New Years eve, new idea: cottages are the new cool

What are you doing for New Year? It's the question that everyone starts asking each autumn when thought's turn to Christmas and the end of another year. There seems to be a great deal of pressure to do something big at new year; go out to a top nightclub, get completely plastered to a big name DJ like Pete Tong or Judge Jules, or see the New Year in at a massive street party along with thousands of other revellers. Whilst such party plans seem like a great idea on paper the reality doesn't always live up to the hype.

One of the biggest set backs to a big new year is money. Every pub, club and bar owner sees New Year as a huge opportunity to make big bucks and they will ramp up the drink prices and normally charge a hefty entry fee. It's not unusual to pay £50 or more for a ticket to a nightclub on New Year, but you won't get any more for your money compared to any other night of the year, in fact you probably get less - less opportunity to get to the bar, less opportunity to sit down and less space on the dance-floor!

Thus brings us to another problem associated with a big New Year - the crowds. Getting a seat in a bar is next to impossible and trying to attract the bar maid with your tenner can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. When you've finally got your drinks, you've probably lost your mates, and when you do finally find them, the music is so loud that you can't hear what they are saying anyway. And to anyone trying to get a taxi back home - good luck!

Though, of course most people have a great time at New Year, many wake up on New Year's day with an expensive hangover and the nagging feeling that maybe New Year's Eve is a little over rated.

Because of the high cost and often over hyped nature of going out on New Year, more and more people are choosing to stay in. But staying in doesn’t mean being boring; more and more groups of people are clubbing together and renting a holiday cottage and having their own party for the New Year, often choosing a remote location in a beautiful part of the UK or mainland Europe.

Here, all of the problems associated with New Year are solved; you're guaranteed to get a seat, buying booze won't require a bank loan, the music will be as loud or as quiet as you want and there's no need to get a taxi home, because your bed is just upstairs!