I’m a self-confessed luxury hotel addict, but this glamping site in Wales was one of my favourite family holidays so far

I have mixed feelings about camping. On the one hand, I love holidays that involve being outdoors, exploring nature and not having to fight for a sunlounger. On the other, I don’t want to share a toilet or have to pack the kitchen sink before I can leave home. Step forward, Llechwedd Glamping, just a stone’s throw from Snowdon in beautiful north Wales.

And it seems I’m not alone in wanting a touch of luxury with my camp chair, as 72% of us Brits are ditching back-to-basics camping in favour of deluxe set ups, and home-away-from-home glamping escapes, according to a new study by Argos. I’ve been put off glamping in the past because the tents usually lack the aforementioned private toilet. But these tents promised electricity, en suite bathrooms and even bedding supplied – meaning minimal packing and maximum enjoyment.

I roped in the family – my husband, Rian, and two daughters, Sophie, 8, and Amelia, 4, for a camping adventure we could all enjoy.

Where is Llechwedd Glamping?

Located in Snowdonia, in North Wales, it’s hard to find the words to do the scenery in this part of the world justice. On the three-hour drive from the Midlands, we scaled heather-clad moors where sheep roamed across the roads, wound through tree-lined valleys alongside cascading waterfalls, and crawled (there are a lot of 20mph speed limits) through historic former mining towns.

Llechwedd Glamping sits within Llechwedd quarry – a former slate quarry that is now home to a small boutique hotel, called Plas Weunydd, a world-famous downhill bike track and one of the largest Zip World activity centres in the UK (more on that later).

So striking is the scenery that the quarry has featured in all kinds of TV shows, from The Witcher to Love Your Weekend, and commercials for brands such as Burberry and Porsche.

The historic town of Blaenau Ffestiniog is just a few minutes’ drive away and is best known for its narrow-gauge railway, which runs down from the mountains to the coastal town of Porthmadog, but also has plenty of shops and cafes, should you need to stock up on anything during your stay.

Because of its remote location, driving really is the best way to get here, and gives you the freedom to explore nearby sites and attractions, like Harlech beach, Conwyn Castle and, of course, Snowdon. There’s a train up if you don’t fancy the hike…we won’t tell anyone.

Arrival at Llechwedd Glamping

You head straight to Plas Weunydd Hotel when you arrive, as the glamping tents and some even more remote two-person shepherds' huts nearby, are all managed by the same company. The recently refurbished hotel has a bar and restaurant that glamping and hut guests are welcome to use throughout their stays, with roaring log fires, board games and local guidebooks to explore.

If you arrive between 3pm and 6pm, you’re sent out to your car and instructed to follow a pick-up truck up a steep stoney path to the glamping car park. The truck then transports your bags up to your tent, while you walk. It was pouring down when we arrived, so the driver kindly took us up the hill, but other than check-in and check-out, you do need to be physically able to climb up and down the hill the tents are located on.

The tents share a star-gazing net (the skies here are incredibly clear because there’s so little light pollution) and a communal fire pit, but also feel incredibly private, thanks to individual decks and BBQs. Each tent sleeps four or five people. Up to two dogs are also welcome, for an extra charge.

What are the tents like?

I breathed a sigh of relief when I unlocked our tent, which felt akin to something you’d find on a safari. Each tent is raised off the ground, with a private deck with Adirondack chairs, where you get sit and watch the comings and goings in the quarry, whether that’s sheep grazing at sundown, shooting stars at nightfall or brave souls zip-lining during the day.

Patio doors open into your kitchenette-dining-living space. The walls are clad in rustic wooden planks adorned with black and white photographs of the former slate quarry and its workers. The colour palette complements the greens and greys outside, with pops of blue and orange. There’s plenty of space for hanging coats and stashing walking shoes, as well as a comfy armchair and large wooden dining table with bench seat and small sofa.

Our favourite bit of the tent was the wood-burning stove – something we’d love at home. You can matches, firelighters and your first basket of logs included, and even I managed to get a roaring fire started in a few minutes. The tents get cold at night, even in the summer, so the stove is a blessing. But there was also a couple of heaters in our tent, as well as a fan, which would have come in handy in the summer heatwave.

