AD | We were invited to stay at The Park, Cornwall in exchange for this review, but all thoughts, opinions and most pictures are my own.
If you’re looking for a UK coastal holiday destination which can host not just you but grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all in one place, ‘The Park, Cornwall’ is perfect.
We love it when the grandparents come away with us – because let’s face it, two more pairs of hands are never going to go amiss. But every so often it’s great fun to go away with my whole extended family.
I know not everyone is up for this sort of thing. I mean, five boys under the age of nine, isn’t exactly the most relaxing. But the boys absolutely love being together and think a holiday away with their cousins is the best thing ever.
My three literally hero-worship their seven and nine-year-old cousins, and I think I may have mentioned a few hundred times before how much they love their grandparents. So a long weekend with all of them, plus aunty and uncle too is like heaven.
The Park, Cornwall is ideal for larger groups
The problem often is where to go though. It’s easy enough to find cottages big enough for a large group. But what happens when you want a place where there is plenty to do to keep the kids entertained, but also something for the adults?
That’s where a stay at award-winning 5* The Park, Cornwall is absolutely ideal. The self-catering holiday park in Mawgan Porth, north Cornwall ticks all the boxes for everything you need for a fun-filled large family holiday. It’s the sister site to Greenwood Grange where we visited last year.
We went for a weekend at the start of February but were so lucky with the weather. It was cold but the sun was out and our Saturday started off with one of those crisp, sunny winter days – ideal to explore.
Accommodation to suit everyone’s needs
The Park, Cornwall is a self-catering holiday park and has a range of accommodation to choose from. This ranges from luxury lodges that sleep up to 12, cosy cottages for four, park cabins and caravans that sleep up to six, and even yurts that sleep two or four people. Literally something for everyone.
We were lucky enough to stay in a five bedroom luxury eco lodge called Tewynn. It sleeps up to 10, but we had the twins in travel cots so all three of my boys were able to easily sleep in one room.
The stunning, modern lodge has upside down accommodation to make the most of the beautiful countryside view. You walk into a large, welcoming hallway which has four bedrooms off it. These include a king size, double (both with ensuites) and two twin rooms. Plus a family bathroom with a HUGE bath in it!
Upstairs there’s another king size with ensuite and the main living area. All the bedrooms have DVD TVs in them, which were quite handy first thing in the morning for the early risers amongst us. Mainly my kids!
The Park, Cornwall’s eco lodges are fabulous
Now I’ll say right now, these pictures don’t do the place justice. This place is just amazing. Have a look at my Instagram stories highlight for some more here. Upstairs is all about open plan living. There’s a large lounge with various settees and chairs (easily enough to sit everyone) and a log burner. Then at the other end there is a huge dining table surrounded by large windows and a balcony looking out to the countryside surroundings.
The L shaped upstairs then opens to a fabulous large modern kitchen, complete with American style fridge freezer, dishwasher, Nespresso coffee machine, and enormous range style cooker. This is definitely the kind of place I could get used to! There was so much space for the kids to play. But importantly, there were stair gates at the top and bottom of the stairs so we could keep them up with us when we needed to keep more of an eye on them. Or just got fed up with them running amok around the whole place!
Oh and I almost forgot – Tewynn has my absolute favourite thing on a holiday like this. A HOT TUB! I told you this place was perfect, right? Not that we got to use it as much as other holidays because the older boys didn’t go to bed ‘til later – meaning the timing of dinner ate into my normal post bedtime hot tub session! But a cheeky Sunday 8am dip was AMAZING!
Everything you need for young children is there
The Park, Cornwall caters for families with young children supplying everything you need. They checked with us beforehand about what we needed. The travel cots were there (although annoyingly not up) as well as bed guards I’d requested in case the twins decided to climb out of their cots (they did) and need to end up in a bed. Luckily they gave up on that ‘fun’ game relatively quickly and slept in the cots. You can also ask for an extra fold-out bed.
There is a highchair in the kitchen (we could have asked for another one but my boys are too big now) and the kitchen has plastic accutane price plates, bowls and cutlery. There’s also a washing machine and tumble dryer which is essential if you’re staying with young kids much longer than a weekend. Or is it that my kids are just particularly dirty? And if you’re really pushing the boat out, The Park, Cornwall can arrange babysitting for you so you can have a night off. Awesome!
So all this sounds great, I hear you cry. But what can we actually DO here?
