The Vale Resort, South Wales
Hensol Park, Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan, Nr Cardiff
Reviewed by Helen
The Vale is a country golf and spa escape, yet also great for all the Cardiff city attractions as well as being close to the lovely South Wales coast line. A superb pampering and golfing luxury getway!
The Vale Resort is a fabulous 4 star luxury resort, in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. Set amidst 650 acres of rolling Welsh countryside, The Vale, Wales' highest rated 4* Resort, offers an unrivalled choice of spa, leisure and sporting facilities, all combined with luxury accommodation and a truly fabulous dining experience.
It's no surprise that this is one of the UK's leading destinations for Spa or Golf Breaks, so whether it's a romantic escape or a leisure break with friends, the Vale Resort is the ideal choice.
For the golf enthusiasts, there are two PGA championship courses here, as well as coaching and a golf shop if you need it. The courses cover mature wooded areas, both wide and narrow fairways and water features. The Wales National Course is one of the longest courses outside America so the 19th hole here is well worth a thirst quenching drink or two!
If it's a spa treat you're after, then here you can indulge in Wales' largest Spa experience- relax, unwind and you'll soon ease away the stresses and strains of everyday life. There are 19 treatment rooms using Clarins products, as well as a lavish relaxation area and a terrace overlooking the heated outdoor pool. Who needs to go abroad when you have all this on your doorstep? There's also a Spa retail area where you can treat yourself further to some Clarins goodies to continue your spa experience at home.
There are 143 luxury rooms and suites here, yet as the estate is so vast, there are many hideaways to escape to and you can enjoy a varied choice of dining facilities and wide selection of superb leisure pursuits. There's even time to fit in some shopping, a concert or a sporting occasion, should you want to as the Vale is easily accessible from the M4, only 20 minutes from the vibrant Cardiff city centre. The South Wales coast line boasts some stunning scenery, great for romantic energizing walks, and the lush green Glamorgan countryside fresh air really gives a boost to the lungs once you have left the city smoke behind.
It's not just the Golf and Spa on offer here, there's also tennis, squash, a heated pool, and a fully equipped gym as well as fishing, trekking and nature walks.
Rooms here are graded from Superior, Deluxe, Executive and Junior Suites, all are exquisitely furnished with high tech appliances. Our room had full length sliding window doors with a balcony overlooking the lush green golf course and hills beyond. It was a perfect summer evening and we enjoyed romantic drinks at sunset before we went down for dinner. The next morning it was great to sit out and watch those energetic golfers on the go as we chatted over coffee before breakfast. A complimentary bottle of wine comes with an Executive Room and a Junior Suite, or if your are celebrating a special occasion, you can upgrade and pre-order flowers, chocolates or chilled Champagne to help get your stay here off to a sparkling start!
You are bound to be thirsty or hungry after your day's adventures and at the Vale you have a choice of casual and informal dining at the Club House and Vale bar, or you can take time to enjoy the fine dining experience at the Vale Grill, the award winning AA Rosette restaurant. Here the Head Chef is keen to use the best of local produce and freshly caught fish and seafood. Our table looked out on to the vast golf course and surrounding countryside. It's no surprise that this place is very popular with the locals as well as with hotel guests. The food and service was excellent , and after our delightful starters and main courses we chose to finish off our meal with Welsh cheeses and wine out on the terrace to make the most of this gorgeous summer evening and lovely setting.
Not wanting to miss out on anything, we then popped into the Salamanza Champagne Bar for a night cap or two. Cardiffians are known for their friendliness and especially as this was night before a big Welsh Rugby match everyone here was in great spirits!
This is the home and training venue for the Welsh rugby and football teams, so as you can imagine there were some famous faces to be spotted around the Resort the next morning.
All in all, your time at the Vale can be as action packed or as relaxing as you want it to be, the choice is simply up to you. Whatever you decide, pampering luxury will abound and your stay here will surely be a most memorable one! Get the cozzie and the golf clubs out now and don't forget to mention Away without the Kids when booking!