It's not often you get a spa resort tailored around families, especially if yours includes a furry one of the four-legged kind. So it was quite a surprise that we could take not only the children, but also the dog along to Marian Resort and Spa in North Wales. Around 90 minutes from Manchester, it only opened in April and is the latest offering from Lyons Holiday Parks.
Home to 80 lodges, with a range that includes classic, premium, luxury with hot tub, accessible, or pet friendly, there's also a boutique hotel there too. The place even has its own resident peacock, who thankfully the dog didn't clap eyes on. Read more: Rural cottage retreat in the heart of Wales was a blissful autumn break It's not a huge site, so you don't have a huge stomp to get from your car to the accommodation and we were able to park just a minute's walk from ours - a three-bed pet friendly one with a cosy living space with comfy sofas and a digital TV.
There's a basic kitchenette, with a fridge, toaster and microwave, but these aren't really set up with self-catering in mind. The indoor heated swimming pool (Image: Marian Resort and Spa) That's because there's a large food offering on site, with options including the View Restaurant, Lounge Bar and more casual Sports Bar and Grill. Guests can choose from a selection of packages with either bed and breakfast; or dinner, bed and breakfast.
We sampled the full breakfast from the buffet-style set-up, tucking into delicious bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs.
