Plas Weunydd

It's all very well boasting you've got a pool or a hot tub, but name us another four-star boutique hotel that comes complete with Europe's longest zip wires, adventure caverns, underground trampolines and world-class mountain-biking right on the doorstep. There really isn't another place quite like Plas Weunydd, a 19th-century former slate-mine owner's home in North Wales that's part of the UK's newest World Heritage Site. You might come for the adventures at Zip World Lechwedd, but the wonderfully atmospheric hotel is a destination base in its own right – perfect for exploring this wild part of Snowdonia, with brooding mountain views on all sides.

There are 24 spacious rooms – singles to family suites – ranged across the sympathetically restored building, whose elegant decor and stylings give a nod to the surrounding slate quarries and mountains. You can opt for double, king-sized or super-king beds, depending on the room, and some of the bathrooms feature a bath as well as a shower – essential if you've spent the day making every bone in your body ache. The top-floor attic rooms have the most space and the best outlook. Meanwhile, public spaces throughout are geared towards an outdoorsy clientele – meaning you don't have to worry if you arrive at the hotel looking like you've been dragged through a mine backwards. If you do want a more thoroughly back-to-nature experience, it's good to know that they also have glamping tents and shepherd's huts on site.

Guests are treated to a hearty Welsh breakfast, while the bar and restaurant are great for all-day brunches, sharing platters and pizzas. An outdoor terrace gives views over the activity zone and the mountains beyond, while other exciting days out might include the Ffestiniog heritage mountain railway, the castle and beach at nearby Harlech, or trips to Portmeirion or Caernarfon. And, of course, looming large (literally) over Blaenau Ffestiniog are the mighty peaks of Eryri or Snowdonia. Rechristened with its original Welsh name in 2022, the hotel is the perfect base for exploring the formerly-known-as Snowdonia National Park. There are a myriad walking and cycling routes all easily accessible from the hotel – just ask your hosts. The summit of Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa, Wales' highest mountain, is best reached via the Llanberis Path. Or save yourself the leg-work and hop aboard the spectacular Snowdon Mountain Railway instead. That's if you can resist just one more go on the underground, slate-cavern zip wire and ropewalk.