Our visit to Jurassic Newpark Kilkenny and why you can't miss it

We were lucky enough to be invited to visit the exciting new attraction at the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny.

We are a family of four, Mum, Dad, Elle (11) and Ryan, who had just turned 7. -the hotel left some chocolate treats in our room for him from Luke, which was a lovely touch.

Ryan is a big dinosaur fan, so we knew he would be very keen to check out the attraction in Kilkenny.

We stayed 2 nights in the family friendly hotel. This is the perfect base for families of young children, looking to get a break away and some well needed pampering.

The hotel is really family orientated, they have thought of everything from a Games room for older children to a family room for toddlers and younger children. Crazy Cats Kids Club is also available during holidays and weekends.

The swimming pool is always a great draw for families too, and with dedicated family swim times, the hotel can cater for all.

The food on offer at the hotel is really very high quality. We dinned in Scotts bar and brasserie on our first evening and the food was amazing. The children were thrilled with the selection on offer from starters, main courses, and deserts. The choice and quality of food was really superior to other hotels.

The adult meals were equally as good. I enjoyed a delicious chicken curry while my husband went with a really good seafood chowder and steak.

On our second evening we dinned at the more formal restaurant, Gullivers, and it was a very big hit with all the family. Erkan was our lovely Turkish waiter, and he was fantastic.

The children again enjoyed their meals, as did the parents. There were clean plates all around. Well done to all the staff for making us all feel so well taken care of and so welcome, in a very busy hotel.

The main reason of course we were visiting Kilkenny was to check out the amazing new attraction at the hotel. Jurassic Newpark. We had the privilege of being shown around the wonderful attraction by the super informative Luke, the head ranger at the park.

Luke was a wealth of knowledge, and he engaged with the children so well. He was like a modern-day Crocodile Dundee! My children loved learning about the dinosaurs and seeing his fossils. I loved it too and learned a lot.

There was plenty of opportunity to ask questions to Luke, who had great answers to all our queries. It was wonderful.

Within the park grounds there are so many additional things to do, from the Go Karts that my son loved. (They are now on his Santa list for this year), to the Fairy Trail, Talking tree, Zip line and playground.

In addition, the Pet Farm allows you to get up close and personal with the animals in a very safe way. The layout of the park incorporates all these attractions in one area, so it is very easy to navigate with a buggy, a wheelchair or a large family group.

I was very impressed with the overall cleanliness of the facility too, and there was a place to grab a snack and a slushie as well.

The icing on the cake though, is that all this wonderful entertainment is available to hotel guests, absolutely free of charge!

It’s amazing to think you can avail of all these attractions within the grounds of the hotel. The children will love exploring all that is on offer.

There really is something for everyone at the Newpark Hotel and now with the addition of Jurassic Newpark, there is another reason to book a trip.

Luke told me they are expanding the attraction all the time, so now we have a reason to return too.

Their next big event will be their Wicked Walk this Halloween, and then of course their Christmas trail. My advice is to book early to avoid disappointment and don’t forget to say hello to Luke from us.

For all the details and to book click here