cots. The kitchen had everything you could need for easy family meals, from proper pots and pans to fresh coffee from a local roaster. At the heart of the lodge sits a wood-burning stove that doubles as both a heat source and cooking station. For anyone needing food in a flash, there’s also an electric hob

Within about 30 seconds of arriving, my children had disappeared into the cabin bed nook, declaring it ‘the coolest bed ever!’ Meanwhile, I was busy discovering my favourite feature: the enormous freestanding bath overlooking the lake. And I can confirm, after spending the next day paddleboarding, walking and chasing children around outdoors, sinking into a steaming bath while looking out across the water felt ridiculously indulgent

We visited during the heatwave, so keeping warm wasn’t exactly a concern, but it’s easy to imagine how cosy it would feel in spring or autumn. Radiators throughout, hot water bottles, soft blankets and the wood-burning stove guarantee to keep things toasty. If this is what camping looks like these days, then I’m officially a very happy camper

Kids Entertainment

Swim. SUP. Soak. Repeat

We happened to visit during that intense spell of 30°C-plus weather in late June, and honestly, I can’t think of many better places to be. My two are complete water babies and spent the entire weekend yo-yoing between the lake, the hot tub and the BEAUTIFUL bath. When the sun comes out, most people automatically think of heading to the coast. But beachfront accommodation in the UK can be eye-wateringly expensive, and let’s face it, the British sea isn’t always the most inviting to swim in. Here, the lake is less than a three-minute stroll from your front door, and the water was what I’d describe as Goldilocks temperature – cool enough to refresh you in the heat but warm enough that even this cold-water wimp was in her absolute element. If you or your kids get overstimulated by busy resorts, The Nest offers a refreshing change. Paddleboarding and kayaking as a family were definitely core memories for us

The owners also provide a super sweet Bush School activity pack, complete with a nature treasure hunt and everything they need for flower pressing & bark rubbing. In the evenings, families can also book a private film-and-firepit experience, with everything from Frozen, Moana and Paddington to Grease and The Notebook shown under the stars. It’s firmly on our list for next time

We definitely didn’t manage to tick everything off the list. Which, if I’m honest, feels like the perfect excuse to come back. Next time, I’m packing fishing rods in the hope of landing one of the lake’s famously hefty rainbow trout. I’m also determined to claim a spell in the woodland hammock for a spot of forest bathing, the Japanese art of slowing down, listening to birdsong and pretending I don’t have 47 unanswered WhatsApps. And we’ll absolutely be hunting down the hidden woodland den for a teddy bear’s picnic in the woods

What to do locally?

Move over the Cotswolds…

If your family prefers to mix relaxation with bigger adventures, there’s plenty nearby. We reluctantly dragged ourselves away from the lake for a morning at Sacrewell Farm, just a three-minute drive away, and I’m really glad we did. It’s one of the best attractions we’ve visited (as a family of kids & a dog), with an enormous adventure playground, a huge indoor soft play, ride-on electric cars, animal feeding, a stream for paddling, giant sandpit, ball pit, air hockey and a lovely café serving excellent coffee and ice cream. We could easily have spent the entire day there. Dogs are welcome throughout on a lead, which made life much easier travelling with Luna. If we hadn’t had the dog with us, Burghley House would also have been high on our list (the grounds are dog-friendly, but the playground isn’t). On Sunday morning we went for a stroll around Stamford, one of England’s prettiest market towns, which had some gorgeous independent shops and places to eat. Active families can head to Fineshade Woods for cycling trails, tackle the inflatable obstacle course at Rutland Aqua Park or try everything from paddleboarding to wakeboarding at Tallington Lakes

Our verdict

I might be embarrassingly late to the party here (and I’m sure some of you are judging me for this), but I’d never considered Lincolnshire one of the UK’s great staycation destinations. Now? I’m wondering why nobody told me sooner. With beautiful countryside, gorgeous towns, brilliant family attractions and scenic dog walks, it delivers everything we usually travel hours to find elsewhere. The only difference is fewer crowds and a lot more value. After just one trip, I’m ready to become Lincolnshire’s unofficial ambassador. So consider this my public apology to the county. I’ve seen the light. Move over Cornwall, Devon, the Cotswolds and the Lake District – there’s a new staycation favourite in town

With a maximum of just 18 guests (plus the odd baby), I’d confidently put a stake in the ground and say The Nest would never feel busy. The lodges are far enough apart that you barely notice anyone else is there. And if you’re a parent, you’ll know that’s a luxury in itself. Traditional family-friendly hotels might have bigger swimming pools, but they also come with front-row seats to everyone else’s toddler tantrums at breakfast. Here, the only meltdown you’ll have to deal with is your own child’s. Sadly, The Nest can’t fix that, but I found I had a lot more patience in this sensational setting! It feels calm, magical and, dare I say it, oddly healing. There was something about slipping into the lake each day that did wonders for my frazzled parent brain. And slipping off for a solo swim at 5pm on a Saturday night? Unreal and the closest thing I’ve had to a wellness retreat in years. I didn’t even have time to make use of the on-site sauna or massage treatments, yet I still came home feeling calmer than I had in months

If you do visit, my only tip would be to pack a pair of slippers for wandering between the lodge and the hot tub, and a couple of camping chairs so you can sit by the lake with a morning coffee or evening drink. Trust me, you’ll want to soak up every last minute