I went to the ‘best holiday park in the UK’ – it has brand new lodges and my kids loved everything there

WHEN you holiday in Wales, you expect to encounter all the elements.

But deep in rural Pembrokeshire, we discovered the perfect place to be wowed without having to worry about what Mother Nature might have in store.

The magnificent Bluestone National Park Resort has been carefully constructed with a design that encourages you to embrace the Welsh weather.

And this is especially reflected in its new platinum lodges, which opened this summer, with the bedrooms downstairs and an open-plan living space upstairs.

The piece de resistance of our lodge was a big corner room with bifold doors on two sides, that could be opened to enjoy the sun or closed off when the rain and wind set in.

Either way, it was the perfect space to bring the outdoors indoors.

I can’t think of anywhere else I’ve ever broken off from emptying the fridge on checkout day just to spend a brief moment watching the rain pour from the thunderous sky.

With the emphasis still on creature comforts you wouldn’t find at home, like a roll-top bath with a twinkling starlight effect above it, Bluestone is also leading the way when it comes to what can be done differently to reduce environmental impact.

Pirate-themed circus

Instead of providing tiny toiletry bottles to take away, the bathrooms are stocked with full-size bottles of ESPA products that are left in situ to be refilled for the next guest.

There’s a comprehensive recycling system in the kitchen and in the family bathroom, including a dedicated nappy bin with the contents going to a specialist recycling company that aims to divert disposables away from landfill.

In fact, some of the paths between the luxury lodges have even been laid using these recycled nappies.

For families, what is really brilliant is that you’ll never have to listen to kids moaning about being cold and wet with The Serendome, Bluestone’s huge park-cum-entertainment-zone.

The garden-like space offers play areas and activities like a high ropes course, all under the cover of a massive glass shelterdome with open sides.

There’s food and drink kiosks aplenty or you can bring your own to enjoy at the tables and benches.

Inside the Cloud Theatre in centre of the Serendome, you’ll find a pirate-themed circus show, with trapeze, tight ropes and aerial acrobatics all wowing the crowd.

The multi-talented performers were also musicians and even managed to win my middle son over with their charm and good humour after he loudly proclaimed that he didn’t want to be there and would rather go swimming.

The fun then continued over at Smokey Joe’s Shindig, a covered barbecue spot in the woods where guests were encouraged to sing at top volume and dance on chairs for their supper.

The hosts, musicians, kitchen and serving staff were all outstanding, the food was top notch with the vegetarian option just as appetising as the other dishes

The evening finished with toasting marshmallows over an open fire — a perfect way to round off a rural stay.

For indoor entertainment, when the weather got a little dreary, we spent an hour or two at the Hive which has a massive soft play, bowling alley, climbing tower and cafe.

We love a swimming pool and had high hopes for the Blue Lagoon, which has been compared to the subtropical swimming paradise at Center Parcs.

Ironically, it was only the part of the holiday that didn’t exceed our expectations, as parts of the pool were a bit tired and it’s not as big as other centres we’ve visited.

The boys still enjoyed the slides and the lazy river but staff assured that investment is on its way once the final phases of the new lodges are complete.

But we did all agree on how much fun it was getting around the holiday park on our own golf buggy.

The platinum lodges come with one included in the price or you can hire one for part of your stay.

It saved a lot of tired legs and there was plenty of room on the paths for buggies, pedestrians and cyclists.

You’ll get to soak up stunning views over the Welsh countryside as you drive around the site too.

You could even catch a glimpse of the rollercoasters running at nearby Oakwood theme park.

Popping to Pembrokeshire for a Center Parcs-style break probably isn’t going to save you cash, but what sets Bluestone apart is its unique Welsh character, drawn from the nearby coast, rolling countryside and friendly folk.

And with so much going, not even the temptation of the rip-roaring rollercoaster nearby could tear my kids away.