✨️ Luton Hoo Estate will open its gates to the public for a major new Christmas experience this winter, inviting guests to ‘unlock Christmas’ across 15 acres of the historic estate.
Set between Harpenden and Luton, Christmas at Luton Hoo Estate will run on selected dates from 4th December 2026 until 3rd January 2027, with tickets on sale now!
Guests will be invited to step beyond the gates and discover a festive world of light, skating, live performance, tradition and Christmas experiences, all set within the grounds of the Estate.
✨ Illuminated Light Trail The illuminated Light Trail will follow a one-mile route through the historic Walled Garden, giving guests the chance to explore pathways brought to life after dark through botanical projections, light tunnels and atmospheric soundscapes. ⛸️ Skating Rink The Walled Garden will also provide the setting for the new Skating Rink, surrounded by festive lighting and creating another way for families, couples and groups of friends to enjoy their visit.
🎅 Father Christmas's Grotto Families can also discover The Grotto, where some of Father Christmas’s top elves will lead young guests on a special Christmas mission.
The experience will begin with a 15-minute group performance before families enjoy an individual visit with Father Christmas, where children will receive a special gift.
🌟 VIP Packages Special VIP Packages for family celebrations, festive gatherings, groups and businesses will also be available.
Packages for four, six or eight people will include VIP parking, a welcome drink, food voucher, souvenir blanket and tote bag, access to a cosy guest area and additional skating time.
💜 SEND-Friendly Starlight Sessions Selected Starlight Sessions will offer SEND guests and their families a calmer way to experience the Light Trail and The Grotto, operating at 50% capacity with quieter audio and the option to enjoy the attractions at a slower pace.
🐕 Dog-Friendly Christmas Tails Sessions Dog-friendly Christmas Tails sessions will also be available on selected dates, allowing four-legged family members to join the festive experience.
*Assistance dogs will be welcome at all sessions. 🍽️ Food, Drink & Live Entertainment A dedicated food and drink area will offer a variety of seasonal dishes and beverages, alongside a central stage where guests can enjoy live entertainment and festive performances throughout the event until Christmas Eve.
✨️ A Word from Luton Hoo Estate Edward Phillips, Chief Executive of Luton Hoo Estate, said:
“We are delighted to be opening the gates of Luton Hoo Estate for this brand-new Christmas experience.
“The Estate provides a unique setting and we are looking forward to welcoming families, friends and groups to discover it in a completely different way and ‘unlock Christmas’ here this festive season.
“Christmas at Luton Hoo Estate will bring together the character and history of the grounds with light, entertainment and festive experiences, and we are incredibly excited to see the Estate transformed for Christmas.”
✨ A Word from the Event Organisers Andy Mills-Brown, CEO of TAG Live®, organisers of Christmas at Luton Hoo Estate, said:
“We wanted to produce something that feels genuinely different and makes the most of this incredible setting.
“Whether guests are coming to meet Father Christmas, follow the Light Trail, go skating, enjoy the live entertainment or simply spend time together, they can create the Christmas visit that works for them.
“The scale and character of Luton Hoo Estate gives us an amazing canvas to work with and we’re thrilled to be opening the gates and inviting people to come and discover Christmas here for themselves.”
🎟️ Tickets & Booking Information Each experience will be bookable separately, with a combination ticket available for the Light Trail and Skating Rink. Free on-site parking is included.
Support that suits you. Selected Starlight sessions offer quieter audio and reduced capacity. Eligible guests can request a complimentary Essential Companion Ticket after booking. Read the full access answers → Ask about your requirements →
🤔 So you're probably wondering how I get my hotel deals at crazily cheap prices. I've managed to bag a few one being the Riffle volunteer in Ware, Hertfordshire for £10 bed and breakfast (you can see our Facebook video here) for two people and Donington Manor Hotel in Donington for £9 including bed and breakfast, plus a few more in the past.
👀 HOW DO I DO IT? Is it easy? Sort of. Is it guaranteed? No In a way it's pretty easy really, there are so many price glitches to be found, one being accommodations on booking.com.
🕸 SO WHAT'S THE CATCH? So you've booked your cheap deal, you can't believe your luck and can't wait to go... don't get too excited...yet! This could all change. The property could easily cancel your bargain night away if they wanted to. On the plus side they could honour it...and this is where you can get excited, if you don't hear back from them this is a good sign that the booking is likely to go ahead. Please be aware you are booking at your own risk.
