Skip to main content
Search
Shortlist Menu
Search
Shortlist
Conifer tree with fairy lights wrapped around it at night during Wakehurst Glow Wild event

Magical Christmas experiences in Sussex

Whether you’re nine or 99, there’s no shortage of festive things to do in Sussex. Here’s our pick of the season’s best, from Chichester to Brighton.

Ele Luxury Boltholes 37

Article written by Ele Taunt

Have Christmas afternoon tea and carols at Goodwood

Dates: Thursday 17 December 2026

Afternoon tea is served in the Ballroom at Goodwood House with a glass of sparkling wine, and you can add a tour of the State Apartments. Candlelit carols follow outside the house, with a mince pie and mulled wine. Prices start at £65 per person.

Stay nearby: Embers, a timber-clad home with views of the South Downs. Sleeps 5
 

Goodwood christmas tree in living room
Embers bedroom

See Christmas at Chichester Festival Theatre

Dates: 1 December 2026 to 10 January 2027

The main show is Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure, on in the Festival Theatre from 14 to 30 December, while Hey! Christmas Tree runs in the Minerva Theatre from 5 to 27 December. Father Christmas is bringing his grotto back to the theatre, and booking is open. 

For something more grown-up, Mistletoe & Melodies, a musical supper in the Brasserie, runs on 11 and 12 December. 

Stay nearby: The Old Coach House, a Georgian coach house for two in the centre of Chichester.

Travelling with a larger group? Farrington House sleeps eight in Chichester.

Peter Pan at the Chichester Festival Theatre
Christmas lights at The Old Coach House

Visit Petworth House for a magical Christmas

Dates: 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027

The grand state rooms are given over to a festive display where creativity and nature come together in both the house and surrounding garden. Booking is essential. 

Stay nearby: The Gogs, two historic gate lodges on the Petworth estate. For a bigger group, Wrenmere in Stedham sleeps six.
 

Christmas at petworth house
living room of the Gogs in petworth, a small luxury lodge

Wander the Glow Wild lantern trail near Brighton


Dates: Selected evenings, 26 November 2026 to 2 January 2027 

This year’s trail at Wakehurst is called Nature’s Gift. It has woodland lantern installations, projections on the Mansion and a giant redwood Christmas tree. It’s about 30 minutes from Brighton. Pre-booking is essential, and under-4s go free. 

If you’d rather stay in the city, Christmas at the Dome on 6 December brings more than 90 local designers and makers. The Royal Pavilion ice rink won’t run this winter, but the Lanes, markets and lights are all still there. 

Stay nearby: Amira, a stylish coastal house for large groups.

Glow wild
Snug room at Amira, East Sussex, with plush seating, soft furnishings and warm lighting

Follow the lights at Leonardslee, near Billingshurst

Dates: Selected evenings, 27 November to 30 December 2026 

The Lights at Leonardslee is a trail that winds through Grade I listed gardens with light, sound and large installations, and Leonardslee Village is open before and after with food and drink. On selected nights, a free shuttle bus runs from Horsham town centre. Adult tickets start at £18.50, and children’s at £13.50. 

Stay nearby: The Cabin, a woodland hideaway for two with a private hot tub.

 

Make a Christmas of it

Many of our properties take Christmas bookings, from a woodland cabin for two to houses for the whole family. Browse our Christmas cottages

Leonardslee Gardens
Serene bedroom at The Cabin, West Sussex, featuring a neatly dressed king-sized bed with layered textiles, wooden walls, and soft daylight filtering through windows.

Share article

Related articles

Young child in bobble hat looks through window of shop at display of Christmas lights and sleigh in Arundel

A quintessential Sussex Christmas: yuletide fun for all the family

Here’s a collection of enchanting carol concerts and festive markets taking place across Sussex this Christmas.

Daffodils

Spring walks in West Sussex

Embrace the grand entrance of this bright, bountiful season – our favourite spring walks are perfect for exploring West Sussex.

