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Hotel Reviews
Place:
Bodysgallen Hall It is a Grade I listed 17th century manor house which has been sympathetically restored since the 1980s by Historic House Hotels Ltd and was given to the National Trust in 2008. It is one of three National Trust Historic House Hotels and is set 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 and follow the A470 (Royal Welsh Way) for two miles towards Llandudno. For guests arriving by train, both Avanti West Coast and Transport for Wales serve the town. The nearest station is Llandudno Junction which is two miles from the hotel 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 into the gardens and parkland and leads through the grounds to the entrance. We dropped off our luggage there and then drove the car down to the parking area. As there are stone steps to reach it, I suggest you drive up to the main entrance first.
The entrance leads to a grand oak paneled hall, decorated with vases of fresh flowers. To one side is the reception area where we were warmly welcomed and within minutes were escorted to our room by a charming hall porter called Gareth, who insisted on looking after our luggage.
Since the hall was built around 600 years ago, it doesn’t have a lift, but its grand staircase with its huge stained glass windows makes up for it.
room:
Our first floor room had a rustic homey charm with small glass windows that offered panoramic views of the manicured gardens. The room was decorated in a classical style befitting the age of the building, with a floral headboard and matching cushions.
The king size bed was extremely comfortable, with ample power sockets and bedside tables with reading lamps. With a pair of armchairs, a book stand of reading material, a fully equipped hospitality tray filled with tea, coffee, water and melt-in-your-mouth luxury Welsh biscuits, we had everything for a relaxing stay.
The traditional-style bathroom had a bathtub and shower, scented Floris toiletries and a huge pile of thick, soft towels. The Wi-Fi worked well and the television could be rotated for ease of viewing from the chairs or bed.
Meal:
Bodysgallen Hall is Llandudno’s only 3 AA Rosette restaurant, so we were looking forward to an evening of fine dining. The restaurant is quite formal with a sophisticated atmosphere and its dress code states that shorts, t-shirts or trainers should not be worn, although jackets and ties are unnecessary.
A thriving kitchen garden alongside the hall’s secure site provides an abundance of seasonal produce and close collaboration between the head chef and head gardener ensures that fresh produce is incorporated into the menu. While as much as possible is grown on site, other ingredients are sourced from local suppliers to provide a Welsh taste experience.
We were seated at a window table covered with a starched white linen tablecloth. As soon as we sat down, napkins were unfolded and placed on our laps. While we perused the menu, we were served a selection of amuse-bush appetizers and home-baked breads. Wine is available by the glass and bottle and prices are to suit every budget.
For starters I chose a terrine of ham hock, followed by seared salmon served with new potatoes and roasted butternut squash. Both courses were good size and beautifully served. Seeing Eton Mess on the dessert menu I couldn’t resist eating it as it is one of my favourite summer puddings. Naturally, it tasted delicious and I savoured every last spoonful. We were offered coffee and petit-fours in a cosy lounge but instead we opted for a late evening stroll around the grounds.
Breakfast is also served in the restaurant and is a more relaxed experience, with free newspapers to browse while sipping freshly made coffee. A circular table was set in the middle of the room with bowls of fresh fruit, granola, yoghurt, juice and pastries and my bowl of fresh berries and Greek yoghurt was a refreshing start to the day. We then had a full Welsh breakfast which was made to order and eggs were cooked any way they could.
After two pieces of toast with thick peeled orange marmalade and another cup of coffee we were ready to face the day ahead.
Facilities:
The hotel has a number of attractive lounges, with soft sofas and chairs placed around large fireplaces. As it was mid-summer these weren’t needed, but in the winter months sitting in front of an open fire would have been very relaxing. There’s also a cosy bar, ideal for drinks before dinner.
Spa
A few minutes walk from the hall in one of the estate cottages is the Bodysgallen Spa. I had already booked a full body aromatherapy massage and after a personal consultation I was taken to one of the luxurious treatment rooms for an hour-long treatment.
While I was soaking up the pampering, my husband took advantage of the spa’s luxurious facilities by relaxing in the steam room, sauna, and large, heated indoor pool. We then met in the relaxation lounge, where we enjoyed mint tea before returning to our room.