💡 TIPS ON HOW TO FIND THEM.. 1️⃣ Find a location you are looking for and put it in search (put in any date). I usually find putting 2 adults into search comes up with better results. Find an accommodation you like or filter from lowest to highest.
📍Where do you fancy going?
3️⃣ Search other dates on the calender for your chosen accommodation and scroll down as far as you can, this is where you may find a big difference in prices.
🗓 Scroll down on the calender for the property you choose to see price comparison.
4️⃣ Check reviews on Tripadvisor to find true experiences of the property. Check what facilities they have such as; free parking, accessibility etc.
5️⃣ If you want to book go for it! If the property declines your booking which does happen I have always been refunded my money back. You will get a notification usually by email or on your app if they decide to cancel or they may ask you to cancel your end. Make sure to ask for a 'free to cancel' option link to be sent to you. If you have a free cancellation property anyway this won't apply. If you have any queries or concerns contact customer service directly on booking.com.
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: Price glitches sometimes appear on large booking platforms due to technical or input errors. All deals shared here are publicly visible at the time of discovery and booked in good faith. Hotels are fully entitled to cancel any glitch bookings, and readers should treat these deals as not guaranteed.
This blog aims to highlight great value while still supporting the businesses we feature. When a property chooses to honour a glitch, it’s entirely their decision — and always appreciated. Please leave them a review as a way of your appreciation.
🏩 CHEAP ACCOMMODATION FOUND PUBLISHED AS SEEN ON 02/03/26: Please be aware the prices may have changed as advertised below due to updates or some potentially lucky person who has booked it before you got to it first!
💖 Looking to get away this Valentine’s Day (14/02/26) - this 2026 the special day falls on a Saturday. We've searched for some HOT deals you may love for two people or family deals for a one night stay. Take a look below (the green ticks are the options available).
🔥 Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel, Kent ✅️ Breakfast ✅️ Welcome drink ✅️ Leisure Access ✅️ Dinner ✅️ Late check out 👨👩👧👦 Family rooms available 💷 Cost: £115 - £165
👍 WHAT TO CHECK FOR... Make sure to check all the terms and conditions for each hotel deal on their link and also check if parking is free or not as some venues may apply charges.
🏃♀️Be quick to grab the deal you want before they go! - If you love the hotel but it's sold out, you can always search for another date to go and you may even get it cheaper 🤪!
✈️ Escape on a Budget: Your Passport to saving more with WhatsUp Bedfordshire, flying from Luton.
💡 TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY AT THE AIRPORT. Literally scraping by just to get away? Worried about all the extras costs? We get it, honestly we really do, this is why we have put some ideas below to help you save a little more and stress a little less. Stay savvy, and let’s make travel affordable again.
🥃 Not just for shower gel: So we all know those little travel pots of 100ml are a great idea to keep in your hand luggage for shower gel, shampoo, etc saving space and money. Little insider tip - have you thought you could add rum, vodka or your favourite tipple in one just incase of any emergency? 😜 - Please note: airlines say you can't drink your own alcohol on the plane, I'm not sure why this rule is in place are they just trying to take more of our cash? Don’t try to pop open your duty free on the plane, you won't get away with that one.
Not just for shower gel...🥃
🥛 Water or squash? Bring an empty bottle to the airport and fill it with free water at the water stations, if you don't like plain water you can take a mini concentration juice that you can add to give you flavour also as it's small you can fit it easily in your hand luggage. You can buy these for around £1.45 from Aldi. Self catering? This comes in handy while your on holiday to add to your bottles of water, while saving you money at the same time.
🥛 Aldi mini concentrated squash you can fit in your hand luggage (66ml) you can add this to your water if you like flavour
🥂 VIP Lounge & Travel Insurance: An all inclusive VIP Lounge at Luton Airport costs around £38pp, this is all inclusive of alcoholic hot & soft drinks and all food. You can save money if you have a barclays card account and opt in for the Travel Plus Package for £22 per month. This covers your travel insurance (including your partner and dependants up to the age of 23 who live with you) plus the great benefit for me is 6 free visits a year to the VIP Lounge (if you have a family of 6 for instance you can use the passes all in one go or spread them out individually throughout the year). If you don't have a Barclays account and want to opt in for a different membership you can check out a Groupon offer here.
