I drove 2.5 hours to one of UK’s best holiday parks — it was worth every second | UK | Travel

The prospect of long car trips doesn’t exactly excite me, particularly ones involving toddlers. The combination of my own travel sickness, which has worsened since pregnancy, and managing young kids often turns such a journey into quite the ordeal.

But the allure of a getaway, the chance to explore new places, unwind and refresh always seems to justify the gruelling packing and travelling routines. This time around, our destination was far beyond the end of the M4 in west Wales, at Bluestone, a « 5-star luxury holiday destination located within 500 acres of wild Welsh countryside in Narberth, Pembrokeshire ».

Bluestone has once again topped the charts as Wales’ premier holiday park and clinched third place in the UK, according to Which? magazine. Filled with anticipation for our Welsh adventure, we eagerly set off.

To our delight, the Monday afternoon voyage to Bluestone unfolded without incident — a serene motorway drive bathed in glorious sunshine, which isn’t always the case on the M4. Upon reaching the resort, we initially joined the standard check-in line by mistake, only to find that guests of the platinum lodges had a separate check-in area.

Once redirected, the check-in process proceeded swiftly and without a hitch. Upon arriving at 23 Merlin Crescent, our home for a four-night stay, the St Govan Lodge we booked did not disappoint. This three-bedroom property, comfortably accommodating six guests, was a delightful surprise with its spacious design and modern, high-standard finish.

The lodge’s living area, situated upstairs, made me feel instantly at home for our short stay. I was immediately drawn to the large master bedroom and king-size bed.

Yet, the ‘true’ highlight was the master bedroom’s expansive ensuite, dwarfing my own bathroom back home. It featured a luxurious shower, a freestanding clawfoot bathtub, and a double sink vanity unit a bathroom straight out of my dreams.

On the ground floor, two additional bedrooms each housed twin beds, which we effortlessly pushed together to create doubles. The lodge also offered a second full bathroom, complete with both a bath and shower.

One small detail that immediately caught my attention was the child-centric nature of the lodge; it featured a nappy bin in the bathroom, stair gates at both ends of the staircase, and two travel cots as requested, along with a potty – a handy addition as we begin to venture into potty training with my two year old.

The spacious upstairs area of the lodge was equally impressive. The open-plan living space boasted a well-equipped kitchen complete with everything one could need and more.

From an abundance of plates to cooking utensils, and from a dishwasher to a microwave, the kitchen was a delight to cook in, and there was a large wooden table and benches.

The expansive living area also housed a large sofa, a TV, and a cosy electric fire. There was also a small snug with a TV, which we didn’t get the chance to utilise, as well as a sunroom with vast windows where we took the opportunity to unwind on a few occasions.

Given that Bluestone is a car-free site, once we had unpacked, I was left in charge of the children while my two excited friends went to fetch the golf buggy. As expected, driving the buggy around proved to be one of the highlights of our holiday.

After a day of travelling, we opted to spend the evening in – cooking some food in the lovely kitchen and then unwinding on the comfortable sofas before getting a good night’s sleep.

Day two

Our first full day at Bluestone kicked off with a swimming session at the indoor water park, known as Blue Lagoon. Having not had much opportunity to explore the site by this point, we ended up getting lost trying to find it, seemingly taking the buggy around the entire site before locating it.

This resulted in us arriving at the Blue Lagoon late (and slightly frazzled), but what followed made the early morning stress worthwhile. The swimming sessions start at 8am, before the pool opens to the general public, so there were only a few families present.

There was also no music playing, which created a calm and welcoming atmosphere – particularly important for children who may be nervous around water, like my friend’s son. Unsure about how this would pan out for my friend’s two-and-a-half year old, we were both overjoyed and impressed when he got into the water.

He was able to walk in, with the water gradually getting deeper, allowing him to take things at his own pace. He wasn’t rushed or pushed by the instructor, which was exactly what he needed.

The lesson was enjoyable, focused on play, and inspired me to enrol my water-loving toddler in swimming lessons again now that we’re not constantly battling bugs. Most importantly, since then, my friend’s son has become much more comfortable in the water, making the early morning rush and stress completely worthwhile.

The pool was vast, with a smaller toddler area off to the side filled with toys. By 9am, the music was playing and a few early birds had already arrived.

Following our time at the Blue Lagoon, we ventured to the Serendome – the park’s « indoor-outdoor adventure play area ». We spent some time in the playground before getting the opportunity to play with Bluey and Bingo. This was top-notch entertainment and my son was overjoyed.

We then queued for a considerable time for the meet and greet, but seeing my son’s delighted face when he saw Bluey up close was invaluable.

Feeling slightly weary and ready for a break, we returned to the lodge for lunch and a brief nap. Our day concluded with a quick trip to the village for exploration, and the children enjoyed playing in the large playground there.

By 5pm, we were back at the lodge, exhausted after a busy but enjoyable day. After preparing some food in the lodge, we spent the evening unwinding on the comfy sofas.

Day three

Regrettably, our second day was a bit slower as I woke up with a terrible migraine. All I could muster was a short stroll and a visit to the playground and shop.

I was conserving my energy for our dinner at the Farmhouse Bar and Grill that evening. As it’s a family-friendly venue, the restaurant was quite bustling when we arrived at 6pm.

We kicked off our meal with some tasty appetisers, including sweet corn rib fritters, which were new to me. They were packed with flavour, and the lime added a nice touch.

This was a hearty, comforting meal – exactly what I needed.

Day four

On our third day at the site, we spent the morning at the Hive – Bluestone’s latest hub for activities and play. The space is vast and filled with various activities.

Although we were fortunate with the weather during our stay, this would have been perfect for a rainy day. I appreciated the climbing frame for young children, while it was incredibly difficult to pry my child away from the inflatable park.

We concluded our morning with a messy play session, which was a lot of fun. 

It’s so imaginative and packed with things for children to explore. They have different areas set up and, while my toddler was hesitant about the slime table, he was a big fan of both the water station and the sand one.

I spent the afternoon indulging in some much-needed self-care at the site’s tranquil spa. Upon arrival, I was greeted by an almost eerie silence, with only a handful of people in sight.

My spa experience began with a rejuvenating nap in the meditation room, followed by a leisurely exploration of the spa facilities. The saunas were satisfyingly hot and there were ample spaces for lounging and unwinding.

Verdict

Nestled within 500-acres of lush countryside, Bluestone felt like a world away from everyday life. We were thoroughly impressed by the high-quality accommodation and the plethora of activities on offer.

Bluestone is genuinely child-centric, and one of the highlights for me was having the opportunity to truly bond with my son and friends. In our hectic lives, sometimes a short getaway is all we need to reconnect with our loved ones.