Plassey Leisure Park, Wrexham

It's easy to see why The Plassey Leisure Park keeps winning awards from the minute you arrive up the sweeping drive. Staying here is like being a special guest on a private country estate. The welcome is warm and slick. Once checked in, you follow a warden on a buggie, who guides you to your pitch and ensures you are safely settled in.

It all started over 40 years ago, when Mrs Brookshaw Senior spotted caravans heading past the family dairy farm on the way to Wales, and thought "I'll have a piece of that!" She stuck a sign at the entrance and started taking touring caravans on what was then just a farmer's field. Since then this 250 acre site has evolved into the 5 star luxury park of today, still family run by the Brookshaws. It includes a 9 hole golf course and driving range, a luxury heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, covered badminton, pool and table tennis (all free), children's playground, lots of open spaces for games, and many walks on the estate - perfect for visitors with dogs.

This isn't just a caravan park, however. At it's heart is an award-winning craft centre, museum and visitor's centre, a tearoom and a high quality restaurant, all of which have been carefully created from the former Victorian model dairy, seamlessly incorporating many original features into the design. This provides an unusual and attractive reason to visit Plassey Leisure, whether as a camper, caravanner or tourist.

Plassey is a Park for everyone of any age, from tots to seniors, and there is always something to do, whatever the weather. Open all year round, tourers have a choice of 120 touring pitches in different meadows (and there are a further 100 seasonal pitches). 12 staff lovingly look after visitors' needs, tend and patrol the Park and keep everywhere spotlessly neat and tidy.

The site was almost full when we visited, mainly with families, and the loudest noise we heard was birdsong. If you can tear yourself away from the site, there are many attractions in the area of both English and Welsh varieties, ranging from the dizzying heights of the Pontcyllyte Aquaduct (free to walk across for those with a head for it), NT properties of Erdigg House and Chirk Castle, the delightful town of Llangollen and slightly further afield, the cities of Chester and Shrewsbury.

John - a huge thank you both to yourself and your lovely staff for making us so welcome. We thoroughly enjoyed our brief stay on your Park - and congratulations on being voted Practical Caravan's Top Site for 2008!