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Travel + Leisure
29-05-2025
- Health
- Travel + Leisure
As a Lifelong Camper, I've Learned These Genius Tricks to Get the Best Night's Sleep at the Campground—From $8
It's hard to put a value on a good night's sleep at the campsite. Sure, the daytime is when many of my fondest camping memories are made, but it's a lot harder to experience the beauty of the outdoors after spending a night shivering or sweating thanks to a sudden change in weather. As an outdoor gear expert and lifelong camper and hiker, I've had plenty of miserable nights in every season, but those experiences taught me many handy tips and hacks for sleeping like a baby, no matter the climate or terrain. From big-ticket swaps like insulated camping tents to small, affordable tricks like a packable fan, there are so many ways to enjoy more seasons to camp in comfort. Despite all my experience, it's impossible to spend time outdoors without learning something new every time, so I'm always discovering clever methods to camp. Follow along while I reveal my favorite nighttime camping hacks for every season, from spring to winter, pulling from top-rated brands like Sea to Summit, Smartwool, and The North Face. I'm sure you'll end up with a brand new set of tricks up your sleeve, too. I got my first backpacking setup from REI when I was 12 or 13, and the chipper employee helping me handed me this exact sleeping bag liner, telling me I'd never regret it. At the moment, I thought it was a polite upsell, but it quickly became one of my favorite items in my camp sleep system. During the springtime, when temperatures can drop at night, this liner is a lifesaver. When it's unseasonably warm, simply pop the liner out of your sleeping bag and use this by itself. Marmot knows how to make an excellent sleeping bag, and its Always Summer line is designed to offer flexibility during shifting seasons. Meant to keep you cozy down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, this Marmot sleeping bag is the best option for cool, but not cold, weather. Side zippers on both edges of the bag allow you to choose how much ventilation you'd like, and a unique footbox zipper opens up to let your toes breathe if they're starting to get hot. The entire bag can unzip to become a quilt if that's more your speed. I've tried out a lot of tents, and this one is my current go-to for the season. Designed to hold its own in all seasons, the REI Co-op's half dome handles most any weather with ease. For spring camping, I'm keeping an eye out for shelters that offer top-notch waterproofing without sacrificing ventilation. With a sturdy, full-coverage rain fly, adjustable vents, and ample amounts of mesh, I also appreciate the amount of living space in this model. Two-person tents get cramped quickly, and the extra square footage offers more breathing room to appreciate that lovely spring breeze. I tend to have cold feet, regardless of the season, but it's easy to forget warm sleeping layers when camping on a sunny spring day. If I'm hiking in sandals or trail runners that don't require thick wool socks, you won't find me without a pair of cozy socks in my bag for the evening. Darn Tough makes some of my favorite socks on the market. Merino wool is naturally temperature-regulating and doesn't hold onto odors, making it a great option for any season. Plus, these socks are knit in a way that minimizes intrusive seams, so there won't be any chafing or snags to interrupt your beauty sleep. After a surprise shower on a camping trip this spring, I learned the importance of keeping things dry. These affordable dry bags from Outdoor Products offer a range of sizes to protect gear from getting soaked. The 2-liter bag is perfect for keeping sleep clothes dry and clean, no matter the weather. I always pack a few extra dry bags just in case, especially on trips where rain is a possibility. They're lightweight, practical, and a great addition to any backpack. In the summer, staying cool is essential, and good airflow makes all the difference. I've used this compact, battery-powered fan for years during muggy summers, and it provides a personal breeze when needed most. The O2Cool fan's adjustable stand allows you to position it just right, and it's quiet enough to use while you sleep. Plus, it folds flat for easy packing once camp is broken down. It's a game-changer for staying comfortable on hot nights. This Ecoopro sleeping bag is ideal for summer camping, made for 55- to 60-degree Fahrenheit weather. With