These fine hotels in Wales will make you want to explore the great outdoors
- 1/11
These fine hotels in Wales will make you want to explore the great outdoors
It may be small, but there’s plenty to see and do in this diminutive destination – and if you’re planning a visit for 2023, these are some of the best hotels in Wales.
Whether you plan on exploring the best beaches in Wales and staying by the sea, or prefer to check out the mountain scenes at a luxury hotel in Snowdonia, we've got you covered with our ultimate list of where to stay in Wales.
The Welsh coastline has some of the country’s most spectacular scenery, with paths mapped out for road trips and seaside strolls, such as the Coastal Way, the Cambrian Way and the North Wales Way.
Wales is also home to the UK’s smallest city: St Davids has a population of just 1,600, but qualifies as a city because of its cathedral, which was built in the 12th century.
In the north is Snowdon (known locally as Yr Wyddfa), the highest point in the British Isles outside of the Scottish Highlands. If hiking to the summit sounds like too much effort, you’ll be pleased to hear that there’s a scenic railway taking you all the way to the top.
Weary hikers returning from a trek up Snowdon will be relieved to lay their heads at Palé Hall, one of the finest luxury hotels in the UK.
In the heart of Pembrokeshire’s Preseli Hills, The Grove at Narberth is another charming countryside retreat; or check in to the Harbourmaster Hotel on the quayside of Aberaeron along the Cardigan Bay coast. Here are our favourite hotels in Wales…
Harbourmaster Hotel - 2/11
1) The Grove at Narberth, Pembrokeshire
The Grove at Narberth is the perfect Pembrokeshire base for exploring the Preseli Hills – and the cosy country-house hotel is exactly where you’ll want to retreat to after days out rambling. It is also an excellent choice for anyone in search of a dog-friendly hotel in Wales, with a resident labradoodle ready to welcome fellow furry guests.
Enjoy an aperitif beside the fire in a lounge filled with antiques, before an evening meal at the Grove’s fine-dining restaurant, some of the produce for which is grown on-site.Courtesy of the hotel - 3/11
2) Twr y Felin Hotel, St Davids
On the edge of the UK’s smallest city, Twr y Felin, which means ‘Mill Tower’ in Welsh, has a windmill built in 1806 at its heart. Its heritage also includes spells as a temperance hotel and as an intelligence headquarters during the Second World War.
It’s under 10 minutes on foot from the hotel to the centre of St Davids, where you can explore its pubs, restaurants and, the highlight, its 12th-century cathedral.Courtesy of the hotel - 4/11
3) Palé Hall, Snowdonia
One of the finest hotels in Wales, Palé Hall is a Victorian mansion on the edge of Snowdonia, with all of the turrets, towers and wings you could wish for. Guests can climb to the top of the mountain in the national park on the hall’s doorstep, or take the more leisurely rail route, before returning to enjoy the lawns, river and general grandeur.
The main house has 18 bedrooms, with period features such as domed ceilings, wood-panelling and antiques – or you can book one of the suites in the grounds.Courtesy of the hotel - 5/11
4) The Swan at Hay, Hay-on-Wye
If you’re looking for a hotel in Wales for your trip to the annual spring Hay Festival, the Swan at Hay is an excellent choice. The boutique hotel is in a listed Georgian building, close to the centre of the Town of Books.
The former coaching inn was built in 1812. In addition to rooms in the main building, there are a handful in the coach house. The location puts it within easy reach of the hiking and cycling trails of the Wye Valley and Brecon Beacons; you’ll also be able to chart a path along Offa’s Dyke, which roughly follows the border with England.Booking.com - 6/11
5) Roch Castle, Pembrokeshire
This castle in the Pembrokeshire town of Haverfordwest was built by the Normans in 1195. It was rescued from ruin in the early 20th century to become a private residence and has been a B&B for the past decade.
The ancient stone walls are intact, but the castle is now graced with stylish new interiors. Guests can admire the views out to sea and across the Preseli Hills. Hearty breakfasts will set you up for day trips to pretty fishing ports such as Solva and Little Haven, or you can head half an hour north to see St Davids.Marcus Oleniuk - 7/11
6) Glen-yr-Afon House, Monmouthshire
Just outside of Usk and a short drive from Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, this Victorian villa is on a three-acre estate with pristine lawns and cherry trees. The River Usk is close by; other strolls on offer include up to the ruins of the hilltop castle in town (though since the castle is in the grounds of a private family home, visiting restrictions apply).
After a day out fishing or playing golf, you’ll be able to enjoy afternoon tea in the lounge or some classic British dishes at Clarke’s.Booking.com - 8/11
7) Trefloyne Manor, Pembrokeshire
For a hotel in Wales where you can play golf, book a stay at Trefloyne Manor near Tenby in Pembrokeshire, which has an 18-hole course attached. The Victorian farmhouse overlooks the fairways, but it’s not just golfers that are catered to.
There’s a spa in a dovecote, bedrooms in the old coach house and a restaurant with an AA Rosette. The manor is less than 10 minutes by car from the spectacular Pembrokeshire coast; and the restaurants and shops of Tenby are also easily reached.Booking.com - 9/11
8) Slebech Park Estate, Pembrokeshire
This vast estate, on the banks of the Dau Gleddau estuary, spans 650 acres in the middle of the beautiful Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. At the centre is a Grade II-listed coach house, which dates back to the 18th century.
Along with the estuary, which is one of the biggest natural harbours in Europe, the backdrop featues meadows and mature woodlands. Wildlife to keep watch for includes otters, bats and various species of water birds. It’s undoubtedly one of the best hotels in Wales for nature lovers.Booking.com - 10/11
9) Harbourmaster Hotel, Cardigan Bay
Wales’ Coastal Way, along Cardigan Bay in the west, is an 180-mile drive from Aberdaron to St Davids – and the Harbourmaster Hotel on the Georgian quayside in Aberaeron is the perfect pitstop.
The cobalt-coloured façade is impossible to miss – the landmark building was indeed created for the harbourmaster back in 1811 and served as both his home and office. For the past two decades, it has been a boutique hotel, with a restaurant that champions Welsh produce, whether cheese from Ceredigion, local lamb and beef, or shellfish straight from the bay.Harbourmaster Hotel - 11/11
10) Llangoed Hall, Powys
In the county of Powys in central Wales, Llangoed Hall is a grand retreat with stately suites that have canopied beds, chandeliers, pretty pelmets and patterned wallpaper. It won’t come as a surprise to learn that the classic country house was once owned and refurbished by Laura Ashley’s husband, Sir Bernard Ashley.
The hotel is in the Wye Valley, with an impressive collection of art and antiques, 17 acres of parkland and gardens, and an excellent restaurant where the produce from the kitchen garden is put to good use.Courtesy of the hotel
