Hotel Review
Location:
Bodysgallen Hall is a Grade 1 17th century manor house that has been sympathetically restored by Historic House Hotels Limited since 1980 and was given to the National Trust in 2008. It is one of the three Historic House Hotels of the National Trust and is located in over 200 acres of parkland two miles south of Llandudno in North Wales.
Getting there:
By road, take the A55 and exit at Junction 19 to follow the A470 (Royal Welsh Way) towards Llandudno for two miles. For guests arriving by train, both Avanti West Coast and Transport for Wales serve the town. The nearest station is Llandudno Junction two miles from the hotel from where taxis can be taken to Bodysgallen Hall.
Arrival and check-in:
The Hall is reached by a long, winding private driveway that opens out onto gardens and parkland through the grounds which leads up to the entrance. We unloaded our luggage there and then moved the car to the parking area below. As this is accessed by a flight of stone steps I recommend driving to the main door first.
The entrance leads into a grand oak panelled hall adorned with vases of fresh flowers. Discretely positioned off to one side is the reception area where we were warmly welcomed and within minutes were being shown up to our room by Gareth, the charming hall porter who insisted on taking care of our luggage.
As the Hall was constructed some 600 years ago it doesn’t have a lift but this is made up for by its grand staircase with huge stained glass windows.
The Room:
Our first floor room oozed country house charm with its small pane leaded windows offering delightful views across the manicured gardens. The room was classically styled suiting the age of the building with its floral headboard and matching cushions.
The king size bed was extremely comfortable with its bedside tables complete with ample power sockets and reading lamps. With a pair of armchairs, a book stand of reading material, a fully equipped hospitality tray filled with teas, coffee, water and melt in the mouth luxury Welsh biscuits, we had everything at hand for a relaxing stay.
The traditionally styled bathroom boasted both a bath and shower, fragrant Floris toiletries and a large pile of thick, fluffy towels. Wi-Fi worked well and the television could be pivoted for ease of viewing from the chairs or bed.
Dining:
Bodysgallen Hall is Llandudno’s only 3 AA Rosette restaurant so we looked forward to an evening of fine dining. The restaurant is quite formal with a refined air and has a dress code stating that no shorts, t-shirts or trainers must be worn although jackets and ties are unnecessary.
With the Hall’s sheltered position a flourishing kitchen garden provides an abundance of seasonal produce and the close collaboration between the head chef and the chief gardener ensures that fresh produce is incorporated into the menus. Whilst as much as possible is cultivated on site, other ingredients are sourced from local suppliers to offer a Welsh tasting experience.
We were seated at a window table dressed in a starched white linen tablecloth. As we sat down, napkins were unfolded and placed on our laps. Whilst we studied the menu we were served amuse-bouche appetisers and a selection of home baked breads. Wine is available both by the glass and bottle with prices to suit all budgets.
For starters I opted for the terrine of ham hock followed by seared salmon served with new potatoes and roasted butternut squash. Both courses were of a good size and beautifully plated. Noticing Eton Mess on the dessert menu I couldn’t resist completing my meal with this as it’s one of my favourite summer puddings. Naturally, it tasted delicious and I savoured every last spoonful. We were offered coffee and petit-fours in one of the cosy lounges but instead opted for a late evening stroll through the grounds.
Breakfast is also served in the restaurant and is a more relaxed affair with complimentary newspapers available to browse whilst sipping cups of freshly brewed coffee. A circular table in the centre of the room had been laid out with bowls of fresh fruit, granola, yoghurts, juices and pastries and my bowl of fresh berries and Greek yoghurt was a refreshing start to the day. We followed this up with full Welsh breakfasts which were made to order with eggs cooked in any way one wished.
A couple of slices of toast with thick peel orange marmalade and another cup of coffee followed before we were ready to face the day ahead.
The Facilities:
The hotel has several attractive lounges with squashy sofas and chairs arranged around large fireplaces. As it was midsummer these were not needed but it must be very cosy to curl up in front of a roaring open fire during the winter months. There’s also a cosy bar, ideal for pre-dinner drinks.
The Spa
A few minutes walk from the Hall in one of the estate cottages stands the Bodysgallen Spa. I’d pre-booked a full body aromatherapy massage and after a personalised consultation was led into one of the luxurious treatment rooms for my hour long treatment.
