Guess who’s back?! It’s been a while since I popped in and said hello on the blog. What a year it has been. How amazing does it feel to be able to gradually travel again? I’m dipping my toes back into exploring and adventures this year starting off within the UK. This last year has made me appreciate a slower pace of life and nature so much more. Needless to say that the UK is filled with stunning untouched nature, fit for both adventure and relaxation, so it’s a great place to start.
One place that had been on my bucket list for years was North Wales and Snowdonia. When we were kindly invited to visit The West Arms by the lovely owners Nicky and Mark, we packed our bags without a doubt and headed for a beautiful road trip. North Wales is filled with epic landscape and rich heritage. On the way to The West Arms, located in Llanarmon Dyffryn-Ceiriog, the scenic route through Ceiriog valley is worth the journey alone.
The West Arms is the perfect place stay for a combination of relaxation and North Wales adventures, being located just 1 hour away from Snowdonia National Park. The hotel is a former 15th century farm house with so much character, situated in a valley with stunning landscapes around it. It’s been recently renovated throughout which means its modern whilst retaining its lovely English charm.
The West Arms is a boutique size hotel with 16 cosy and unique rooms. The size of the hotel means the whole atmosphere around the hotel remains relaxing and calm throughout, particularly with fires lit in the communal areas. There is no shortage of chilled places to hang out around the hotel. Whilst I didn’t sadly bring my dogs on this trip, a huge bonus for me is that The West Arms is dog friendly. Make sure to look out for the resident dogs.
I absolutely adored the outside setup overlooking the hills & valley. The weather was on our side when we visited so we got to enjoy a meal and drinks out there. If your extra lucky you also get to watch a beautiful sunset over the Berwyn Hills. Whether you want to cosy up next to a fireplace during winter or enjoy Al Fresco drinking and dining during the summer, The West Arms is a lovely hotel with its own nice perks for any season.
We stayed in the Eagles Room which is one of the two character rooms. The room was cosy and really did have a lot of character. As mentioned earlier, the hotel is modern throughout but retains its beautiful charm, this applies to the rooms too.
Food wise there is no wonder that The West Arms has received numerous awards. Their focus is all on quality and locally sourced produce. They actively work together with their local community and farmers, some dishes even contain ingredients sourced from the Chef’s own garden!
The menu can be found HERE. Aside from their core menu they have specials which depend on what delicious produce have been sourced on the day, they will tell you about it! I got to try both their tender Local Welsh Black Rib-Eye Steak with insanely good Peppercorn Sauce, as well as a beautiful Mushroom Risotto. For breakfast we had the full Welsh breakfast which was the best kind of fuel before venturing out.
Snowdonia is of course a big attraction, but there are plenty of beautiful things to see around the hotel for those who don’t want to travel far.
– There are quite a few footpaths nearby to explore the valley, just ask them! Whether you’re up for a short walk or long hikes, they’ll lead you in the right direction.
– The hotel is located just 30 minutes from Pistyll Rhaeadr, a 240-ft-high waterfall, tallest waterfall in Wales.
– Llangollen Town Center.
We didn’t end up climbing Mount Snowdon in the end. It was a very cloudy day and we were both so exhausted from the previous week so we were more than happy to explore the large grounds of the national park by car and do mini hikes.
It was a lovely break from the city and a much needed getaway after a hectic few months. The West Arms is a great place to unwind or use a base to explore the wider area.
Thank you Mark and Nicky for a wonderful stay
Press invite but views remain my own
