Wales

Bluestone: Pembrokeshire

Last updated 9th June 2017

Why go?

Set in 550 acres of National Park on a chilled-out car-free site, Bluestone promises free-range living. Nothing to do with chickens, instead you find yourself stepping into a relaxed family-friendly bubble where kids (and parents) can roam free. Besides, how can you not love somewhere which thoughtfully provides useful phrases like ‘Mae fyhofrenfad yn llawn llyswennod’. (Translation: ‘My hovercraft is full of eels’.)

Most visitors stay in one of 268 luxury timber lodges, none more than a 10-minute amble from the central ‘village’, although there’s also bikes and electric buggies for hire to get you around faster. The village itself has 14 studios and 30 slate-roofed cottages – our two-bed cottage was perfect for three – with stairgates, high chairs on request and travel cots. To save you my moment of sheer panic, the cots are hidden away in the wardrobe.

Activities

Where to start? With more than 100 activities to choose from, starting with baby sensory for under 12-month-olds, you could come to Bluestone every year and not get bored. The Adventure Centre features its own Circus Zone, plus an adventure playground, while Sylvie tested messy play so enthusiastically that we both needed a bath afterwards.

Or try archery on the Tournament Field, then tree-climbing and Woodland Warriors Combat (think paintballing with infrared light) at Steep Ravine. And the Blue Lagoon water park has several baby-friendly pools, a wave machine, flumes twisting round the outside of the building, plus an outdoor Lazy River. Thankfully, Bluestone also has a spa to recover in.

Food: The village’s buzzing main restaurant, The Yard, provides a breakfast buffet, Sunday lunch carvery and themed evening meals, plus a takeaway which doesn’t stint on portion sizes. Or the well-stocked little shop and wine store has most essentials, along with addictively good cakes from the small bakery/cafe. And it’s worth booking a babysitter along with a table at stylish Carreg Las restaurant at least once.

The lowdown

Getting there: Bluestone is 10 miles from Tenby, within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and around 45 minutes from the end of the M4.

Price: Three nights for a family of four currently costs £185 bed and breakfast.

More information: bluestonewales.com