Patio area with featuring cushioned chairs, wooden deck, and lush green garden backdrop in late afternoon light.

Secret woodland cabins in West Sussex

Meet our most secluded woodland cabins ­– hidden hideaways made for slowing down, switching off, and soaking up the peace.

Mother daughter

Screen-free summer holidays

Long, carefree summer days invite families to reconnect, unwind, and make timeless memories – without the pull of screens.

Grand front exterior of Halverton Hall, Shropshire, with manicured lawns and soft peach brick façade.

The timeless allure of a country house holiday

With outstanding settings, peaceful privacy and luxurious facilities, the country house holiday is an enduring group favourite.

Women reading a book by fireplace

Start a new Christmas tradition

Our festive traditions form the fabric of our Christmas experience, but there can be equal joy in uncovering fresh ones. Here, we share our suggestions for new and creative Christmas traditions.

Follow us

@luxuryboltholes

🍂Three of our cosiest West Sussex hideaways, made for winter: 🌳 The Cabin is a green oak retreat for two in 65 acres of ancient woodland, with a private jacuzzi beneath the trees and a fire pit for starry nights. 🌳 In the same wood sits Foxlink, an 1870 gamekeeper’s cottage filled with art and curiosities from the owners’ travels, with an Aga in the kitchen and an open fire to gather round. 🌳 Embers is a timber lodge near Chichester with South Downs views, full of treasures collected on the owners’ adventures, with a large hot tub and a wood burner to come home to after a frosty walk. 🍂 Short days, long walks and longer evenings by the fire. This is West Sussex at its most inviting. To discuss your stay or check availability, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. Link in bio. WestSussex WinterBreak CosyCottage FiresideEvenings LuxuryCottage
Tonight’s the final. Before the last secrets are revealed, a little inspiration for gathering your own Faithful. In Fife, Dunlara Castle has turrets and towers, a library full of secrets, a grand staircase watched over by the ancestors and a tower room made for plotting. In the Highlands, Montclare Estate sits on the shore of its own loch, wrapped in 10,000 acres of pine and heather, with a candlelit dining table and a sitting room made for games. ✨ Dunlara Castle | Fife | Sleeps 36 ✨ Montclare Estate | Highlands | Sleeps 24 ✨ Over 100 private castles across Scotland, by request Faithful or traitor, there’s a seat at the table for everyone this winter. Beyond Dunlara Castle and Montclare Estate, we have access to over 100 private castles across Scotland that you won’t find online. To discuss your stay or check availability, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. #DunlaraCastle #MontclareEstate #ScottishCastles #CelebrityTraitors #LuxuryCastleStay
✨ N E W ✨ ✨ L O N G H O R N · L O D G E ✨ 📍 Hundon, near Clare, Suffolk Reached by a long private drive and tucked among meadows, lawns and sensory gardens, you'll find Longhorn Lodge, a calm and contemporary hideaway beneath the big Suffolk sky. Inside, the mood is soft and considered, with framed artworks, plush sofas, gentle neutral tones and five bedrooms dressed in fine cottons. It’s made for family holidays, multigenerational gatherings and time away with friends. Lavender-lined paths lead to a rose-framed sun terrace, and the heated pool lies just beyond for long summer afternoons. Come evening, gather at the long table in the meadow summer house, sink into the hot tub beneath the stars, then light the fire pits or settle in by the wood burner. On the ground floor, a king bedroom with wheelchair access sits alongside an accessible shower room. 🌿 Sleeps 9 + 1 baby or toddler 🌿 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms 🌿 Hot tub, sauna and summer pool (April to September) 🌿 Alfresco dining, fire pits and pizza oven 🌿 2 dogs welcome 🌿 From £1,097 to £2,194 per night Still available for Christmas and New Year. Tap the link in our bio, or call +44 (0)1243 630100. #longhornlodge #luxuryboltholes #suffolk #countrysideescape #slowliving
