Kings

We all had a great weekend and managed to switch off. We rented the whole place for a CW Fitness boot camp, and there was loads of outdoor space for activities, plus walking routes and nearby lakes for wild swimming. It's quiet and out of the way, but easy to find. The bedrooms were clean and spacious, and the dining room and lounge were great for relaxing. The kitchen had plenty of cookers and workspace for preparing team meals without any particular issues. There's a barbecue outside, though bring something disposable to stand on top or be ready to clean it. In the evening we sat around the huge stone fire pit on the benches.

We had the whole place to ourselves mid-week, and it was lovely and quiet. Off-road mountain biking starts right from the door, which suited our few days of riding perfectly. The beds were comfortable, the rooms clean and warm, and the showers hot and powerful. It's already a great hostel, and it's nice to see the refurbishment work continuing. Great work by warden Dave and the rest of the team. Thanks, and we can't wait to come back and see how it's changed in early 2015.

The food and drink were good value, with two cooked meal options, a range of breakfasts, local ales, and other reasonably priced drinks. Staff were friendly, polite, and really helpful. The bedrooms are basic, as you'd expect, but clean and great value for money. A great youth hostel for biking and other outdoor breaks. I'll definitely stay again and recommend it.

The beautiful setting makes this a great little hostel for visiting Cadair Idris, and the facilities seemed well maintained. Mobile coverage isn't great, which is probably what you'd expect here. The final approach is on a single track road with few passing places because of the river, so take care driving in.