an ability to unfold into a comfortable quilt if the whole bag feels too warm, it's lightweight and compact. A great option for car camping, especially when paired with a compression sack, this affordable option provides a perfect balance of warmth without overheating. At $30, it's a must-have for summer trips. The Eno DoubleNest Hammock offers ample space, making it perfect for solo or buddy camping. Its strong, durable nylon fabric and triple-stitched seams ensure it can handle plenty of weight while remaining comfortable. I love the breathable feel of a hammock in the summer, as it keeps me cool while sleeping. Pair it with a bug net for extra comfort and protection. Simplifying campsite setup, this has an intuitive hub design that practically pops up on its own. Its large windows and overhead vents ensure a bright, airy interior, even on hot summer days. The six zippered windows provide a crossbreeze, keeping the tent cool. This Gazelle four-person tent is perfect for those who want a quick setup without sacrificing space or comfort. I've been a proponent of Buff's multipurpose neck gaiters for years now. The merino wool provides surprising warmth despite its thin fabric. After an unexpected cold snap, it made all the difference during a chilly night camping. It can be used as a headband, beanie, face covering, and more, making it perfect for layering. The soft, stretchy material adapts to different weather conditions and is comfortable enough for all-day wear. Ideal for camping in unpredictable temperatures thanks to adjustable ventilation, the Nemo Disco Endless Promise sleeping bag's spoon-shaped design offers a balance of warmth and comfort, providing more room than a traditional mummy-style bag. Packed with high-quality down, it offers a great night's sleep in colder conditions. The zippered venting system allows you to regulate your temperature as needed, making it great for fall camping when temperatures can fluctuate. Merino wool is a hack for any season, but it really shines in the fall. Smartwool's merino blend provides warmth without overheating. The quarter-zip design provides great temperature control, allowing me to adjust as nights get cool. It's breathable and lightweight, ideal for layering during outdoor activities. Merino wool regulates body temperature, making it comfortable for all-day wear. The quarter-zip baselayer is one of my fall camping essentials. For me, a good night's sleep requires some comfort before I hit the hay, and there's nothing like the hypnotic crackling of a toasty campfire to put my body at ease. These Lightning Nugget Firestarters make campfires easy to start, even in wet conditions. Made from natural products, they're reliable and have an unlimited shelf life. No more worrying about gathering tinder or kindling in the dark. These fire starters make it quick and simple. They're a must-have for stress-free campfire enjoyment. There are so many reasons to love Rumpl's puffy blankets. They're hard to beat for bundling up beside the campfire, picnic table naps, and outdoor movie nights. It provides extra warmth when tossed over a sleeping bag and can also be used as a lightweight quilt on warmer nights. Its water-resistant fabric keeps me dry, and it packs down small for easy storage. I especially love the convenient clips that turn it into a cape for chilly evening outings. A lightweight and simple foam pad, the Therm-a-rest Z Lite Sol provides insulation from the cold ground. It offers decent warmth on its own but can be stacked with another pad for extra insulation. The accordion-style pad is easy to pack and durable, making it great for winter hikes, but it's especially great for backpacking, where weight and simplicity matter. These rechargeable hand warmers make it easy to preheat your sleeping bag or keep your hands warm on cold nights. With three temperature settings, adjust the warmth to your needs, from a quick burst to long-lasting heat. They're compact and easy to store in pockets or gloves during the day. With a magnetic closure that allows you to separate them into two halves for easy use, this is a handy option to keep warm when temperatures drop. There's no worse feeling than getting all zipped up and comfortable in your warm tent before being rudely interrupted by nature calling. These winter booties from The North Face provide warmth and comfort without the hassle of thick boots. The slip-on design makes them ideal for quick nighttime bathroom runs or lounging around the campsite. The grippy rubber outsoles