Garden – Bodysgallen Hall is set in spectacular gardens and wooded parkland, cared for by a team of gardeners and volunteers led by Robert Owen. There are monthly guided garden tours, starting with Snowdrops in February. These are reasonably priced at £45, including coffee on arrival, a one-hour guided tour of the grounds followed by a full Welsh afternoon tea in the upper floor drawing room. Afternoon tea is available daily, pre-booking is recommended.
out and about:
Llandudno
The seaside resort of Llandudno lies just two miles from Bodysgallen Hall and is a lovely promenade lined with pastel coloured Victorian buildings overlooking the bay. The coastline has a traditional seaside pier and two sandy beaches. Running parallel to the promenade are fabulous shopping streets which retain their Victorian canopy and add to the town’s charm.
Great Orme Tramway
The Great Orme Tramway is Britain’s only funicular or cable-hauled tramway that runs on public roads. Since 1902 this attraction has been thrilling visitors as it climbs 1500 metres through the Great Orme Country Park and Nature Reserve to reach the summit. The tram leaves from the town’s Victoria Station which is just a few minutes’ walk from the promenade.
The journey takes around 20 minutes with a change of trams half way. Once at the top there is a visitor centre, cafe, nature reserve, pitch and putt golf course and children’s play area.
The views are spectacular and on a clear day one can see as far as the Isle of Man, Blackpool and the Lake District. Great Orme Tramway
Llandudno Pier
Stretching 700 metres above the sea, Llandudno Pier is the longest in Wales, and is one of the UK’s finest piers, a previous winner of Pier of the Year. The beautiful Grade II listed iron pier dates back to 1877 and unlike many other British piers admission is free. Traditional seafront kiosks, shops, bars and cafes add to its charm, making a stroll along its length a fun experience for the whole family. Britain’s oldest Punch and Judy show is performed from a red and white striped booth located near the pier’s entrance.
Penderin Distillery Tour
Located in a former school, visit the home of Wales’ first whisky distillery in over 100 years. Join a one-hour distillery tour to learn about the history of Penderyn and the production of their award-winning whisky.
The tour starts in the exhibition area, followed by a visit to the mill, mash tun and single copper pot stills. Then finish the tour with a few drinks at their charming tasting bar. Penderin Distillery
Llandudno Museums and Galleries
Llandudno Museum and Art Gallery tells the story of Llandudno over 340 million years. The museum was founded in 1925 by Francis Edouard Chardon, who bequeathed his home, Rapallo House, and his collection of decorative and fine arts and artifacts to Llandudno for people to enjoy.
The museum’s collections total some 9,000 artefacts and fall into 5 areas: natural history and geology; local decorative and fine arts; social history and military history. Together the collections form a picture of the development of the seaside resort that puts the area in context for visitors. The collections include: Roman artefacts; a Neolithic skeleton and prehistoric tools, bone and pottery recovered from the Great Orme Copper Mines, Europe’s largest mine. Llandudno Museum
Conwy Castle
Located four and a half miles from Llandudno, the medieval walled town of Conwy is home to an excellently preserved 12th century castle. The magnificent medieval fortress still protects the town 700 years later. King Edward I and his architect Master James of St George built both the castle and the walls in just four years between 1283 and 1287. Conwy is ranked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Edward’s other great castles Beaumaris, Harlech and Caernarfon.
Climbing the restored spiral staircases up to the eight great towers gives visitors the opportunity to make a full circle around the castle ramparts and enjoy spectacular views over Conwy and the surrounding area. Conwy Castle
overall:
Our stay at Bodysgallen Hall was an absolute pleasure and we felt pampered from arrival to departure. The hotel is hard to beat for old world charm, delicious food and impeccable service. On check out we were given a small carrier bag containing bottles of water and small packets of biscuits for our onward journey, which I loved. Often, it’s the little things like these that make a huge difference to a stay, so a big shout out to Bodysgallen Hall.
Description: Bodysgallen Hall and SpaPentywyn Road, Llandudno, North Wales, LL30 1RS.
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During our stay we were guests of the Bodysgallen Hotel and Spa and Visit Konvi And as always all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
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