If you’re looking for a family weekend getaway in the UK in a beautiful natural location with plenty to do for the kids, I honestly can’t recommend the Bluestone National Park Resort enough.
Wales’ number one holiday park, as named by Which?, Bluestone sits within 500 acres of National Park in the stunning Pembrokeshire countryside – it’s the most picturesque spot, which immediately made me feel as if I had been transported to the breathtaking landscape of The Hobbit. I instantly felt relaxed and at home.
I’ve always adored Wales for its natural surroundings, so I was excited to try a family minibreak there. The five-star Bluestone resort is tailored to multigenerational stays, and they really have thought of everything, from in-resort golf buggies to get around to ready-fitted stair gates for little guests.
You’re also not far from the fabulous Pembrokeshire coastline; Tenby is a family favourite of ours, so we had to include a trip to the beach in our stay and thankfully the sun came out. Cue sandcastles, ice creams and paddling in the sea.
There are several award-winning attractions near Bluestone, including Oakwood Theme Park, Folly Farm Zoo, Manor Wildlife Park, and Dinosaur Park Tenby, so there’s plenty to choose from for a day trip.
The accommodation
We were blown away by our lodge at Bluestone. Guests can choose from lodges and cottages that accommodate between two and fourteen guests to suit a range of budgets.
We stayed in the amazing Platinum Carningli Lodge, a two-story house that has an open-plan living area upstairs and a lovely sunroom with doors that open up to enjoy the view. The kitchen was fully equipped, and two of the four bedrooms had en-suite bathrooms.
A big plus was the two gold buggies that came with our lodge – super handy for getting around the resort. We also loved the outside area where you can barbecue and watch the kids play on the grassy area by the lodge.
The facilities
There is so much to keep you busy at Bluestone. The first stop was the large Blue Lagoon swimming pool with its great waterslides and wave pool. We all had a ball and spent a good few hours going down the slides.
The Serendrome is incredible for both children and adults. Situated under a giant transparent roof with trees, plants, outdoor terraces, and play areas, the adults can grab a coffee while the kids enjoy the skywalk, water play and sand play areas.
Then there’s the indoor Hive Centre – a brilliant spot where the kids can go in the soft play, try the power jump, glow zone bowling and ping pong. Over on the tournament field, they offer archery and axe throwing – which we tried, and I can confirm it's great fun although harder than it looks!
The activities
There are plenty of activities to entertain the whole family at Bluestone and we decided to try a few during our stay.
The boys in our group went kayaking for the morning on the resort lake, which they enjoyed, while my daughter and I had a go at panning for gold. It was such a giggle, and I definitely recommend this activity for younger children as the fool's gold is amongst stones in a trough so suitable for all ages.
One of our highlights was doing the zip wire in the resort’s forest. They were seriously high and we got such a buzz from zooming along them over the woodland valley.
The woods also have lots of paths which are great for walks and cycling; we hired mountain bikes from Bluestone which were the perfect way to get around.
The Spa
The Bluestone Spa is a must-go for a little relaxing me-time. I booked in for the Celtic Thermal Suite Experience and I was so impressed. I’ve been to a few spas but this was the first time a spa had an easy-to-follow guide advising which order to experience each ‘pod’.
The award-winning ESPA spa has several heated and cooling rooms to relax and rejuvenate. The resort website says: “Offering six unique pods, each with its own therapeutic benefit focused on the rebalance of mind, body, and soul. Herbal steams will relax, salts will cleanse, and the heat of a traditional brick sauna will penetrate surface muscular tensions.”
I loved the herbal steam room which is wonderful for clearing congested sinuses and the outdoor hydrotherapy pool aims to help ease joint and muscle tension. There’s even a Celtic sauna which is the room with the highest heat intensity and uses a Pembrokeshire bracken scent.
The restaurants
We were spoiled for choice when it came to dining options. On our first night, we went big and visited the resort’s stunning Black Pool Mill for supper.
The beautiful Georgian Black Pool Mill was built in 1813 to grind flour for Pembrokeshire and has undergone a restoration, successfully combining its historical charm with a modern feel. I ordered cauliflower pakora to start, followed by seabass for the main with celeriac puree and sweet shallots – totally delicious.
Other restaurant options include the cosy Oak Tree restaurant situated in the charming Bluestone village which serves traditional Italian dishes, and the Farmhouse Grill which serves up meals straight from the grill.
Don’t miss an evening in the amazing Camp Smokey, found at the bottom of the Steep Ravine in the forest by a brook. Book yourself in for Smokey Joe's Shindig where you’ll eat a delicious barbecue-style dinner with a lively band providing the entertainment.
The resort also has a traditional pub, the Knights Tafarn, where we enjoyed a few drinks (there’s a playground right next door for the kids), and your ice cream and cake needs are catered for at the on-site coffee shop Ty Coffi.
If you choose to eat at your lodge, there’s a village store for all your essentials. We had a lovely barbecue one evening while the sun set and our kids played outside. One of the things we loved about Bluestone was the chilled-out pace of life and friendly atmosphere. We could easily have stayed longer – until next year Bluestone!
A midweek spring break in 2025, staying in a 6-bed platinum lodge starts from £600 (based on a four-night break Monday to Friday in St Govan’s lodge, arriving 28/04/25). This includes free access to lots of on-site activities such as the Blue Lagoon water park.
Visit bluestonewales.com