Winning tip: Islawrffordd Caravan Park, Barmouth
Islawrffordd has great facilities and is our favourite place to pitch up when the weather is good. The area has lots to offer including the Mawddach Trail with over nine miles of breathtaking scenery.
Harlech Castle and beach are local as is the Ffestiniog Steam Railway (not to be missed). There are plenty of pubs and restaurants for a delicious beer at the end of the day.
islawrffordd.co.uk, 01341 247269, £36 per night to pitch
NeetieNoots
Penrice Castle Estate
Hidden in the heart of the Gower, Penrice is steeped in history and home to a collection of self-catered Victorian cottages. We stayed in the peaceful Shepherds cottage, exploring the estate grounds where Dylan Thomas once walked, admiring the breathtaking views, and razor clamming on Oxwich beach. If the weather turns, there’s nothing better than staying in and cwtching by an open fire.
penricecastle.co.uk, 01792 391212, cottages from £365 a week
hollyalexabee
Pwll Deri Youth Hostel
This hostel offers amazing views with a lovely terrace overlooking the sea, showing off wonderful sunsets. I managed it for a week as a volunteer last August. The visitors over the week included many Germans, Americans, Belgians and British. It was such fun and I had a lovely feeling at the end of the week having met so many nice people. And it’s excellent value.
yha.org.uk/hostel/pwll-deri, 0845 371 9536, beds from £18 a night
ID8618922
Ynys Barry, Pembrokeshire
These self-catering cottages are perfect to go off the grid and relax. They are perfectly placed, a quick 10-minute walk to the beautiful and secluded Traeth Llyfn beach. The owners are very helpful, recommending good pubs, beaches and of course, activities for those inevitable rainy days.
ynysbarry.com, 01348 831180, from £340 a week
Katharine Halbert
The Victoria Inn, Llanbedr
A warm welcome and fantastic food awaits you at this traditional pub, beside the River Artro in the quiet village of Llanbedr. Take a ride upstream to the wonderful Rhaeadr Nantcol Waterfalls, or a pleasant train ride north to Harlech Castle. When you return, reward yourself with a cask ale beside the roaring log fire. Then enjoy a wonderful sleep in your cosy quarters and a hearty breakfast in the morning.
01341 241213, from £665 a week.
ID683526
Maelgwyn, Criccieth
This holiday home is more like a boutique hotel as you’re welcomed with a cosy, yet bright and modern interior. A tray of goodies awaits you (cake, wine, coffee and tea) and the bedrooms are sumptuous with fluffy duvets and thick carpets. The master room has a glorious sea view. The Llŷn Peninsula has much to offer – excellent walks, family attractions like Portmeirion, golf courses, and incredible beaches
maelgwynharlech.co.uk, 01766 780087, from £490 a week
NikkiPrids
Ty Coch, Rhiwddolion
Ty Coch (red house), is a simple but perfect little cottage deep in Snowdonia. With no direct road access, leave the car 20 minutes away and amble through the countryside to reach it. There’s nothing but the sound of running water and the birds. A simple house, but it has all you need and everything is of good quality and comfort.
landmarktrust.org.uk, 01628 825925, four nights from £197
baba4eva
Beaufort Cottage, Tintern Abbey
Beaufort Cottage is a gorgeous 18th century cottage built in the grounds of Tintern Abbey. It’s been recently refurbished to a luxury standard, so it’s also beautiful inside. The bedroom is huge and the log burning fire made it really cosy in the lounge. It sits right on the banks of the River Wye, and it makes a perfect base for exploring the area. Even better, there’s a great pub right next door.
wyevalleyholidaycottages.co.uk/beaufort-cottage-tintern-abbey, 01873 890190, from £515 a week
fantasticfairy
Idris Bach, Penrhyndeudraeth
With a resident dragon (who lives in the heating boiler and tweets about the area), this great cottage is just a quick hop on a steam train from Portmeirion. The views are great – you can see all the way to the Glaslyn estuary and over to Snowdonia. Downstairs to a well-equipped kitchen diner, super-comfy lounge seats, and for those extra special evenings there’s a romantic garden belvedere that’s perfect to sit in with a glass of chilled wine after a long day’s sightseeing.
snowdonia-holidaycottage.co.uk, from £325 a week
MorningAJ
Bluestone Resort, Pembrokeshire
Our accommodation was a quirky “upside down” house with extensive views from the first floor lounge. From Bluestone we visited Narberth, excellent for shops and restaurants, picturesque Tenby with its stunning beaches and Dylan Thomas’s house in Laugharne. We walked and cycled in the countryside, swam in the indoor pool and relaxed in the spa. Too lazy to cook, we ate in the resort restaurants. Bluestone and the surrounding area are an ideal holiday venue for all ages.
bluestonewales.com, 01834 862400, from £548 a week
ID918748
Beili Helyg Guest House, Brecon Beacons
From the moment you arrive the hosts are incredibly welcoming. The rooms are huge and with stunning walks on its doorstep, and Cardiff and Brecon only short drives away, you can’t beat this location. With locally sourced food and home-made bread, jams and eggs, the breakfasts are delicious.
beilihelygguesthouse.co.uk, 01685 813609, from £574 a week
eamatts
Cwmwennol Country House, Saundersfoot
This is a charming guest house set in woods close to Saundersfoot with its charming harbour. It offers comfortable and very friendly accommodation. A big attraction is that, after dinner, guests can sit in the enclosed extension to the bar with the owner Bonnie and enjoy the wildlife that visits the garden. The grounds are very beautiful and include a path down through the woods to the sea.
cwmwennol.co.uk, 01834813430, from £420 B&B, £620 half board a week
Aristorias
Barafundle Barns, Pembrokeshire
Greenala Barn is breathtaking, I’ve stayed there countless times when visiting the stunning Barafundle Bay, often voted as one of Britain’s top beaches. It accommodates hen parties, family get-togethers, and sleeps eight. Go for a lovely country walk to the beach, or a trip to one of the many surrounding islands or towns and then back for food and drinks out in the garden or inside by the woodburner. The owner, Lucy, is very helpful.
barafundlebarns.co.uk, 01834 870047, from £400 a week
Louise Kulbicki
The Kinmel Arms, near Conwy
Off the beaten track and yet in easy reach of Llandudno and Penrhyn, the Kinmel Arms offers fantastic food, superb rooms and owners for whom nothing is too much trouble. The four rooms are real hideaways – you won’t tire of the surroundings which are decorated to a high standard and are massively comfortable. The pub is welcoming and has a great selection of local ales and decent wines, leading to a restaurant serving fine food.
thekinmelarms.co.uk, 01745 832207, from £115 for two nights
blues4414
Felin Fach Griffin, Brecon
Just down a winding road from the beautiful Brecon Beacons – the Felin Fach Griffin is a brilliant pub with luxurious and homely rooms. Think log fire, worn in sofas and top food and drink with a local supplier policy. It succeeds in combining British pub with a boutique hotel. The stunning scenery and walks just outside the door are breathtaking – if you can pull yourself away from the fire and weekend papers.
eatdrinksleep.ltd.uk, 01874 620 111, from £125 B&B a night
Rachbrown
The Dunes, Rhosneigr
This cottage is absolute bliss. It fronts the stunning expanse of Rhosneigr beach, with panoramic views over the crashing waves. You can watch the sunset from the sitting room and have big family dinners in the modern well equipped kitchen diner. The kingsize bedrooms are sumptuous, topped off with a drench shower. There’s also a fantastic enclosed garden that children will love. Dogs are welcome.
menaiholidays.co.uk/cottages/details/dunes_rhosneigr, 01248 430258, from £750 a week
ID0587220
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