Yahoo News We went glamping in North Wales and it felt more like a luxury hotel
The last time we went glamping it was inside a canvas tent which flapped in the wind most of the night and kept us all awake. It wasn't really an experience I'd like to repeat.
But there's a site in North Wales which has taken glamping to a whole new level - and it's pretty luxurious.
Porth Eryri Glamping sits on the grounds of a 40-acre working farm called Gwern Hywel Isaf on the outskirts of the beautiful village of Pentrefoelas on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park.
The name itself translates as 'Gateway to Snowdonia' and was the obvious choice, given its positioning with magnificent views of the famous mountain ranges nearby.
Two six-person cabins have been a huge hit with families and groups since they opened in October 2022, but now owners Gethin and Teleri have installed a new two-person cabin, Y Foel Las, which was where I headed for a couple of nights over the Easter holidays with my teenage daughter.
While accepting she'd have to share a bed with her snoring mother, she was obviously relieved we'd have full access to wifi during our stay and made it clear she was more interested in the hot tub than climbing the surrounding hills.
If I'm honest, so was I. As much as I love a good walk, I didn't want to be joining any queues to reach to the summit of Snowdon on a busy bank holiday and it was rare for us to be away without the dog, so I fully intended to avoid any unnecessary damp walks.
Given how wet it's been, we were actually quite lucky with the weather and, as we relaxed in the wood-burning tub, it felt like a summer's evening with a blue sky, spectacular views and only a few resident rabbits for company.
The owners, who have four children, are tenant farmers on the land, rearing beef cattle on the 50-acre farm. But we didn't hear a peep and, even with holidaymakers in the other cabins, it felt like we were totally alone. It was pure bliss.
Each one has its own private hot tub and while it took a few hours to get ours going, it sure kicked out some heat and was still pretty warm the following day. And the indoor log burner meant that once we'd had enough, we could get cosy inside the cabin too.
We could have made use of the outdoor pizza oven and barbecue, but decided to keep things simple and cook up some pasta on the indoor hob instead.
It may seem quite small, but every inch of this place has been utilised to make sure you have everything you could possibly need.
Downstairs is the living area with a comfy sofa, TV, well equipped kitchen and even a little table for two tucked away in the corner. At the back of the cabin is a bathroom with a rather impressive rainfall shower, which was bigger than the cubicle we have at home.
The bespoke spiral staircase leads to a king size bed in the mezzanine bedroom, which offers the perfect spot to view the surrounding landscape through the huge glass windows.
There's so much to do on the doorstep of this place, including Zip World Fforest, with its famous alpine roller coaster, which is just a short drive away. And we took the opportunity to visit the delightful village of Portmeirion, which was just 40 minutes away.
But, with just a couple of days to enjoy our glamping experience, we didn't spend too long away from the cabin. Why would you want to?
Stays at Porth Eryri Glamping cost from £165 per night with a minimum three-night stay. Visit the ToWander UK website here to book. A second two-person cabin is being built and is available to book from July.
