The Glengower

The staff are fantastic, friendly, and the seafront location is great, but the food lets them down. It tastes good, but the roast beef came in a cylinder that turned into pulled beef when cut. There were only two roast potatoes, with the other two boiled. The vegetables came in a separate dish to share between two: a good selection of red cabbage, some Brussels sprouts, three small broccoli florets and just two carrot batons. Most of the plate was taken up by the Yorkshire pudding.

We had a really lovely family visit to the Glengower with my sisters, mum, nephews and nieces. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and it felt like just the right place for bringing everyone along. Becka was our server and did an excellent job, handling everything brilliantly. She was professional, friendly and attentive, and made us feel at home. Great location and great service. We look forward to coming back, and highly recommend her.

Breakfast had a good choice of hot and cold options, enough to set you up for the day. Dinner was a different story for me: the menu felt excessively large, with 12 starters, 15 mains and 8 desserts. That's a lot for diners to work through, and must put pressure on the kitchen to remember recipes and keep enough ingredients in stock. I'd prefer a simple 6/6/6 split, so chefs could focus on great dishes instead of usual hotel fare, or make a Glengower 'signature dish'. We've been coming to Aberystwyth for many, many years, about 2-3 times per year, and our usual hotel wasn't available, so we tried this immensely popular venue. Room No.23 was 99%: check-in was quick and efficient, and it was spacious, warm, comfortable, furnished and clean, with spectacular views across Cardigan Bay. The coffee table under the window looked tired and worn, but sanding, staining and varnishing it should put that right. I was very impressed overall. The price is reasonable and compares well with other hotels in the location. Definitely worth trying. Take time to look at the eclectic drawings, pictures and paintings on the walls, there are some real gems.

We didn't eat, but the food coming out looked good, so I'd be happy to return and try it, then update my review. We just stopped in for a quick drink and found it warm, cosy, friendly and very welcoming. There are plenty of seats and rooms available. The bar staff seemed happy and friendly.