We were booked into a Dinas lodge which is very spacious accommodation, with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen diner and a lounge.  






As you can see from the photos above, the kitchen was very well fitted out, with a complete oven and hob, dishwasher, and two fridges. There wasn't a freezer but there were two freezer compartments. 



Washing up liquid was provided as well as a couple of dishwasher tablets, a dishcloth and scourer, and a tea towel.





The lounge had a table and chairs big enough for 8 with placemats included. There was also a cupboard with dishes and plates and a high chair.



There are two bathrooms equipped to a good standard. One with a bath and a shower and the other just with a shower. Both had toilets.

Handwash was provided as well as towels. There was a hairdryer in the bedroom. You need to bring your own soap and shower gel, or bath products.










There are four bedrooms in the Dinas lodge, two double bedrooms and two twin bedrooms. Each room had bedside tables and a wardrobe and/or chest of drawers.

The Grounds


The luxury holiday park is set in over 500 acres of grounds. At the heart of the resort, you have the Bluestone Village, where restaurants, cafes and the Knight's Tafarn pub is set as well as the Well Spa. A few steps from there is the gorgeous lake area, the steep ravine and Camp Smokey area. At the top of the resort is the Serendome and the Blue Lagoon pool.





The Serendome is a new addition to Bluestone Wales. Open in July 2019, it's an undercover activity centre in a huge dome.




The Serendome is free to use if you are staying at the resort and it's a great resource for kids, although some activities are paid for. You can take part in the Wacky Races activity where you decorate your own go-kart, for the adventurous SkyWalk is a vertical adventure course and the mini SkyWalk is suitable for the younger ones. Complimentary activities include water and sand play and the imagination garden. 

The Serendome is also home to the Cloud Amphitheatre, a 400 seat state of the art facility. While we were there they were selling tickets to the Starchitects show in the Serendome  - 'the tale of the young Starchitects who, dream of exploring the dark skies above and join them on their mission to touch the moon.'  This sounded a great show for kids, full of dance and acrobatics. 

The Serendome also has a small food court which is open later in the day where you can choose from burritos, curries and burgers, and before shows, there is a bar available too.  If you want to read more about the Serendome I recommend you checking out Catherine's review from Passport and Adventures blog.








Next to the Serendome is the Adventure Centre, where you can play mini-golf and do a Sky Trail rope course. They also have lots of activities for younger kids including soft play, a bouncy castle, and a climbing wall for older ones. There are a handful of arcade machines too and a cafe. 



Close by is the Blue Lagoon waterpark. This is one of the big draws in the park. This all-weather attraction is suitable for all ages and all abilities with a wave pool, slides and jets. 



There is even the Nippers Cove, suitable for under 5s. What is great about the Blue Lagoon is that admission is free if you are staying in Bluestone Wales.

The Village


The village is at the heart of the resort. Here you can find a gift shop, a mini supermarket selling most things you would need for a break away, a pub called The Knight's Tafarn, the Oaktree restaurant serving pizza and pasta, and the Farmhouse Grill serving a range of food. There is also the Ty Coffi cafe where you can buy hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, cakes and snacks. 





We had a coffee at Ty Coffi and I felt the prices were fair and the coffee actually was very good.


The main office is here next to the minimarket, where you can book activities and ask any questions. You can also book activities via their website or on their app (more of that later).



There is a small outdoor play area too for kids.



Bluestone also has a small spa called the Well Spa, with a pool, therapy rooms, a herbal steam room, two saunas and more. You can buy entry to the spa, and also book treatments for a price. Previously I've had a pedicure here and was pleased with the outcome, the staff are very professional and well trained. I would recommend booking in advance if you want a certain treatment, especially in high season. 



Just above the Village is a fish and chip van called the Chippy, that, of course, we had to try out. The fish and chips were very good and made fresh for us. I definitely recommend trying the Chippy out!



Another night we tried out the Farmhouse Grill restaurant and the bar attached.





They have live music here on select nights and also a pub quiz twice a week. We, of course, had to enter the pub quiz as we love a good quiz, and guess what, we won! 



Nice to win a bottle of wine as a prize.





The food in the Farmhouse Grill restaurant was better than expected too.  The food was restaurant prices, between £10 and about £20 for a main course, but it was fair value for what you got. The steak and ale pie I had one night was very tasty, the steak filling rich and delicious and the puff pastry lid light and flaky. 

