Hotel Portmeirion & Castell Deudraeth

We had dinner at the castle and it was another wow moment. The waiting area had a real fire and lovely paneling, and the varied menu, flavours, food quality and service made for a fabulous meal. The waiters were warm and professional. Room 5 was large and simply classy, with a view over the estuary and no one looking in. The bed and pillows were so comfy, and there was a lovely bathroom with a good shower and full bath. The hotel itself was beautiful, with attentive, smiley staff. You have to leave your car away from the hotel, then a golf buggy or van picks you up. Our driver, Leo, was a lovely young man. He was gracious when we needed a little more time, carried our luggage, explained a few things about the room and told us how to arrange a buggy ride back later for our meal at the castle. Getting back took a while because someone had blocked in the buggy. The receptionist came out to explain and kindly offered us a drink during the 15-minute wait. The driver apologized too, and we appreciated that the delay was out of their control and that staff checked we were all right. Back at the hotel, reception manager Matthew apologized as well and offered us a courtesy drink. I accepted and told him how well looked after we'd felt. He appreciated the kind words. A suggestion for the planners: could you put a bench at the castle for guests waiting for the buggy? It would help people with limited mobility.

I've been here three times, staying four nights each visit, and every time the service and experience have been exceptional. Breakfast here each morning was lovely, and we also had dinner here and at the Castell. The food is award-winning, and I can see why. They handled my dietary needs brilliantly, even cooking me a special meal without an ingredient that usually goes into the sauces. The staff also helped with mobility needs and arranged a historical, informative mini moke tour around the village, along with pickup and drop-off at the local station. It's a real treat to stay here. I hope I can come back one day.

The room, number 11, was the weak point. It had lovely views, but felt very dated, with dirty carpets, mould on the bathroom walls and paper-thin walls. The rest of the hotel had luxurious public spaces, and it was nice to dry off and warm up by the real fire after walking in the rain. We had a lovely weekend at Gwesty Portmeirion a couple of weeks ago. The estuary and village views from our room were amazing, the resort staff were great, and breakfast was fantastic each morning. There were plenty of walks around the resort to keep us busy.

We went for afternoon tea as a group of six friends last Saturday, the 25th of October. We arrived early, but they were happy to fit us in. Our table had stunning estuary views and was beautifully set with, as you might expect, Portmeirion crockery. There was a great range of teas and coffees for everyone's taste, and plenty of delicious food. One friend said the carrot cake was the best she'd ever had. The staff were friendly, professional and efficient. A lovely afternoon, with nothing to fault. We'd love to return.