There are proper beds with comfy mattresses. Depending on how many people your tent sleeps, you’ll either have a king sized bed and two bunks, or three bunks. The girls absolutely loved climbing up into their bunks and being able to touch the roof of the tent. It was also handy when it rained at night and sent them straight off to sleep – who needs a white noise machine?!

At the back of the tent is the en suite bathroom. No sharing required. It’s basic but has everything you need – toilet, sink and a shower with unlimited hot water.

What’s included in the tents?

I genuinely couldn’t believe how many things had been thought of, from board games to firelighters, bin bags to soap. The kitchenette has a full-sized fridge with a mini freezer, a sink with hot and cold running water, and a microwave. There are plenty of lights, inside and outside, and sockets for anything you need to charge. Wifi is also included, although there’s no TV.

You can pre-order breakfast, BBQ and pizza packs to your tent if you don’t fancy cooking, or do as we did and head to the hotel for breakfast and dinner. The food is hearty and freshly prepared, with the girls giving the children’s menu a thumbs up.

Here are some of the things that are included in the tents that you won’t need to pack:

• Bedding, including blankets and hot water bottles
• Towels - hand and bath sized are included
• Toilet rolls
• Soap and washing up liquid
• Bin bags
• Tea, coffee and sugar
• Welcome biscuits
• Fire wood, matches and firelighters
• Glasses, wine glasses, mugs, plates and bowls
• Basic toiletries, I’d take your own shampoo and conditioner
• Dog treats
• Board games

So, what do I need to pack?

• A waterproof-backed picnic blanket. I got our picnic blanket from DryRobe, and we took everywhere we went during the stay. It was perfect for the girls to sit on on our deck at the tent as there are only two chairs. It’s made from leftover DryRobe fabric, so is sustainably made, and comes with a handy carry bag.
• Walking boots and shoes – the path to the tents is steep and covered in loose slate, so you really need sensible shoes
• Waterproof coats – this is Wales and chances are it will pour down at some point. Don’t leave them in the car, take them to the tent!
• Thick socks to wear in bed. My woollen ski motif walking socks from Cotswold Trading were perfect.
• A mini portable speaker. There’s Wi-Fi but no TV and we wanted no screens during our stay, so instead we used a small wireless speaker to play the girls’ favourite songs. We have the Tribit StormBox Micro 3 Blueooth speaker, which is tiny but produces brilliant sound.
• We set the girls a challenge of taking 10 photographs each of our stay using their Instax Mini 12 instant cameras from Argos . It was lovely to see the holiday through their eyes
• Colouring books and a game of Bananagrams – a small, portable word game loved by Dame Judi Dench, no less
• If you’d like a BBQ, you’ll need a bag of charcoal but everything you need to light it is already there
• Hairdryer if you want to wash and dry your hair

Things to do at Llechwedd Glamping

Before you check in at Llechwedd, you're sent a virtual guidebook, which outlines everything to do nearby, and there's a lot. From beaches to Portmerion, castles to waterfalls, there's something to enjoy in all weathers.

I defy anybody to stay here and not want to try at least one of the activities at Zip World Llechwedd. The glamping tents literally overlook the Zip World site and you can hear screams of delight/fear as adrenaline junkies speed down the zipline overhead at up to 60mph. Our girls were a bit small for this, so we decided to try Bounce Below instead.

Honestly. It’s something so unusual it has to be seen to be believed. You go down into the former slate mines and explore nets, slides and ladders suspended in the caverns below. There's also an underground golf course and quarry tours for those feeling a little less adventurous or who aren't as physically able.

We had so much fun that we headed 20 minutes down the road to sister site ZipWorld Best-y-Coed, to try the Fforest Coaster I’d seen on Instagram – a toboggan crossed with a rollercoaster than sends you hurtling down the side of a forest-clad hill. This was a huge hit with the whole family. You get three descents included for the price and children over nine can pilot themselves down. Younger children over 1m can hop in with an adult.