I drove 2.5 hours to one of the UK's best holiday parks – it was worth every second | UK | Travel

The prospects for long car trips are not exactly exciting what particularly involves young children. The combination of my own travel disease, which has been getting worse since pregnancy and the management of young children, often turns such a journey into a rather test.

However, the charm of vacation, the opportunity to explore new places, relax and refresh, always seems to justify strict packaging and travel routines. This time, our destination was well beyond the end of Bluestone's West Wales M4, a 5-star luxury holiday destination in the 500-acre Wild Wales countryside in Nurberth, Pembrokeshire.

Bluestone once again broke the charts as a premier holiday park in Wales, taking third place in the UK. magazine. With anticipation for a Welsh adventure, we set off enthusiastically.

To our delight, our Monday afternoon voyage to Bluestone unfolded without incident – a gentle highway drive in the glorious sunshine is not necessarily the case for the M4. Upon arriving at the resort, we initially accidentally took part in the standard check-in line, but found out that guests at Platinum Lodge have separate check-in areas.

Once redirected, the check-in process went quickly and without any problems. Upon arriving at our home, 23 Marlink Lecent, for a 4 night stay, the St. Govan Lodge, which we booked, was not disappointed. This 3-bedroom accommodation was pleasantly accommodated six guests and was a pleasant surprise with its spacious design and modern, high standard finish.

The lodge's living area, located on the second floor, made us feel like we were at home immediately for our short stay. I was immediately drawn to the large master bedroom and king size bed.

Still, the “true” highlight was the vast en suite bathroom in the master bedroom, which I was back home and warping through my own bathroom. It featured a luxurious shower, a freestanding claw-foot tub and a double sink vanity unit with a bathroom straight from my dreams.

On the first floor, there were twin beds in two additional bedrooms, which were pushed effortlessly to create a double. The lodge also offered a second full bathroom with both a bath and a shower.

One of the small details that immediately caught my attention was the child-centric nature of the lodge. Diaper bins appeared in the bathroom, stair gates at both ends of the stairs, and two travel beds on demand.

The spacious second floor area of ​​the lodge was equally impressive. The open-plan living space boasted a fully equipped kitchen with everything you need.

From the plentiful plates to cookware, and from dishwasher to microwaves, the kitchen was fun to cook, with a large wooden table and bench.

The vast living area also featured a large sofa, a TV and a cozy electric fire. Also, there was a small, snug fit on the TV, but I didn't have the opportunity to take advantage of it. There was also a solarium with vast windows that took the opportunity to get caught up in several occasions.

Given that Bluestone is a carless site, when we unpacked I was in charge of the kids and two excited friends went to get a golf buggy. As expected, driving a buggy proved to be one of our holiday highlights.

After a day of our trip, we chose to spend the night – we made food in a lovely kitchen and then chose to fall asleep before we slowly fell asleep on the comfortable sofa.

Day 2

My first full day at Bluestone began with a swimming session at an indoor water park known as the Blue Lagoon. By this point we didn't have much opportunity to explore the site, so we got lost trying to find it.

This made us arrive late (and a bit crazy) in the blue lagoon, but the stress of the early morning that followed was worth it. The swimming sessions began at 8am before the pool was open to the public, so there were only a few families.

There was also no music performance. This created a calm and welcoming atmosphere. This is especially important for children, like my friend's son, who may get nervous around the water. We were overjoyed and impressed when he went into the water as I didn't know how this would pan out before my friend's age 2 and a half.

He could walk and the water gradually deepened and he could take things at his own pace. He didn't rush or push the instructor. That was exactly what he needed.

The lessons were fun and play-focused and encouraged me to register my water-loving toddlers again for swimming lessons as we don't always fight bugs. Most importantly, since then my friend's son has become much more comfortable underwater, making the early morning rush and stress completely worth it.

The pool was vast with a small toddler area on the side filled with toys. By 9am, music was playing and some early birds had already arrived.

Following our time at the Blue Lagoon, we tried out the Serendome, the “indoor outdoor adventure play area” in the park. We spent some time at the playground before we got the chance to play with Blue and Bingo. This was top-notch entertainment and my son was delighted.

We then queued up for quite some time to meet and say hello, but seeing her son's happy face when he saw Blue saw him close up was invaluable.

A little tired and ready for a break, we returned to the lodge for lunch and a short nap. Our day ended with a quick trip to the village to explore and the kids enjoyed playing in the big playground there.

By 5pm we were back at the lodge and exhausted after a busy but fun day. After preparing meals at the lodge, we spent the evening getting caught up in a comfortable sofa.

Day 3

Unfortunately, our second day was awoken with a terrible migraine, which made me a little late. All I could call was a short walk and a visit to the play area and shops.

I was saving energy that night at the farmhouse bar and grill for dinner. As it is a family friendly venue, when we arrived at 6pm, the restaurant was quite lively.

We started our meal with delicious appetizers, including sweet corn rib fritters new for me. They were packed with flavor and the lime added a nice touch.

This was a heartfelt, pleasant meal – exactly what I needed.

Day 4

On our third day at the site, we spent our mornings at the hive – the latest hub of Bluestone activities and plays. The space is vast and full of various activities.

We were lucky with the weather during our stay, but this was perfect for a rainy day. We appreciated the climbing frame for young children, but it was extremely difficult to keep the child away from the inflated park.

We ended up with a nasty play session in the morning, which was a lot of fun.

It's very imaginative and packed with things for kids to explore. They had different areas set up and my toddler was hesitant about the slime table, but he was a huge fan of both the water station and the sand.

We spent the afternoon indulging in much-needed self-care at the site's quiet spa. Upon arrival, I was greeted by an almost eerie silence, only a handful of people could be seen.

My spa experience began with a rejuvenating nap in the meditation room, then a leisurely exploration of the spa facility. The sauna was satisfyingly hot and had plenty of room for relaxation and rewinding.

verdict

Surrounded by 500 acres of lush countryside, Bluestone felt like a world away from everyday life. We were thoroughly impressed with the high quality accommodation and the many activities that are offered.

Bluestone is truly child-centric, and one of the highlights for me was having the opportunity to truly bond with my son and friends. In our busy lives, sometimes a short vacation is everything we need to reunite with our loved ones.