💳 Barclays
🥂 Groupon VIP Membership Lounge Offer
👍 Zip Lock Bags - Versatile - Food, Perfume smelling clothes: Zip lock bags are so handy for many different things. Traveling from Luton Airport you can keep your 100ml in your bag, you no longer have to put them in a zip lock bag or even take them out of your hand luggage. Flying back into Luton maybe a different story you may have to have clear Zip lock bags to put your 100ml liquids in, depending on where you are flying from. Also if you are one of those people who can't resist a cheeky, sneeky sarnie or pastry from breakfast, these are great for storing food or keeping your freebie munchies in your hotel room fridge for when you feel a big peckish. 🧴Can't fit your fav perfume in your hand luggage? Spray all your clothes with your fav fragrance, roll up your clothes as tight as you can, then zip them in a zip lock bag. The smell will be lasting and it keeps your clothes smaller so you can add that extra bikini in if you wish. These bags can fit anywhere and are so handy.
🥪 Zip Lock Bags Handy & Light to Take with you
🎒 Try to travel light: Try looking at taking a few days away where you can take just your hand luggage, maybe a 2-5 day break (you still get a holiday this just keeps the cost down). Hold baggage can add to the expense. We've found Jet2 to be the best for hand luggage. You can take two bags! Hand luggage can weigh no more than 10kg and can be no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (including wheels and handles). You can also take another small personal item such as a bum bag or laptop for free as long as it fits under your seat (40cm x 30cm x 20cm). We found an amazing bag on Amazon, you can fit so much in it and is perfect for Jet2 flights.
😍 The bag on the right is my personal bag I could take on Jet2 along with the Rucksack on the left from Amazon - highly recommended for Jet2 flights
Click below to view the Rucksack - the best one I've ever brought with so many compartments and space. As a women travelling this was brilliant, I could get away for five nights with this bag without having to buy hold luggage. ➡️ https://amzn.to/4g4L67v
😍 This Rucksack opens up like a suitcase, meaning you can get more items into it.
💳 Boots Advantage Card: Do you have a Boots Advantage points card? If you do and you have enough points you can get a meal deal for free using your points. A meal deal at Luton Airport costs around £5.00. You can get a drink, sandwich/salad/wrap and a snack like a chocolate bar, crisps, fruit. I like to save my meal deal for a little picnic for on the plane. You can also get essentials like toothpaste, deodorant etc with your Boots Advantage Card last minute, just make sure you have enough points on you Boots advantage card to be able to grab your items for free!
🤑 Boots Avantage Points save space you money on meal deals or essentials you want to take with you (as long as you have enough points?
🎊 Are you travelling on your Birthday? Love Chinese food? At Luton Airport you will find a Chopstix. Chopstix has a great deal when you sign up to the newsletter and download the Chopstix app you can qualify for a FREE BIRTHDAY BOX to celebrate your special day! You can use this epic deal at any of participating stores including one located at Luton Airport. When you sign up you get five free spring rolls, grab another three for free by entering the referral code: 💥54277 (Please be aware when claiming your free birthday treat they may ask for ID to confirm it's your birthday)
Free food on your birthday 😋
☕️ Hot drink sachets: You could take all in one coffee sachets/hot chocolate and ask for a cup of hot water on the plane, just ask nicely, please note they may not be able to offer you hot water all the time as they have a limited amount of supply. If you can get away with it you can save £3 - £4. All in one coffee sachets from Home Bargains only cost around £1.00 for 10. Not only that but if you go self catering these sachets will come in handy.
☕️ Drink sachets for either on the plane or take with you if you go self catering
🥪 Bring snacks: If you have enough room, remember you can bring your own snacks, crisps, sandwiches, sausage rolls. This came in so handy as we were stuck on the plane for 2 hours once before it took off and you could see people eyeing us up while we were munching away, and yes of course offered hand outs, no one fancied my cheese and onion rolls.
🛍 Duty Free: If you're buying something from duty free and you get a bag (be cheeky and ask for the larger one) this acts like an extra bag where you can cram other bits and take on the plane with you.
🧣 Keep your clothes on: Heading out from the lovely Luton weather I use my sarong as my scarf. For one it keeps me warm and secondly it saves space in my hand luggage, thirdly it acts as a blanket in the plane when the hubby is blasting out the air conditioning and lastly it's my beach babe sarong - well I think so.
