Sky’s the limit – damp weather didn’t put Fiona Whitty off the most perfect of family breaks in North Wales
As my beauty therapist Lilly gently moved warm Himalayan salt rocks around my back, I closed my eyes. But as I let my body slip into relaxation mode I was jolted awake by a piercing honk. Then another. And another. Lilly giggled as she felt my muscles tense. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “That’s Percy. He gets very excited when the sun comes out.”
Bleary-eyed, I conjured up an image of a lazy gardener with a throat problem who abandons the lawnmower for a sunlounger whenever the weather picks up. But Percy, it turns out, is the resident peacock at one of North Wales’ newest hotspots, the Marian Resort and Spa. And, boy, does he let you know it.
Percy’s honking aside, my 60-minute hot-rock relaxing massage at the Serenity Spa aptly summed up our stay at Marian – a glorious mix of pleasure, leisure and rest. It was utter bliss. The Marian Resort and Spa, which opened just last year and is a short drive inland from the popular seaside resorts of Rhyl and Prestatyn, has fantastic facilities that can also up the pace when needed.
READ MORE: Pretty coastal town with UK’s best hidden beach named cheapest seaside day out
My husband Tim and I plus three of our kids – Freddie, 16, Rosie, 19, and 22-year-old Max – made the most of the well-equipped gym and wide selection of fitness classes, with a gruelling circuits class, bums, legs and tums and a soothing yoga session proving particular hits.
Daily dips in the large indoor pool – with floor to ceiling windows inviting in wonderful views over Denbighshire – followed by a chill on the soothing heated loungers also went down well.
We stayed in a sumptuously sized “luxury” lodge with an en-suite, a spacious lounge/diner and walk-in shower in the main bathroom. The large private hot tub was an added, and well-used, bonus.
READ MORE: Tiny seaside town right by Spain’s biggest holiday resorts is much cheaperREAD MORE: Inside the new £400m UK train line that will never be used by normal passengers
The kitchenette had a toaster, microwave and fridge but there was no oven or hob – designed to encourage parents’ full relaxation. It didn’t take long to enjoy the freedom of not having to think about meals. Mind you the wide choice of dining on the resort itself made that very easy – as did the reasonable prices.
In the clubhouse, The View Restaurant served a hearty Welsh breakfast, which can be included in your package, with favourites such as sausage, bacon, black pudding and scrambled eggs alongside cereals, yogurts and pastries.
Come the evenings the lights were dimmed and delectable dishes like pan-fried sea bass with brown shrimp butter and samphire, salmon and prawn linguine with a parmesan crumb, and the awesome crispy Asian beef salad were served.
For starters, the homemade soup of the day was always a winner – my favourite was chickpea and aubergine – while for dessert the sticky toffee pudding with chunks of honeycomb was pretty unbeatable. Outside of a great-value DBB rate, all of these were available on a pocket-friendly midweek two-course set menu for around £20. And, as the name suggested, tip-top views over the Vale of Clwyd and out towards the edge of Snowdonia and coast came with every meal.
Elsewhere the relaxing Lounge Bar was perfect for a light lunch of salad or sandwiches – or a huge portion of fish and chips for hungrier ones. Meanwhile the Sports Bar and Grill offered all-day comfort food like burgers – or my son Freddie’s go-to, chicken wings followed by hickory BBQ ribs. We also loved the daily specials here like Tuesday’s Pie and Pint and Thursday’s Curry Night, both just a tenner including a pint or soft drink.
The Cocktail Bar was also perfect for a pre- or post-dinner tipple. Drinks were well priced too, with a bottle of house wine in the restaurant for £22, pints for around £5-6 and a two-for-one cocktail hour in the Lounge Bar every weekday evening.
The resort was cleverly designed to provide an upmarket yet welcoming feel without a ridiculous price tag. We managed to chill yet feel pampered at the same time. Away from the resort, adventure innovators Zip World in Snowdonia beckoned. They’re constantly pioneering new thrills, including the world’s fastest zipwire and a trampoline-style underground park.
We opted to try out a couple of activities at their Penrhyn Quarry site, set in the rugged terrain of a former slate quarry. First up was Aero Explorer, a “zip coaster” that’s like nothing I’d ever seen before. Dangling from a 480-yard-long overhead track, you’re flung around bends and loops at speeds of up to 30mph. At times we spiralled like corkscrews and at other points we felt like we were going to fly right off. It was terrifying and hilarious in equal measure, a truly unique experience (from £22 for two goes, zipworld.co.uk ).
Next up was another novelty – Zip World’s Quarry Karts, the UK’s only mountain karting adventure. You’re sat in a three-wheeled go-kart as you power down a slate mountain for almost two miles, tackling obstacles like tunnels, banked bends and chicanes.
It was scary – there were sheer drops beside us at times and we were going at up to 25mph – but a wide and low wheelbase provided stability. To be fair, the biggest danger for me came from Freddie trying to overtake me at every chance. If you can take your eyes off the track for a few seconds (I couldn’t) you’ll also be treated to serene views of mountains and the quarry’s turquoise lake (from £40 for two goes).
More fun was had on a trip to Rhyl. The rain- and wind-lashed beach at the famous resort looked uninviting so instead we nipped into SC2, a leisure centre that’s home to Ninja Tag. Dubbed a cross between Total Wipeout and Ninja Warrior, it’s an indoor assault course that’s like an adult version of a kids’ soft play area. Its range of thrilling obstacles included rope bridges, huge balls to hop across, slides to clamber up and a spider wall that’s traversed by pressing your hands and feet along the sides of the tunnel.
Along the way you score points by scanning your wristband on various probes – usually placed precariously out of reach – for a leaderboard place. My competitive kids went for it like mad and emerged exhausted and drenched but laughing their heads off (from £11, sc2rhyl.co.uk ). It was an apt ending to a break full of fun and thrills… and complete and utter relaxation.