✨ T H E I N S I D E R S G U I D E • N O . 2 ✨ 🍂 More of the best of West Sussex, from Chichester to the harbour villages.🍂 🍁 WEST WITTERING Wild walks through windswept dunes and those famous beach huts. Head out along East Head (@nationaltrust) at the mouth of Chichester Harbour. westwitteringestate.co.uk · nationaltrust.org.uk/east-head 🍁 SIDLESHAM Where the tide sets the pace. Stay for lunch at the Crab & Lobster (@crablobster_wsx), an incredible pub on the edge of Pagham Harbour. crab-lobster.co.uk 🍁 CHICHESTER LIGHT EXPERIENCE Illuminating Art at @chicathedral. 23rd to 31st October 2026, 5.30pm to 8.30pm (timed entry slots). chichestercathedral.org.uk 🍁 WEALD & DOWNLAND LIVING MUSEUM Smugglers’ tales and heritage crafts at @wealddownmuseum, also home of BBC’s The Repair Shop. wealddown.co.uk 🍁 DELL QUAY Pick your own pumpkin at @dellquaypyo. 17 and 18 October, then 23 to 31 October, 9.30am to 4.30pm. dellquaypyo.co.uk 🍁 THE LAMB, WEST WITTERING @lambinnwittering “Your new favourite country pub by the sea.” A cosy lunch after a bracing walk, a pint by the sea or a hearty Sunday roast. thelambwittering.co.uk 📸 @lambinnwittering Then home to one of our boltholes: 🌳 FARRINGTON HOUSE: sunlit breakfasts for eight, or treat yourself to a private chef. Sleeps 8 · 4 bed · 4 bath · £840 to £2,945 per night 🌳 FIGGY FARM: candlelit suppers and film nights in a converted cart house and thatched dairy barn near Chichester. Sleeps 8 · 4 bed · 3 bath · dogs welcome · £368 to £735 per night 🌳 THE OLD COACH HOUSE: a storybook cottage in the city. Sleeps 2 · 1 bed · 1 bath · £200 to £590 per night ✨ Save this for your next escape, and share it with someone who needs a weekend away. ✨ Book at luxuryboltholes.com, link in bio. #WestSussex #Chichester #WestWittering #AutumnBreak #LuxuryBoltholes
🍂 A U T U M N A T G R E E N O A K S 🍂 Tucked away in the countryside near Midhurst, Greenoaks is a spacious West Sussex home set in its own grounds, surrounded by fields and woodland. Inside, vaulted oak beams rise above a crackling open fire, there’s a long table for lingering suppers and sumptuous linens in the bedrooms. Come back from muddy autumn walks to the hot tub as the evening cools, with Cowdray, Goodwood and the South Downs all close by. 🍁 Sleeps 10 | 4 bed | 4 bath 🍁 Nr Midhurst, West Sussex 🍁 Hot tub and open fire 🍁 Up to 2 dogs welcome 🍂 Nightly rate: £479 - £858 🍂 Weekly rate: £3,350 - £6,000 As the leaves turn, it’s the perfect place to gather family and friends for a slow autumn escape. To discuss your stay or check availability, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. #Greenoaks #WestSussex #Midhurst #SouthDowns LuxuryCottage
🍂 A U T U M N A T B R A M B L I N G L O D G E 🍂 Tucked behind a garden gate in a West Sussex village near Midhurst, Brambling Lodge is a cosy country house made for slow autumn days. Old oak beams, deep sofas and a crackling wood burner set the tone, with lamplit corners for reading, long suppers by the fire and luxury bedding for slow mornings, all moments from the South Downs. 🍁 Sleeps 6 | 3 bed | 3 bath 🍁 Nr. Midhurst, West Sussex 🍁 Up to two dogs welcome With walks from the door and a wood burner to come home to, Brambling Lodge is perfectly placed for an autumn escape with the dogs. To discuss your stay or check availability, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. #BramblingLodge #WestSussex #Midhurst #SouthDowns #DogFriendlyCottage
