A Welsh little Gem!

I stayed 4 nights at Bodysgallen hall in August. It is one of the nicest hotel I stayed in the UK. I've stayed in many 5 stars hotel which haven't got the special touch at Bodysgallen. It is not an hotel up to American 4-5 star standards though, it is indeed a British country house and one of the best too. You just feel you're staying in a National Trust property or a Merchant & Ivory ambiance.

The environment is just great: very nice walled-gardens, beautiful trees etc... Too bad really for the noisy main road to Llandudno just down the grounds. (The only flaw in this hotel)

The house is very nice too, especially tastefully decorated. Cosy sitting rooms and bedrooms, right out of a World of Interiors magazine. Be sure to take a room with the view on the gardens and Snowdonia.

The staff is very nice too, from reception to dining room or pool.

But to top it all is the superb food. I'm known for being quite difficult when it comes to food, and apart from Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxford, it is the best hotel food I ever had in Britain. Staying there for 4 nights I have tried a good share of the menu.

The swimming pool and spa are also very nice and very well maintained.

It is really a very nice experience to stay there, I would (and have) recommended it to anyone visting Wales.

Perfect country house

Wonderful stay at Bodysgallen or "house amongst the thistles". The experience is of being a guest at a private house rather than a number at a hotel. Staff are excellent and the highest praise must go to the assistant manager Stephen for his kindness and care during our stay. thank you.

Hidden Beauty

I stayed for one night in November in a Superior Snowdonia view room. The room itself was large with tradional furnishings, which fitted in with the overall style of the hotel. A bowl of fresh fruit was a nice touch, but unfortunately, no hospitality tray of tea/coffee, etc. If you wanted tea/coffee in your room, you had to pay for it.

The room had a very large comfortable bed, a separate seating area, and a fantastic view of Snowdonia and Conwy Castle. Unfortunately, I felt the bathroom let the room down, it was very old fashioned and in need of a refit. The bath was a bit tatty with a cheap looking shower over the bath. However, the room and bathroom were very clean and warm.

The hotel itself is full of character and is such a lovely place to escape to. The lounges had comfortable sofa's, oak panelling and during our stay, the open fires made the overall atmosphere cosy and romantic. The hotel is very quiet and peaceful. The staff are very welcoming and helpful, but not intrusive.

The hotel is surrounded by beautiful gardens, which are well tended to, perfect for a stroll after breakfast.

The service and standard of food in the dining room was very good. There is also a good choice of wines.

I would recommend this hotel, however, I felt it was a bit on the expensive side. The room alone cost £290.00 for one night and the table d'hote menu at £38.00 each. Cooked breakfasts also come at a supplement.

Overall, a very nice hotel, great location and perfect for a romantic breakaway.

Absolutely perfect!

An utterly fabulous hotel. The location is superb -- the hotel stands majestically on a hill amongst woodland and very well tended gardens. The building itself is a delight -- it has been lovingly restored with period features maintained. We received a free room upgrade, and I get the feeling that this was not unusual. The room was huge (as was the bed), very warm and comfortable, with a lovely view of the mountains. The Spa is beautiful, and not at all busy (speaking to other people there, it is apparently usually quite quiet). The pool is a very good size. The restaurant was fantastic -- the vegetarian option was delicious. Impeccable (but discrete) service. They do charge extra for things like tea in the room on arrival, and snacks at the bar before dinner, but I still would not complain. An expensive choice, but well, well worth it for a special occasion. Highly recommended!

Stuning aspect

Bodysgallen Hall is stunning to behold and has beautiful views. Log fires and wood panelling set the tone. Our bedroom was of average size, pretty if a little old fashioned. The gardens were lovely to stroll around, even in February. Dining is very formal (jacket and tie required) and the food very good, including for a vegetarian. The service was both unobtrusive and helpful. All in all, a special place to stay.