provide traction, while the water-resistant coating keeps feet dry. The insulated booties are perfect for cold-weather camping, ensuring warmth while you stay cozy in your tent. If handwarmers in the sleeping bag aren't doing enough for you, it might be time to bring out the big guns. For winter camping, the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater provides up to 9,000 BTUs of heat using a propane canister, warming a small tent in no time. Equipped with safety features like an oxygen sensor and tip-over switch, it's safe to use in your tent. While it's not meant to run while sleeping, it's perfect for preheating or warming up at night. The portable heater is a game-changer for winter camping. A soothing blend of essential oils, this is designed to help you unwind and relax. Whether you're settling into your sleeping bag or winding down by the fire, a few drops of Elix's Yin Time are meant to help create a calming environment that promotes restful sleep. With its unique blend of lavender, chamomile, and other calming botanicals, it is designed to help ease tension, reduce stress, and prepare you for a peaceful night's rest. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
Times
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Now's the perfect time to visit Wales. Here's where to stay
Here's a tip you can have for nothing: May and June is peak Wales. Summer is more popular, its weather more stable (I'll come back to that), but late-spring leaps in with greater gusto in Wales than anywhere else in the United Kingdom. A profusion of wildflowers litter the scenery like an impressionist painting. The coastline sparkles and cliffs are a carnival of nesting seabirds. That persistent sound you hear on a visit is Mother Nature hollering 'Come outside!' and, this being Wales, there's an awful lot of outside to get into. I discovered the secret about 20 years ago when I spent four weeks pottering through the country to research a book on campsites. I'd visited previously in summer, of course, but that trip was a revelation; a tour of relentless beauty, empty footpaths and relaxed resorts. I've made a point of returning every May since. These stays are another reason to head to Wales. If your favourite isn't on this list it's because the aim here is to showcase new accommodation or places with something novel to boast about: a recent refurbishment, an award or perhaps a stellar chef. Scan through the entries and you'll notice two things. First, Wales is cracking value compared with much of the UK. It provides a lot of bed for your buck and even the best are far cheaper than similar stays in, say, Cornwall or the Lake District. The other is that food is a priority — whether it's in a three-bedroom B&B or a Michelin-starred château, these are great days for Welsh cuisine. And what about the weather? Well, what about it? On average, St Davids in Pembrokeshire receives the same amount of rainfall as Penzance in May — about 60mm, or eight wet days — but I don't see anyone making lame jokes about the Cornish climate. Maybe we should. We don't want too many people to discover the glory of a Welsh spring. • Read our full guide to Wales This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue The decorators finished in late March, leaving behind nine revamped suites, a new lounge bar and a zhuzhed-up snug. The transformation of this Victorian mansion into the coolest stay in north Wales, sister hotel of the Grove of Narberth, in Pembrokeshire, continues apace. All the elements for a luxury weekender are here: colourful rooms by Nicola Harding, the designer behind Beaverbrook Town House in London: an oak-panelled lounge perfect for aperitifs, good food, smiley staff. No wonder it just won a Michelin key, the hotel equivalent of a Michelin star. Best of all, the beach is close and the mountains of Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) rise B&B doubles from £230 ( This three-bedroom B&B in north Pembrokeshire, newly available through Sawday's, was a labour of love for its owners Adrian and Sue Thornberry. They gave up City careers to restore a derelict farmhouse in the hills near Adrian's boyhood home. Perhaps that's why it seems a place to remember what matters — its cream panelling and antique beds, generous fireside sofas and warm hospitality are like a hug. Start days with a bracing plunge in a swimming pond or some outdoor yoga beneath trees, breakfast well, then head to one of the best coastlines in Wales. At this price, it's a B&B doubles from £100 ( • Revealed: 100 Best Places to Stay in the UK for 2025 The Boissevain family's property was crowned the best Wales hotel in The Times and Sunday Times Best Places to Stay in 2024. I expect most first-timers book a room in its romantic Strawberry Hill gothic house to be near Tenby. Only when they arrive will they discover why it has so many repeat guests: the mood of relaxed glamour, calm understated rooms, sea views over afternoon tea on the terrace, a dining room that lends a sense of occasion to dinner and breakfast alike. Once they do, I'll bet they B&B doubles from £210 ( The owners Clive Sweeting and Rob Perham are moving on six years after they opened this game-changing B&B in mid-Wales. This is the last chance to experience their brand of stylish escapism: cocktails and curios in the lounge, graphic art on inky walls in rooms, breakfast eggs from the chickens that peck out back. For all that, the couple's aim is for guests to take time out among the quiet hills inland from Machynlleth, which is why there are no TVs (don't worry: the broadband is super-fast for streaming). The mood is one of staying with friends, albeit friends who seem cooler than B&B doubles from £149, two nights minimum ( If you watched BBC2's Great British Menu you'll know that Daniel Ap Geraint, head chef of the Plas Dinas restaurant the Gunroom, was a finalist. I can't say I'm surprised: my dinner at the Gunroom in February was next-level good — fine dining without the fuss or stinging prices (four courses, £85pp). The same could be said of Plas Dinas, named the nation's best hotel in the National Tourism Awards of Wales in March. Though it leans into its past as the home of the Armstrong-Jones family, of Lord Snowdon fame, the grade II listed manor is better understood as a country retreat: hugely relaxing, nicely B&B doubles from £199 ( • 12 of the best things to do in Wales Goodness knows what the Victorian slate mine manager who lived here would think. After a renovation, the people behind the Llechwedd mine have relaunched this Mock Tudor place as a 24-room four-star. It is, the owners say, a 'base for adventure': families braving zip-wire rides and mad subterranean adventures in the mine, or mountain bikers who've booked to ride one of Wales's best biking parks, Antur Stiniog. Like the mountains of Eryri National Park, both are outside the front door. And bring the dog: 'Muddy boots and paws are always welcome,' the owners B&B doubles from £97 ( Save this one until June. By then St Brides will have reopened after a soft refurbishment of its 34 resort-style rooms, restaurant and bar, which were pleasant but a little dated in decor. The teaser images I've seen suggest a bolder beachy theme: armchairs in patterned blue and rust-orange fabrics, coral-patterned cushions, table lamps like coils of rope. All have received upgrades to their TVs and digital connections. The main reason to visit remains the spa, now including a new outdoor sauna and a hydrotherapy pool, which hangs high above the boats and beach of Saundersfoot B&B doubles from £240 ( • 50 of the best spas in the UK I visited this 19th-century coaching inn beside its namesake waterfall about a decade ago. A mistake: dormitory accommodation in an annex was tired and carpets in the boozer were sticky. Having spent the best part of last year taking it in hand, Inn Collection Group reopened the doors in March. If you've booked an Inn Collection stay you'll know what to expect: 38 comfortable rooms, bunk beds for the kids in family rooms, classic pub grub on the menu. All come at keen prices — if you're after a budget base for families and hikers in the most popular resort in north Wales, this is B&B doubles from £89 ( There was concern locally when long-time owners Bryan and Susan Webb hung up the saucepans last summer. Was that it for Michelin-starred cooking in a quiet Denbighshire village? No, actually: the new owner has drafted in Gareth Stevenson, formerly head chef of Michael Caines's Michelin-starred Palé Hall nearby, to lead a cracking brigade. What that means is high-end seasonal Welsh menus in a relaxed modern dining room that was refurbished, alongside public areas, last year (six courses £105pp). A rolling refurbishment will refresh the dozen rooms this year, although the older ones remain pleasantly traditional with their cast-iron or sleigh B&B doubles from £190 ( Let's go on holiday to Glamorgan, said few people, which is a shame: the coastline is beautiful and the shops of Cardiff close. Another reason to visit is the 143-room Vale Resort, crowned Wales's best resort spa and its best golf hotel at November's World Golf Awards. The spa has just had an £800,000 upgrade to add large Jacuzzis plus a sleek sauna with the obligatory cold shower outside. Golf means two championship courses on a 650-acre estate, including the Wales National Course, its 7,433-yard, par 73, one of the longest courses outside B&B doubles from £119 ( When I stayed I surprised the assistant manager by asking about dress codes at the Fernery restaurant. 