YHA Manorbier - Hostel

I live nearby and have known this place since it was built, though I’ve never stayed there. The car park used to be free, but this year they added number plate recognition and now visitors have to pay. Hostel guests don’t pay, but if you’re just visiting or going to the cafe, park elsewhere. It’s expensive and you can only buy a day ticket. There are other places to park. The YHA car park has a gate onto the coast path, which leads straight to church doors beach and on to the other beaches along our spectacular Pembrokeshire coastline. Some people seem too lazy to walk the few extra metres to the gate and climb over the barbed wire fence on the corner instead. It’s there to keep the sheep in while they graze. Inside, there are decent rooms, dorms, shower rooms, communal spaces and kitchens. Outside, you can pitch a tent or go glamping in their large tents and cabins. The cafe is open to everyone throughout the summer and is supremely dog friendly. The thing that still bothers me is the entrance. I painted a mural of Gerald of Wales there, along with a large red dragon, ddraig goch, with a rider to symbolise the friendliness of Welsh people. After more than 25 years, a couple of years ago YHA decided to paint over it for a more 'corporate' image. Lots of people objected, but it was removed anyway. Now you’re faced with a blank wall instead.

We often pop in for coffee, and the staff are always so friendly and welcoming to us and our dog. The location is amazing, so it’s well worth a stop if you’re passing nearby. We’ve stayed here too, and the rooms and facilities were great and very clean.

After visiting the beautiful cove and Cathedral door, we stopped in for refreshments. The service was friendly and the interior was really nice. The vegan oat milk latte was excellent, and the Biscoff cake was to die for!

After a long day hiking, we stopped in for food. There wasn’t anything gluten free on the menu, but we were assured they could make chips in the oven so they’d be safe for us. We waited half an hour and got barely a handful each, charged at over £3 per person. They looked pale and were hard inside, clearly undercooked. We were so hungry by then that we didn’t send them back. This is a review of the food, not the accommodation.