The brisket with fries, corn on the cob and cornbread was fine. The brisket was sliced thinly but was very tender and delicious, however, the BBQ sauce was overpowering and the cornbread wasn't cornbread, instead, normal white bread. The sweetcorn was good though. Mr W enjoyed his food though and the staff were very attentive so overall it was a thumbs from us. 

The Winter Lights

During our stay, the Winter Lights show was on and this runs until the end of March. One of the activities linked to this is the Winter Lights trail, a walk through the woods with twinkling lights. 







To see the woods lit up like this was lovely. I think even Mr W wiped the odd tear! You can really see why families love it at Bluestone Wales.

Since I visited Bluestone Wales last a few things have changed. The Serendome is new to us and looks a fun place to spend a few hours if you have kids. Another thing that has changed is that you can download the Bluestone Wales app and use this to book activities and locate your lodge on the map. Very useful late at night after a glass of wine, I can tell you.

I am also always impressed with Bluestone Wales' eco-friendly credentials. They make it easy for guests to recycle waste, and you can see they do everything they can to respect the environment. 



One day after a walk around the resort we came across beehives, that were fenced off.  Encouraging bees are great for the environment as they are pollinators of flowers, as well as being great at making honey. 



The lake is also a lovely area to walk around and feed the ducks.



What Mr W and I like about the lodges in Bluestone Wales, is that they are so warm and cosy. We just like walking around the resort, stopping for a cup of tea or coffee in the cafe and then going back to the lodge to work. In the afternoon we take a short drive to Tenby or Narbeth for lunch and then come back to the park for our evening meal. 



This time we didn't plan any activities, as we have done many of them in the past so we just relaxed in the resort. However, if you want to plan activities with the family, you could do anything from axe throwing and archery to high ropes and zip wires to canoeing and biking. That's the beauty of a stay in Bluestone Wales, You can do as much or as little as you want.

We enjoyed our stay in Bluestone Wales. This is our fourth visit now and it just gets better and better. The activities for kids are outstanding and perhaps in the future, they will look at increasing activities for adults.  Our only disappointment was that the Knight's Tafarn pub was closed during our stay for maintenance and upgrades.  The spa is lovely but it is small. A few more activities for adults wouldn't go amiss. 

Our midweek stay in a Dinas lodge for 4 nights for up to 8 people would have cost £379. With the use of the facilities, I think this is a good value if you have a large family. Thank you Bluestone Wales for inviting us to review, our stay was complimentary but our food and drink was paid for. Highly recommended. 

Valentine’s Day is that one special day of the year dedicated to couples. It’s the time where your gift-giving skills have their time to shine and you’re able to show your love for your partner.

Unfortunately, the pressure to give the perfect gift can halt some people in their tracks. However, there’s no need to worry! 

During my years as a lifestyle, travel and fashion blogger, I have come across a number of small British businesses producing quality products that I really love, and I like to support and champion these businesses where I can. One such business is Hersey & Son, a company selling well crafter and beauiful silver jewellery and gifts.

Hersey & Son are a father and son business which was established in 1971. Previous to this Michael Hersey the founder of the company spent years learning the art of silversmithing in London before setting up his own business. This is an advertorial for Hersey & Son and contains affiliate links.

Craftsmanship is at the heart of Hersey & Son, and a team of silver spinners, silversmiths, polishers and engravers work hard producing high-quality silver gifts and silver jewellery for their discerning customers.  Everything is hallmarked to ensure the quality of the silver and the company is part of the National Association of Jewellers which is a well-respected organisation in the jewellery industry. All members of the National Association fo Jewellers adhere to a code of conduct, based on honesty, integrity and professionalism. 

So what do they sell? The items Hersey & Son sell include beautiful silver gifts like silver hip flasks and silver pens to classic silver jewellery that everyone will love. It's the perfect website for silver lovers everywhere.

Of course with Valentine's Day fast approaching you may be looking for items to buy your loved one, and I can highly recommend the products from Hersey and Son. I've reviewed a number of items of jewellery in the past and have always been impressed with the fast delivery and lovely packaging. 

So here are my Valentine Day gift guide items for boh women and men, that have caught my eye from Hersey & Son.

For her

A romantic gift






This sterling silver heart locket is a classic romantic gift any woman would love. With a polished smooth look, the locket opens so you can put a small photo or keepsake like a lock of hair inside. Measuring 19mm in width this lovely locket would make the perfect Valentine's day gift.

The classic look






Stylish and chic





If you want to avoid heart designs, why not choose a chic and stylish bangle? This silver bangle has a lightly hammered effect that shines in the light, giving a glamorous finish. 