'We prefer it if you don't wear shorts and flip-flops if that's what you mean,' he said. It's why the Grove remains a flagship of Welsh hospitality: it won best hotel in Wales in The Times and Sunday Times Best Places to Stay 2020, and last year it won a Michelin key. Sure, the 25 rooms and public areas are beautiful, Douglas Balish's farm-to-table food is exquisite, and the offer for guests now includes ebikes. But it's luxury without pretension, its style apparently effortless. Don't be fooled — it takes serious work to create something this B&B doubles from £220 ( At last, the dog can come to St Davids. This five-star art hotel has just introduced five rooms for you and your pooch — each has doggy towels, a blanket, dog snacks and direct access from their terrace to the hotel's garden and the cracking coastline around Caerfai Bay beyond. They've also enlarged the spa to make it suitable for couples. Otherwise the appeal of Wales's first art hotel remains much as it ever was. The place has bold canvases and a strict city palette of greys, chocolate browns and black yet the mood is anything but po-faced. Details B&B doubles from £155 ( You get a lot of bed for your buck in Wales. Just look at this Monmouthshire B&B, newly added to Sawday's. It offers three first-floor suites in a Tudor hall, each smartly comfortable with views over eight acres of historic garden. All are accessed via a private entrance — if they were good enough for Princess Margaret, they're good enough for you. Caveats? Well, there's no shared lounge, two have tablets not TVs and breakfast is off-site ― you get vouchers for a farm deli or café half a mile away. Still, what better excuse to get outdoors?Details B&B doubles from £125 ( They haven't messed around much with this splendid pub with rooms. Gwenann Davies, formerly with the Tom Kerridge group, has returned to her homeland to produce three-course seasonal modern Welsh menus. There are new foraging workshops and Thursday morning storytelling sessions for young guests. The joy of Felin Fach, though, is that it feels timeless. It's an embrace of a stay which marries comfort to informal style, where colourful rooms offer radios not TVs. Come for big days in the hills of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (Brecon Beacons). Equally, come to idle when it's lashing down. Details B&B doubles from £182 ( Every list needs one grand stay. Here's ours, a Relais & Châteaux five-star in the wooded Dee Valley. Former guests have included Queen Victoria, it has impeccable eco ethics and the mood friendly. It's a stay where the dog is welcome but you're fed by Laurence Webb, newly arrived from Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire. You'd think they'd rest on their laurels given their wallful of awards. Nope. There's a new whisky room and a wellness centre with a sauna opening in July, plus the owners have just refurbished the estate pub, the Bryntirion B&B doubles from £282 ( Carmarthenshire is the region people hurry through en route to Pembrokeshire. It's a hideaway sort of place built of picturebook hills and small farms, and if you're going to hide away this 17th-century B&B is the place to do so. Tŷ Mawr has six bedrooms and is dog-friendly. Instead of sharp design, newish owners Gill Brown and David Hart offer traditional, almost homely decor. It'll feel like a stay with pals right up until you eat — food pieced together from a bountiful region is excellent. Extra points for a sensational Sunday roast lunch too. Details B&B doubles from £150 ( Everything you want from a B&B is here. Hotel-quality rooms refreshed by a rolling refurbishment since January? Tick. Lovely, knowledgeable owners like Chris and Helen Sheldon? Tick. Homemade vegetarian breakfasts — sourdough with thyme-roast nectarines, Welsh honey, orange zest and toasted almonds — on a terrace with views to a pretty boat-bobbing harbour? Tick again. Bill Bryson considered it 'the loveliest hotel in Wales'. He had a point. It's well located too: the Wales coast path