More young Britons are swapping beach holidays for cottage stays where they dress up as magical characters and play tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons (DnD), according to a study by cottages.com. The trend is driven by the popularity of 'cosy crime' shows such as The Traitors and Agatha Christie adaptations, with one in four Brits and half of Gen Z booking staycations specifically for murder mysteries, games nights, or TV-themed weekends.
Georgia Johnson, a 33-year-old from North London, has been organising DnD cottage trips for a decade. She and her friends leave partners behind in London to stay in secluded locations, including Valencia, Kent, Bath, and the Lake District. 'It's difficult playing at your house. You're trying to get in the mood to slay a vampire, and then someone's boyfriend comes in to get a snack,' she explained. Their sessions involve tarot cards, dice, candlelight, and pub lunches, with late-night role-playing continuing until midnight.
DnD has seen a resurgence, with 13.7 million active players worldwide and interest in tabletop role-playing games rising 85% since 2020, according to one study. Warhammer, another popular game, was valued at £4.7bn in 2024. For players like Ben, an office worker who becomes 'officer of the post' Derbert Clifton-Brown at weekends, the games offer creative expression. Others, like Kash and Oliver, invest in custom ears or green paint for their characters.
James Mackenzie-Thorpe runs DnD sessions in Kents Caverns, a network of prehistoric caves in Torquay, Devon. After overhearing colleagues discuss the game, he wrote an adventure set in the caves and now hosts public quests. 'You never know what you're going to get with each group. We've had people travelling from Cornwall and Somerset,' he said. One group of online players who had never met in real life booked an Airbnb to play together in the caves.
The trend reflects a broader shift towards immersive, creative holidays. Georgia summed up the appeal: 'Generally, you get up, DnD, have lunch at a pub, come back, more DnD, then around midnight it can get a bit silly and hazy.' For many, these escapes provide a safe space to express themselves freely, away from everyday life.
