It's been some time since I last visited the Hotel Penrallt, but I was intrigued to see what improvements an extensive revamp had achieved. Overlooking Aberporth Bay, the hotel started life as a private mansion in the early 1900s and is set in 42 acres of beautiful grounds. Impressive Edwardian architecture gives it a grand feel but the welcoming and helpful staff actually made me feel I was visiting friends for a few days, alright, they would have been wealthy friends but even so ...

The Dining Room:
Wood panelling gave the award winning Bay Restaurant an elegant feel. Head chef Dave Blackford is a talented and creative guy and his team produced superb quality food making excellent use of the great local, seasonal food available. An extensive wine list only added to our pleasure. The newly refurbished Terrace Restaurant, adjacent to the bar and overlooking the gardens became a favourite place to relax for a light lunch after a morning sightseeing.

Added Attractions:
There is so much to do here that it was difficult finding enough time. Our guys made full use of the outdoor pool and then tried to impress in the trymnasium gym. They even tried the nine-hole pitch-and-putt course before playing tennis before dinner. Meanwhile my sister and I had a swim in the indoor heated pool and a sauna and then relaxed in the café-bar.

For active guests:
If you love the outdoors then The Penrallt is your paradise in West Wales. There's plenty to do including, coastal walking, fishing, sailing, cycling, kayaking, go-karting, pony-trekking and golf, just to mention a few of the obvious "activities".

What's of interest nearby?
Aberporth is a charming village boasting Blue flag beaches which are perfect for safe family holidays. There are nearby cliff walks where you might be lucky enough to see the resident dolphins in the bay. Close by is Felinwynt Rainforest Centre, or a short drive away are steam railways and even a gold centre. There are numerous art galleries, castles, waterfalls and the fascinating Centre for Alternative Technology, plus many historical attractions in the area including the Benedictine monastery remains in St. Dogmaels, Cilgerran Castle, Castell Henllys - an archaeological reconstruction of an Iron Age settlement - and the prehistoric burial monuments at Pentre lfan.

Self Catering Cottages:
If you prefer informality, try a self-catering cottage as there are sixteen fully equipped cottages set in beautiful gardens to choose from. There's still the option to eat in the restaurant or the leisure cafe-bar and you have use of the children's play area and the tennis and pitch and putt facilities.

Why visit?
I haven't got a single reason why not to. Our party of four arrived stressed and exhausted and in only a few days the magic of Penrallt returned us to delightful human beings! It was wonderful therapy. I actually fancy escaping there for Christmas; now that would be something to look forward to.    

Children:
Welcomed.

Address: Aberporth, Ceredigion, West Wales SA43 2BS
Tel: 01239 810227
Fax: 01239 811375
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.hotelpenrallt.co.uk