Fantastic

Stayed at Bodysgallen for 1 night only..midweek and i must say it is beautiful. I read the reviews on Trip Advisor and i tried to book 3 weeks in advance and it was fully booked but got a room at last minute. Food was fantastic, great selection of champagne & wine. staff and service were EXCELLENT, although the hotel was fully booked it was extremely quiet and peaceful. Gardens were just great too. The only thing i would complain about is the bathroom we had. We stayed in a deluxe double room and the bathroom was tiny and the shower was just rubbish and could do with an update! But i would advise anyone to go.

January Welsh hospitality

Just returned from this very lovely, very comfortable hotel. We had reserved the least expensive room, but were upgraded to a "superior" room, which was very nice -with an added seating area - with a view of the impeccably kept gardens. ( the hotel was not full) The manager greeted us personally - and all the staff were professional and kindly genuine. The dinner was just impeccably prepared and served. (We heard that the young chef had just received some sort of new Holiday Which? award....) We are not generally big spenders on hotel rooms, but found this experience to be well worth the expense.... an historic house on well gardened property ( snowdrops in January!) - an up to date spa- and a sense of friendly Welshness about the place won our hearts! ( Management seems to have solved the billing dilemna - our bill was clear. Our only confusion was about tipping for dinner, when we didn't see the final charge, but they said at check out that service was included) This property has to be magical in Spring....

Beautiful Bodysgallen

On arrival in the pouring rain the setting was hidden from view. Staff were welcoming and escorted our party to their allocated Spa Cottages with little fuss or undue ceremony. Dinner later that evening was a gastronomic delight. In the wood panelled lobby we selected from the extensive Table D'Hote menu. Shortly after we were escorted to our table. I had a starter of lobster and chicken sausage, followed by sea bass and assorted ice creams to finish. Service was exemplary and the meal was simply excellent. The stroll through the gardens later that evening was enchanting turning to catch the Hall bathed in the glow of the setting sun.

I could go on but all I want to say is go - enjoy the food and the surroundings, until it is time to leave.

It takes more than location for 5 stars...

Bodysgallen was supposed to be the highlight of our trip to Wales.

Wrong. The gardens and property are lovely, but the hotel is poorly run. Bags are brought in from your car, only to be abandoned by the front door. There is no elevator - even for the staff - and only one elderly porter to carry your bags - even the very heavy ones up four flights of stairs. Check out time is whenever someone decides it is. We never figured that part out and were told that we'd find out what the cost was when our AmEx bill arrived.

The restaurant is extremely pretentious. Jackets must be worn - but can be removed immediately once you enter. But you absolutely cannot enter unless you are wearing one. A dress shirt with a tie is unacceptable - even if the "gentleman" at the next table smoking a cigar during your meal has removed his jacket to show off a polo shirt. Pretentions can be forgiven if the food is good, but not when it's mediocre.

Service was awful. A "wine steward" who poured a lovely chardonnay with less care than I pour a diet Coke. The glass was filled to the rim, splashed over the side, all accompanied by that lovely "glug glug" sound you get when you invert a bottle to pour. I shudder to think what would have happened had we ordered an older cabernet in need of decanting.

Oh yes - the dirty dishes stayed in front of us between courses while the "head waiter" straightened out the place settings of surrounding empty tables. After our dessert, we sat, dirty dishes in front of us, for quite some time before we could attract the attanetion of the "occupied" staff to get our bill. We were told that since we were staying at the hotel, that the cost of dinner would be added to our bill and we would not be getting any receipts or copies. The waiter then left, naturally leaving us with the dishes.

Not exactly what you exepct at a purportedly 4 or 5 star hotel is it?

Summary: Property: 4 stars. Management: 1 Star.

One in a million

Absolutely stunning converted ancestral pile in glorious gardens and woodland near Llandudno. Superb accommodation, public rooms and restaurant. Top notch cuisine. Excellent spa complex. One of the very best country house hotels in Britain. Don't miss staying here - the memories will stay with you forever.