Wow getaways in Wales
The best new stays in the country
I love Wales – I spent a happy year or two living and studying in Cardiff and adore visiting the beautiful beaches and fabulous landscape. So I was delighted to write a travel special on wonderful Wales recently, for The Lady magazine. Do pick up a copy of this great heritage publication if you can – it’s Britain’s oldest magazine. Part of my feature involved discovering some amazing new places to stay, so here’s a few of the great places I found, which are now on my Wales wish list…
Hide at St Donats
Top of my list is Hide at St Donats. The Glamorgan Heritage Coast is a truly beautiful stretch of coastline in South Wales, not far from Cardiff and somewhere I have visited often. Next time I go, I’m going to check in to the fabulous Hide at St Donats. With six beautiful and carefully-crafted luxury accommodation options, I really like the look of the new Pavilion, with its artisan interiors and five-metre window giving unbroken views onto the coast. Visit hide.wales.
Parador 44
Not far away, in Cardiff, is Parador 44. It may have only opened last summer, but this boutique hotel has already been named the best city hotel in the UK by The Sunday Times and one of The Guardian’s Top 10 Best New Hotels in the UK. Launched by the owners of the popular Spanish tapas restaurant group Bar 44, Parador 44 is their first foray into hotels. Based on a Spanish parador, it has nine beautifully-furnished rooms and restaurant Asador 44. Visit grupo44.co.uk.
Ty Milford Waterfront
Along the Pembrokeshire coast, you’ll come to the new Ty Milford Waterfront hotel. This property is the latest part of the redevelopment of Milford Waterfront, which has turned the harbourside into a bustling marina with restaurants, shops, art gallery and theatre. Visit ty-hotels.com.
Cynefin Retreats, Wye Valley
If you have never visited the Brecon Beacons National Park, then you are really missing out. It’s a gorgeous National Park, with its gorges and waterfalls, hills, valleys, lakes and rivers, It’s also home to a UNESCO Global Geopark. In the Wye Valley, with views of the Brecon Beacons, are the super-luxurious eco-pods, Cynefin Retreats. Perfect for star-gazing. Visit cynefinretreats.com.
The Georgian, Swansea
Another beautiful new city boutique hotel I like the look of, is The Georgian Swansea. This 12-bed hotel opened this year and has been super-sensitively restored. It features Georgian fireplaces, four-poster beds and antique furniture and has great views of Swansea Museum and Morgans Hotel. Visit thegeorgianswansea.com.