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Postcards from Wales

Those of you who remember Portmeirion for being the famous setting of 70’s cult TV classic The Prisoner may, like me, be intrigued to see it now. I can remember watching the series with my father, and some of my memories are quite scary.

Portmeirion was on the map prior to The Prisoner with such famous guests as George Bernard Shaw, Frank Lloyd Wright and Noel Coward.

The architect Clough Williams Ellis opened the hotel in 1926 with the idea that a beautiful place can be developed without spoiling it and along with the many famous faces came Patrick McGoohan to persuade Clough to allow him to film The Prisoner there.

I went along with my husband and two children to see the Portmeirion of today and I have to say the village is certainly worth the five and a half hours drive it takes to reach it.

We stayed in one of the 26 cottages, which had a great view of the village via a small balcony.

As we strolled around the village, it was surprising to discover that the Italianate design that Clough created so well has stood the test of time.

It is an amazing place and easy to see why it has become popular for families and weddings. In fact my children surprised me by being perfectly happy simply to explore the many nooks and crannies.

And there was plenty to explore from the fountain in the centre and the lovely beach to the castle overlooking the fabulous Welsh scenery.

We chose to eat at the hotel which is quite formal and specialises on catering for special occasions with an extensive menu and wine list to match.

On the advice of hotel staff, the next day we went on the woodland walk and this proved to be really something special.

To say that we came across a temple, Japanese bridge, gazebo and children’s play area would sound like more than enough for one walk. The huge array of wild flowers made it a truly wonderful place and even the children noticed them.

The dog cemetery was also quite beautiful and if I had a dog I can’t think of a nicer final resting place for your beloved pet.

The remainder of the day was spent on the beach and by the pool, which suits any family, in the heart of the unspoilt and peaceful landscape.

My husband took time out to stock up with ‘Prisoner’ souvenirs, which brings me back to the show. You can watch The Prisoner in your room and I was slightly concerned that my own children might be as frightened as I was all those years ago. However, times being what they are, they were not at all bothered and found it entertaining.

That evening we took ourselves to the Castle for dinner, which is advertised as less formal than the hotel but I personally thought was superior with very friendly staff and excellent food.

I was left wondering why it was such a high price for dinner in the hotel, when this was quite clearly better.

Overall, we found the modern day Portmeirion to be an interesting and fun place situated in a beautiful part of the world.

It must be a strange and quirky place to visit if you are not a Prisoner fan, and yet it works. Don’t ask me how, but it does.

Families are welcome, and if they are not fans when they go in they may well be when they come out.

To book a stay, email hotel@portmeirion-village.com or call the reservations desk on 01766 770000.

What are the essential ingredients for the perfect family holiday? The sort of holiday that everyone remembers for years afterwards; that sets the benchmark against which all future holidays are judged….As parents, you want your kids to have a great time – but it’s your holiday too, so it needs to be special for everybody. So that’s the philosophy behind the Kids in the Med collection: perfect holidays for the whole family.

As well as offering some of the finest and most family friendly holidays across the Mediterranean and Europe we at Kids in the Med are also delighted to go that ‘extra mile’ to make your holiday a truly memorable experience, so why not take advantage of some of those little extras that we are able to offer:

· Valet parking available at your departure airport.

· Access to airport Executive Lounges.

· Our popular ‘Send Ahead’ service – make travelling easier by sending out your nappies, baby food and bottles prior to your holiday.

· We are pleased to offer a unique nanny service, high-calibre nannies who will travel with your family – making your time away more relaxing and enjoyable.

· Complimentary travel insurance for children when accompanied by two adults insured through Kids in the Med.

Finally, in order to provide you with the utmost convenience we are happy to combine the accommodation of your choice with a wide selection of scheduled, charter and ‘low cost’ airlines.