Whilst I was being pampered my husband made use of the spa’s superb facilities by unwinding in the steam room, sauna and large, heated indoor pool. We then met up in the relaxation lounge where we enjoyed a pot of peppermint tea before returning to our room.
The Gardens – Bodysgallen Hall is set in magnificent gardens and wooded parkland tended to by a team of gardeners and volunteers, headed up by Robert Owen. From February onwards starting with snowdrops, monthly guided garden tours take place. These are reasonably priced at £45 to include coffee on arrival, a one hour guided tour of the grounds followed by a full Welsh afternoon tea in the upstairs Drawing Room. Afternoon tea is available daily, pre-booking recommended.
Out and About:
Llandudno
The seaside resort of Llandudno lies just two miles from Bodysgallen Hall and is a delightful town to explore with its elegant promenade lined with pastel coloured Victorian buildings that overlook the picture perfect bay. The seafront boasts a traditional seaside pier and two sandy beaches. Running parallel with the promenade are elegant shopping streets retaining their Victorian canopies adding to the town’s charm.
Great Orme Tramway
The Great Orme Tramway is Britain’s only funicular, or cable-hauled tramway that travels on public roads. Since 1902 the attraction has enthralled visitors as it climbs 1500m through the Great Orme Country Park and nature reserve on its way to the summit. Trams leave from the town’s Victoria Station which is just a few minutes walk from the promenade.
The journey takes approximately 20 minutes with a change of trams mid way. Once at the top there’s a visitor centre, cafe, nature reserve, pitch and putt golf course and children’s play area.
Views are spectacular and on a clear day it’s possible to see as far as the Isle of Man, Blackpool and the Lake District. Great Orme Tramway
Llandudno Pier
Stretching 700 m over the sea, Llandudno Pier is the longest in Wales, and is one of the UK’s finest having been a previous winner of Pier of the Year. The beautiful Grade II listed iron pier dates from 1877 and unlike many other British piers offers free entrance. Traditional seaside kiosks, shops, bars and cafes add to its charm making a stroll along its length a fun experience for the entire family. Britain’s oldest Punch and Judy show is performed from a red and white striped booth that is located near to the pier’s entrance.
Penderyn Distillery Tour
Located in a former school, visit the home of Wales’ first whisky distillery in over 100 years. Join an hour long distillery tour to learn about the history of Penderyn and how their award-winning whisky is produced.
Tours start off in the exhibition area, before moving on to view the mill, mash tun and single copper pot stills. Complete the tour with a couple of drinks in their attractive Tasting Bar afterwards. Penderyn Distillery
Llandudno Museum and Gallery
Llandudno Museum and Art Gallery tells the story of Llandudno over 340 million years. The museum was founded by Francis Edouard Chardon in 1925 who bequeathed his home, Rapallo House, and his collection of decorative and fine arts and artefacts to Llandudno for the enjoyment of the people.
The Museum collections total 9,000 artefacts and fall into 5 areas covering: natural history and geology; local decorative and fine art; social history and military history. Together the collections build up a picture of the development of the seaside resort placing the locality into context for tourists. The collections include: Roman artefacts; a Neolithic skeleton and prehistoric tools, bone and pottery recovered from the Great Orme Copper Mines, the largest mine in Europe. Llandudno Museum
Conwy Castle
Located four and a half miles from Llandudno, the medieval walled town of Conwy is home to a perfectly preserved 12th century castle. The magnificent medieval fortress still guards the town after 700 years. King Edward I and his architect Master James of St George built both the castle and walls in only four years between 1283 and 1287. Conwy takes its place alongside Edward’s other great castles at Beaumaris, Harlech and Caernarfon as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Climbing the restored spiral staircases up to the eight great towers enables visitors to make a complete circuit around the castle battlements and to enjoy splendid views over Conwy and the surrounding area. Conwy Castle
Overall:
Our stay at Bodysgallen Hall was an absolute delight and we felt very pampered from the moment we arrived until departure. For old world charm, delicious food and impeccable service the hotel is hard to beat. On checking out we were handed a small carrier bag containing bottles of water and small packets of biscuits for our onward journey which I thought was a nice touch. Often, it’s the small things like this that make all the difference to a stay so Bodysgallen Hall gets a big thumbs up from me.
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