The Bluestone National Part Resort is nestled comfortably in one of the most scenic parts of our fair country. It is located just inside the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in Wales, and is a self-catering holiday village that is a treat for the senses.
The resort has 178 cabins set in 500 acres of lush green land. It’s a car free zone, so the kids can run free and not worry about traffic. It also means it’s quiet, really quiet, which to me makes a break away from London worth the four hour drive to get here.
Our chalet was called a Ramsey, which was a two-story log cabin with the bedrooms downstairs, and the living room and kitchen upstairs. This takes a little getting used to, but sitting in the living room looking out over the countryside, you can see why they did it.
A quick glance around soon shows you why this is the only 5-star park resort in Wales. The finish is excellent, the setting clean, tidy and idyllic. Even the cooker was a Smeg. A lot of time and planning has gone into this resort, and every penny seems well spent.
Being a car-less area, there are golf buggies made available per cabin. So it isn’t unusual to see them chugging around the grounds. They are a quiet, if undignified way of travelling, but adds to the environmental qualifications of the resort.
Other things that allow Bluestone to call itself environmentally friendly include; European whitewood construction, energy efficient appliances, and the Caldey lodges have solar panels for water heating.
There is a private village on the site too, which has studio apartments, cottages, a pub, three restaurants, a wine shop, and a local produce outlet. It’s almost like a scene from The Prisoner, everything is clean, sanitised and everyone is polite, all in a good way.
If you’re here to do stuff instead of relax, there is plenty on offer. For a start, there is the Blue Lagoon water park, acres of walking and cycling trails, archery, clay pigeon shooting (laser), an adventure centre, and play areas for smaller children.
Those wanting a slower pace will enjoy the spa, treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, and an ice room. There is also a relaxation room to have time away from the kids if you have them.
There is also quite a lot to do on the doorstep, although we didn’t try it. There is the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, golf, beaches, Pembroke castle, Carew castle, Castell Henllys and much more.
The 500 acre site is well laid out, with enough space between cabins to feel spacious. This is a family-oriented resort, but caters for couples and groups too.
We don’t do self-catering very often, so it makes a nice change when we do. The ability to buy fresh local produce in the village centre is nice. Not only do we not have to drive anywhere, but we’re helping support local farmers. It’s a nice touch, and sits well with the environmental responsibility it uses heavily in its marketing.
There are places to eat if you don’t want to cook for yourself. The pub, The Tafern sells pub food, which looked nice, or the three restaurants, one of which offers fine dining. There seems a little something for everyone here, and for once, a place that tries to be jack of all, succeeds.
Bluestone is a great place to get away from it all. It’s clean, pleasant, quiet and had no traffic noise whatsoever. The lodges were of high quality and the food wasn’t bad either.