Ultimately the best B&Bs are mostly about the hosts, and there's no doubt that you've struck gold if you decide to stay with Julie and Pete at their Anglesey guesthouse – which is literally ' a beautiful dwelling'. Unsurprisingly, you can't move for places called Bod Hyfryd in this part of Wales, but in this case the name really works – this is a house with both an interesting history and a lovely rural location, not to mention stylish and comfortable rooms – and that all-important welcome from the hosts couldn't be warmer!
This lovely B&B, housed in what was once a Victorian slate-cutting mill, has 5 – dog-friendly – rooms, decorated in a bright, contemporary style and equipped with flatscreen TVs, free wifi, posh toiletries, lovely Welsh wool blankets and bath robes. They welcome you with chocolates and a drink; you can soak up the fabulous views over the Mawddach estuary; and breakfasts are yummy, with everything sourced from local farms or friends and family – and a breakfast hamper delivered to you if you're feeling lazy.
'The simple things in life done well' is the motto of this rather special inn – and we reckon it's perfectly suited to this gastropub with rooms, situated on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, with seven very comfortable rooms above a proper pub that serves food which is among the best in the region. It's a welcoming place for everyone at any time of year, with a roaring fire in winter – and dogs and children are very definitely welcomed.
If you're looking for a B&B room with a view over the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast, then look no further. The lovely Manor Town House, overlooking the sea in Fishguard, provides a warm welcome and fabulous views. Its affable owners, Helen and Chris, have a distinguished fan club – Bill Bryson declared their B&B 'lovely' and Nick Crane reckoned it to have the UK's 'best breakfast view', not to mention the 'best breakfast'. And Bill and Nick are not far wrong. Along with the inspiring views, Manor Town House has six lovely guest rooms, four of which have sea views. An enchanting place to stay.
With just two guest rooms, we love the deep-in the-woods location of this magical spot on the banks of the River Wye, which is a mere 10-minute walk over the bridge to the charming town of Hay-on-Wye. Its smart, well-appointed accommodation enjoys a fabulous location amid an abundance of wildlife – look out for kingfishers, owls, herons and many other birds, plus badgers, otters, foxes and hedgehogs – which you can keep an eye on from the wide veranda while enjoying a fabulous breakfast.
Situated on the edge of St Davids, this impressive monument to Victorian grandeur has been refurbished to exacting contemporary sensibilities – a small boutique hotel that nestles in acres of private gardens, surrounded by woodland paths, river and meadow, with just seven en-suite bedrooms and a spacious ground floor suite, all with robes and slippers, aromatherapy toiletries, Sky TV, digital radio, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Breakfast is sumptuous (and includes unmissable Welsh laverbread) and there is a complimentary evening transfer for dinner at the excellent restaurant of its sister hotel, Twr y Felin in St Davids.
Something of a favourite of ours, this weather-beaten Georgian country house is poised on the cliff above one of Pembrokeshire’s loveliest beaches – family-run and family-welcoming, with cosy rooms, fabulous breakfasts, good bar meals, proper kids’ teas, a bar that stays open late and a top quality restaurant with amazing views out to sea. The hotel proper has just 11 rooms but there are also five cottages around the gardens, including a tiny eco-hut, powered by wind and solar.