For him

Simple and stylish



This silver dog tag pendant is a high-quality pendant with a raised edge. What I like about this pendant is that is can be engraved with a name, initials or simple message to make it a lovely personalised gift. A really great gift for the man in your life

Smart for work

These lucky sixpence cufflinks are super smart and look great with a shirt for work or worn on a special occasion. The cufflinks can also be personalised with engraving on the back to make a thoughtful gift. A great addition to a man's wardrobe and a lovely gift

For the traveller


This solid silver chunky St Christopher is a perfect pendant for those men who love travelling. St Christopher is the patron saint of travellers and it is thought that he keeps travellers safe. What I like about this pendant is again that it can be engraved, the perfect way to personalise this gift.  As with all Hersey & Son's items,  each comes with a branded box, with a silver care card, a silver cloth and wrapped in tissue paper.


If you like the jewellery featured then you can get 10% off when putting the code HELLOHERSEY2020 in at checkout.
Today on my blog I am giving you a chance to win £60 to spend at Hersey & Son.  Pop over to their website to see the lovely items for sale and then enter  via the Gleam app below. If you make a purchase and go through my link I get a small commission. No purchase is necessary to enter. Good luck!

* This post is an advertorial for Hersey & Son and contains affiliate links. 

Benidorm is a popular tourist destination in Spain.  This area of mainland Spain, once a small fishing village, is known for its great weather and reasonably priced food and drink. It also has some fabulous beaches that are well worth visiting. However, did you know there are lots of things to do with kids in Benidorm, and it can be a surprisingly kid-friendly place to visit? Let's have a look at my top 5 things to do in Benidorm with kids.  This post is an advertorial in conjunction with Clickstay, an easy to use booking site to book your perfect villa, apartment or holiday accommodation.

1. Have fun on one of the many beaches



The first thing many parents think about doing with kids when they land in Benidorm is to check out the beaches, and rightly so. Benidorm has some fantastic beaches that have fine white sand. Playa Mal Pas is one such beach, a lovely cove between Levante Beach and Poniente Beach, it's secluded and sheltered and great for swimming and sunbathing. It also has several pavement cafes close by for that strawberry icecream you know they will want. The aforementioned Levante and Poniente are also good choices with Poniente being quieter and La Cala Beach is great for crabbing and exploring rock pools too.

2. Get your kicks at Terra Mitica theme park

If your kids are the adventurous kind, a trip to Terra Mitica is perfect for them. Terra Mitica is a theme park divided into 5 lands of ancient civilisations. There are big rides here suitable for the most adventurous teen and adults. One of the popular rides is Inferno, a rollercoaster when you go upside down! For those less adventurous there are some calmer rides and water rides too.  If you want to get out of the heat, they also have a number of themed shows such as Icarus - a contemporary circus show, and a dance and acrobatic show based on Anthony and Cleopatra. 

3. Try the old school rides at Festilandia 



For something more sedate take them on the old school rides at Festilandia and buy a package of tickets for the best value. The bumper cars are fun, especially if you ride with your family, or if the kids are very small the teacup rides may be more suitable. They also have coin machines to play some arcade-style games like air hockey and table football. Worth a visit with primary aged kids.

4. Get wet at Aqualandia 

Next door to Mundomar animal park is the Aqualandia water park. With 15 water-based rides, Aqualandia is very popular, especially in the hot Spanish summer. Of course, there are big thrill rides here like the Vertigo, a set of two drop slides, with one the highest in Europe and the Black Hole, a dark water ride, but for those that like their water parks more sedate there is also children's attractions including a wave pool, the Amazon lazy river and Adventureland an area suitable for primary school kids to have fun in the water.

5. See animals in nature at Serra Gelada



There are wildlife parks in the Benidorm area. but I always prefer to see animals in nature wherever I can. Serra Gelada is a mountain & marine conservation area spanning nearly 14,000 acres and can be explored along hiking trails and by boat. If travelling with kids, a boat trip is the easiest option. Hear stories of pirates, seen the marine birdlife and if you are lucky a pod of bottlenose dolphins. A boat trip is a really lovely way to explore the coast of Benidorm by boat.

As you can see Benidorm has a range of attractions for kids, and whether you have little ones or nearly grown-up teenagers, there are lots of things to do for them in this bustling Spanish town. 

For a great base try one of the Clickstay apartments in Benidorm, like the Sunset Drive apartment above, a beach apartment with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a swimming pool. For more things to do in Benidorm check out my 7 things to do in Benidorm Spain.

Let me know, have you been to Benidorm? What do you think of the activities for kids? 

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