Activities to keep whole family happy at The Park, Cornwall
The Park, Cornwall has loads for both adults and children to enjoy. It has both indoor and outdoor pools, a toddler park, soft play, trampoline, animals, picnic areas, a play yurt, and a conservation areas for nature explorers. And in the holidays a programme of activities is available for the children including den-building, fire-lighting, foraging and outdoor cooking.
We headed straight to the indoor pool where all five boys had a whale of a time. And we made the most of Grandad being on hand to help out. Although I don’t think there is ratio rule which is AMAZING news to us families with too many kids under four who find swimming with all of them tricky business.
Alongside the main pool, there’s a warmer baby pool where Twin One decided he was happiest. Twin Two on the other hand liked mixing it up between the two. And the four year old was having the time of his life jumping in with his cousins. There’s also a sauna and steam room poolside for the adults. If you can grab five minutes for some relaxation.
The Kitchen restaurant offers all day dining
The pool is overlooked by The Kitchen restaurant, so is perfect if anyone fancies watching the swimming antics whilst sipping a hot coffee instead.
The Kitchen also has a small soft play area, which our boys loved. It was perfectly sized for nobody to get lost. Which meant I was happy to sit with my hot chocolate and carrot cake rather than be following a toddler around on my hands and knees.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served at The Kitchen. Or you can just pop in for a drink, or afternoon sugar fix like we did. The best produce Cornwall has to offer is on the menu. Favourites on offer include fish and chips, burgers and Caesar salad, but all served with their own twist.
So expect the fish to be served with tomato and samphire sauce, truffle parmesan fries, and crispy buttermilk chicken served with maple glazed bacon. My mouth is watering as I type! If you’re like us and with a family group, and are lucky enough to escape for a date night, be aware The Kitchen shuts at 9.30pm.
Our lodge looked out to the site’s resident goats and chickens, much to my boys’ delight. And they were friendly little (big) things when we went to visit them.
A wander to Mawgan Porth beach is a must
When you fancy taking a trip offsite, your first port of call has to be 300 yards down the road to stunning Mawgan Porth beach. The wind had picked up by the time we got there later in the afternoon so it was a bit chilly. But the boys loved drawing in the sand, and throwing pebbles in the stream.
When the tide’s out the beach is huge – so there’s plenty of space to play. Dogs are also allowed on it all year round, and The Park, Cornwall is also dog friendly if you want to take your furry friend on holiday too.
Nearby there’s a whole host of family-friendly activities. These include pitch and putt, tennis, fishing with a catfish reel , golf, horse riding on the beach, surf lessons, kite surfing, cycling and woodland walks.
The Park is perfectly located to explore Cornwall
And if you want to go further afield, you’re well-placed to explore what Cornwall has to offer. You’re just minutes from Watergate Bay and in easy driving distances of some of the best attractions in the county such as the Eden Project, Newquay Zoo or Blue Reef Aquarium or Tintagel Castle. Or head to some of Cornwall’s beautiful towns and fishing villages such as Padstow, St Ives, Perranporth or Newquay. Wherever you are in Cornwall, you’re in an ideal spot to explore.
Whether you’re looking for a family holiday, a break with friends or (if you’re lucky enough) a romantic break, there’s something for everyone at The Park, Cornwall. We loved it and would go back in a flash.
To find out more about The Park, Cornwall, click here.
How did I do?
If you liked this post, why not hang around and read some other UK family travel reviews. How about Why a visit to Bluestone’s Christmasland is a must, How to make the most of a day out at Paulton’s Park, or a Perfect Farm Stay for Little Ones at Tredethick, Cornwall. Or why not have a read of 5 Places To Visit In The UK by blogger Life In A Breakdown. Or if you need more Cornwall holiday inspo, head to 10 Best Holiday Parks in Cornwall by Tin Box Traveller. And if you fancy some of my parenting ramblings, head over to my Mum Life section.
If you like a bit of social media madness, pop over to my Facebook page where you’ll be able to have a laugh at what ridiculousness goes on in my house with three very small boys on a daily basis. Warning – there is often sarcasm, and usually swearing. There are also great travel reviews and some AWESOME giveaways. Feel free to join my Twins, Tantrums and Cold Coffee – Shits and Giggles Parenting Group too, where everyone shares their hilarious stories.
And if you want to work with me, feel free to give me a shout here or at helen@twinstantrumsandcoldcoffee.com and I’ll get back to you.
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