These are my personal reviews of some B&Bs that we stayed at on our trip to Wales in August 2003.
Sunnymount Hotel Ryefield Road Ross-on-Wye HR9 5LS Telephone: 01989 563880 http://www.s-h-systems.co.uk/hotels/sunnymount.html
It was a victorian era house, nice rooms, with a lovely garden in walking distance of downtown Ross-on-Wye. Breakfast was very good. The properitess was a little uneasy with the boys. She seemed afraid that they would break something. A great hotel for childless people.
The Castle Of Brecon The Castle Square, Brecon, South Wales, UK, LD3 9DB Telephone (+44) (0)1874 624611 http://www.breconcastle.co.uk/
This is an old hotel really built into the side of a castle. The walls in our room were curved to follow the castle contours. Breakfast was a buffet, but if you ask you can get a nice fried egg. Easy walk to the center of town. We had a family room, quite large, floored with the funky carpeting from the 60s that has big loud patterns.Our room had a great view of town and surrounding countryside.
Glan Y Mor Guest House Caerfai Bay Road St. Davids West Wales SA62 6QT Telephone - 01437 721788 http://www.s-h-systems.co.uk/hotels/glanymor.html
Very nice clean modern rooms. Good breakfasts. Bar a bit noisy at night. The windows on the top floor only swung out a little, so not much fresh air. Very close to the Pembroke trail, about 3 minute walk. Downtown St. Davids was a 15 minute walk. Prembroke trail is spectacular, and a wonderful walk, the parts we walked were not too challenging.
Black Boy Inn Northgate Street Caernarfon North Wales LL55 1RW Tel: +44 (0) 1286 673 604 http://www.welsh-historic-inns.com/black-boy/index.php
Reserved three months ahead and was put in tiny rooms with view of back alley. Had to edge around the bed to get to sink. Only room for one suitcase. Was told that because it is so old the rooms were small. The next morning we saw maids cleaning out the other rooms, all larger with better views. When we asked for a change the proprieter was rather rude and said that they were all reserved. Our personal opinion is that the proprieter knew we were not going to be repeat custumers when we booked months before and quietly assigned us the worst rooms. The breakfast was dreadful. The only eggs offered were boiled, scrambled or poached.
The scrambled eggs were like rubber. The dinners were all also overcooked. How can a chef mess up a chicken curry? The chicken pieces were all dry and overcooked.
Llandudno Lighthouse Marine Drive Great Ormes Head Llandudno Conwy North Wales LL30 2XD +44 (0) 1492 876819 http://www.lighthouse-llandudno.co.uk/index.htm
A great B&B. So nice after the disaster of the Black Boy. Wonderful rooms. We had the lamp room, which was a nice victorian styled room. With the sitting room as the glassed in lighthouse lamp room, with wonderful views, everyone gathered there. The boys had the wood panneled telegraph room upstairs from the lamp room and with views on every side. My in-laws had a lovely room with a four poster bed. The breakfasts were wonderful and served in a victorian dining room. The lighthouse is on the great orme peninisula, pretty much the only building for miles around. Our hosts had just bought the B&B and they are such nice people, it was the highlight of our trip.
Owain Glyndwr Hotel The Square Corwen Clwyd LL21 0DL http://www.owainglyndwrhotel.activehotels.com/HAG
Another really good B&B, this time in the center of a very very small town. We had a big clean family room on the top floor. The ceiling of our room had timbering, and was light and airy. The dinner we had was best of the trip. I had a Henry of Lamb. It was wonderful.
Hotel Romano 51 Lower Bridge Street Chester CH1 1RS Tel: (01244) 325091 http://www.hotel-romano.co.uk/index.htm
Within the walled city of Chester, you couldn't get a better location. They had big clean rooms, decorated in the style of the 70's . Our room had a wonderful view across the street to a 15th century pub. They had parking, something very hard to come by in Chester.