is at its grandest scenery here and the Preseli Hills glower magnificently inland. St Davids and Cardigan are 30 minutes in either B&B doubles from £150 ( Did you know that there are 30 Welsh vineyards? Or that the UK's first commercial vineyard was in Wales? Not far from where it opened in 1875, Wales's first vineyard hotel, conveniently close to the M4 just outside Cardiff, has popped the corks of its first batch of red wines and launched a range of gins. Handily, it has also launched a wine-flight experience in the restaurant. The place has become more sophisticated since it first opened in a former dairy farm in 2019 — decor in rooms and the restaurant are less corporate, more metropolitan cool. The tranquillity of the vineyards outside remains B&B doubles from £140 ( No offence, golfers, but this ten-room stay at Tenby Golf Club is too good to leave to you lot thwocking balls around, even if said balls are being thwocked around the birthplace of Welsh golf. Since it opened in late-2023, the £1.7 million hotel has garnered awards from the AA as a calm respite from central Tenby 15 minutes' walk away. Rooms are modern, softened with traditional woven fabrics. As good a reason to stay is the Links restaurant. Tenby residents call it the best meal in B&B doubles from £136 ( Do Ed and Lou Sykes ever rest? They introduced boutique style — art on inky walls, woven Welsh bed throws, reclaimed wood headboards and wildflowers on tables — and hyper-local cuisine to then-overlooked Newport in north Pembrokeshire 20 years ago. During the pandemic they created the bohemian Secret Garden dining space. Now the owners of this friendly Georgian coaching inn have formed an ebiking tour company, Expeditions, and taken on a former boozer beside Pwll Gwaelod beach. The Sailors' Safety has scrubbed up nicely into a rustic-chic restaurant serving dishes like beef ox cheek with smoked parsnips and beetroot ketchup. Hidden and high quality — perfectly B&B doubles from £125 ( It's the foodie stay of southwest Wales, a smart Georgian townhouse with two terrific dining options: relaxed local favourite Foxhunter Bar or more formal the Oak Room. Just as you'd expect of a hotel affiliated with celebrated Michelin-starred restaurant the Walnut Tree, under five minutes' drive away. That's why we named it the best hotel for food in this year's Times and Sunday Times Best Places to Stay. Accommodation is a mix-and-match of antique dressers and modern pieces. The hills offer balance to fine food. Surrounded by the peaks of Blorenge, Skirrid and Sugar Loaf mountain, this is prime walking B&B doubles from £195 ( In March, Interesting Hotel Group took on what was a Hilton and before that the hotel of a pioneering artificial surf pool in the Conwy Valley. They say it will be a base for 'exploration with indulgence'. That translates into a surprisingly smart 106-room stay with a brasserie plus a spa complete with indoor and outdoor pools and saunas among wooded hills. What facilitates the 'exploration' bit is a cracking location. Within half an hour are the best summits of Eryri National Park around Capel Curig, Conwy castle like a child's model and ice creams and promenades along Llandudno's Victorian B&B doubles from £110 ( What a difference a change of owner makes. Crest Hotels, owners of Ludlow's the Feathers, has just reopened this once-shabby Victorian hotel mid-way through a £3 million refurbishment to create a stay which lives up to the promise of its grade II listing. The marketing people talk about its blend of historic elegance and modern style. That translates into original cornice in public areas plus easygoing, coastal decor in 52 rooms. (Half have had a makeover; completion is by the end of June.) But who are we kidding? You book for the unrivalled location above South Beach. The balcony may offer the best cocktail spot in Room-only doubles from £87 ( I'm fond of Brecon. It's the anti Hay-on-Wye, solid and no-nonsense where bookish Hay can be a little la-di-da, a market town where the River Usk chuckles beneath a bridge and the shapeliest peaks of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park rise beyond. What it lacked was decent accommodation. Not anymore. This riverside coaching inn wedged into Brecon's Norman castle reopened in early April after a £3 million refurbishment by Coaching Inn Group. Country maximalist sums it up: bold floral fabrics, prints of local scenes, perhaps a gilt-frame headboard. Superior doubles at the rear have stonking views of those B&B doubles from £125 (