Where your sarong as your scarf to save space in your hand luggage 😁
🛎 BOOK A HOTEL/VILLA/TRANSFERS Want a hotel to add and/or transfers you can find them here via: ➡️ Expedia ➡️ Hotels.com ➡️ Booking.com
🌴 £25.98 return flights from Luton to Palma Nova, Majorca and booked a hotel though Expedia, costing only £70pp
👨👩👧👧 A Day Trip to Billing Aquadrome Summer 2025: Big Vibes, Tiny Price...
Ever fancied a mini holiday without the packing, planning, or price tag? That’s exactly what we got with our spontaneous day trip to Billing Aquadrome—a splash of adventure, a sprinkle of entertainment for the whole family, including your four legged member of the family! A great day for a picnic, entertainment and fun!
🎭 Amplitheatre
🚣♂️ Water Sports
💳 Water Sports Prices (photo taken July 2025)
🎟 YOU NEED TO BOOK A DAY PASS You will need to book day passes before you go. There are a limited number of daily passes available so definitely book in advance. Click here
🎟️ THE DAY PASS From 9am to 10pm, your pass unlocks a full day of fun. It’s like pressing pause on everyday life and stepping into a holiday bubble—without booking a stay.
💳 Cost Breakdown: ▪️£5 per person ▪️Under 5s: Free ▪️Car parking: £5 extra
And yes, it’s absolutely worth it. You get the holiday vibe, fresh air, and a jam-packed itinerary—all for less than a takeaway.
💦 WHAT'S INCLUDED (For Free!) Here’s what your day pass gets you—no extra fees, just pure fun:
✨️ Splash Park (seasonal) ✨️ Amphitheatre Shows ✨️ Skate Park/Bike Track ✨️ Indoor Soft Play ✨️ Lake Walks & Picnic Spots ✨️ Mini Train Rides (times may vary, seasonal) ✨️ Play Parks & Foam
♨️ BBQ's ALLOWED At designated areas BBQ's are allowed as long as they are kept off the ground. You may need to check with the park before you go to see if there are plenty of spots available as school holidays and bank holidays may get busy. ☎️ Phone: 01604 408 181
🚂 The Free Miniature Train
💦 The Free Splash Park (Seasonal)
❓️FAQS You can check the official Billing Aquadrome FAQs for more details on dogs, BBQ’S and more here.
🎈 Tethered Air Balloon Rides - Summer 2025
🎤 ENTERTAINMENT With live singers, to flyboard shows to fun games for the children, this ticked all the boxes for entertainment throughout the day! You can see what's on here for 2025.
🚀 The Amazing Flyboard Show 2025
🎪 EXTRA FUN (Paid Access) Want to level up your day? These extras are available on-site: 🔸️Funfair rides (£2–£4) 🔸️Circus performances 🔸️Bike hire 🔸️Swimming pool (off-peak only for day passes, booking required) 🔸️Shops, cafes, restaurants 🔸️Amusement arcades 🔸️Aqua fun (seasonal)
🐶 FOR DOGS Dogs are allowed on the park, including in, the arcade, reception, and downstairs at The Venue. The cafe by the water sports. Dog-friendly activities such as the "Tough Mutter" agility course and opportunities to enjoy walks and even canoe or pedalo rides with your dog.
🐶 Dog Agility Course
🔐 INSIDER TIP If you’re planning to catch the evening shows at the Amphitheatre, make sure you’re already inside before 6pm—after that, security checks may b for holiday passes only. We lucked out by being in the area early!
💯 OVERALL... Billing Aquadrome gave us the perfect blend of excitement and chill. Whether you're chasing foam bubbles, admiring the alpacas, or just a break from routine, this day trip delivers the goods. And at £5 a head? It’s practically a steal.
♿️ ACCESSIBILITY We found Billing Aquadrome to be very accessible in most places. The car park is gravel though and in rainy weather the muddy paths can get very muddy. There is a stairs lift to the swimming pool viewing area, this is also where you will find the free small soft play area. The splash park, restaurant, cafes and amusements are all accessible. I haven't found an accessible caravan on the website so it will be worth contacting them directly to find out. ☎️ Phone: 01604 408 181
😴 WANT TO STAY You have a choice of caravans, lodges with hot tubs, glaming & touring campervans from £25. Holidaysclick here
👀 CHECK BOOKING.COM You may find a good deal on booking.com, if you do book through them see if the passes are included before you book, I believe some do and some don't.