✨ T H E I N S I D E R S’ G U I D E · N O. 1 ✨ The best of West Sussex this autumn Save this for your next escape. A few of the places we love most, right on our doorstep. 🍂 Halnaker Walk the famous tree tunnel when the leaves turn gold, then carry on up the hill to the windmill for views across to the coast. 🌾 West Wittering Come at low tide, late in the afternoon, when the dunes glow and you have miles of sand almost to yourself. 🦌 Petworth Park Arrive early, while the mist still sits on the lake and the deer are grazing beneath the old chestnuts. 🐾 Petworth Wander the cobbled lanes, browse the antique shops and stop for coffee at The Hungry Guest. 🔥 The Horse & Groom, East Ashling Our favourite long autumn lunch: candlelight, a crackling fire and a proper Sussex welcome. 🏰 Midhurst and Cowdray Explore the romantic Cowdray ruins on the edge of town, then stock up on Sussex treats at the Cowdray Farm Shop. And when the day is done, come home to one of ours: the fireside at Greenoaks near Cowdray, the copper bath at Hideaway Terrace, or breakfast in bed at Hunters. Next week in the Insiders’ Guide: Chichester, Goodwood and the harbour villages of Bosham and Sidlesham. Follow along so you don’t miss it. luxuryboltholes.com #WestSussex #SouthDowns #InsidersGuide #AutumnEscape #LuxuryBoltholes
✨ A U T U M N A T T H E G O G S ✨ Once the gateway to the Petworth estate, these two 18th century gatehouses by Matthew Brettingham sit side by side on a gentle hill, wrapped in ancient woodland and reached by a private woodland road. Inside, it’s a world of its own. In Gog, a domed ceiling rises above antique tapestries, with a grand piano and the park stretching beyond the arched window. In Magog, a log burner glows, a spiral stair leads up to a balcony bedroom, and a roll top bath waits for slow autumn evenings. By day, wander through Petworth Park among the deer, or stroll into town for antiques and lunch. By night, there is nowhere else you need to be. ✨ Sleeps 2 and an infant ✨ Petworth, West Sussex ✨ Dogs welcome To plan your autumn hideaway, send us a message or visit luxuryboltholes.com. We’d love to hear from you. #TheGogs #Petworth #AutumnEscape #RomanticGetaway #SouthDowns
✨ A U T U M N A T W R E N M E R E ✨ As the days draw in, there are few places we would rather be. Tucked away in the village of Stedham, this 17th century cottage was made for the slower season: wood burners glowing beneath ancient beams, lamplight in timbered bedrooms, and long evenings that begin around the fire pit and end curled up by the fire. By day, pull on your boots and head out into the South Downs with the dog at your heels. Come home to a crackling hearth, a pile of good books and nowhere else to be. ✨ Sleeps 6 | 3 bed | 3 bath ✨ Stedham, West Sussex ✨ Dogs welcome To plan your autumn escape, send us a message or visit luxuryboltholes.com. We’d love to hear from you. #Wrenmere #AutumnEscape #SouthDowns #DogFriendlyCottage #WestSussex
✨ NEW ✨ Introducing Montclare Estate Deep in the Scottish Highlands, 10,000 acres unfold in total privacy, three beautiful homes woven into one estate, complete with its own spa, private beach and boat house. Reserved entirely for you, whether that’s stalking and salmon fishing this autumn, a Highland Christmas by the fire, or long summer days on the loch next year. Your own corner of the Scottish Highlands awaits, link in bio to enquire. #MontclareEstate #ScottishHighlands #LuxuryBoltholes #ExclusiveUseEstate #HighlandEscape
Flexibility +/-
or

You will be directed to a new page on making a selection.

or
Your widget will appear here.