Review: Palé Hall, Bala – a wonderful weekend in Wales

It’s a great regret of mine that I didn’t explore Wales more when I was doing my undergraduate degree in Cardiff. But I was young then, broke and spending most of my time at the students’ union.

So, when I was invited to stay at Palé Hall, in northwest Wales, I jumped at the chance. And it felt only right to invite one of my best friends, whom I met in my first year at Cardiff, to come with me.

We packed our bags, hopped on the train and headed to the outskirts of Snowdonia National Park, located a few hours from the university halls where we’d first met ten years ago.

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Except, of course, this accommodation was vastly superior to what we had been used to at university. The hotel is a beautiful, imposing Victorian country house amid sprawling green fields.

It is situated on the edge of Snowdonia National Park, making it perfect for visitors who love the outdoors.

Maybe you want to hike up Snowdon, the highest point in Wales, or head to Portmeirion, a unique Italian-influenced village that became famous for having served as the location for The Village in the 1960s television show The Prisoner.

You can also head to a number of coastal towns and castles, located not too far from Palé Hall. That said, Palé Hall is just as suitable for those who simply want a comfortable, luxurious break from everyday life.

On arrival at the hotel, my friend and I were greeted by a warm foyer and an even warmer welcome, then taken up a beautiful wooden staircase to our room – one that would be impossibly hard to leave were it not for the lure of what we still had left to discover.

The hotel’s 18 rooms are all styled and named differently, and some of them are dog-friendly if you can’t stand to leave your four-legged companion at home.

We stayed in “Caernarfon”, which had a spacious and inviting bath to soak in while taking in the gorgeous view of the grounds surrounding the hotel. The welcome gift of Welsh mead was also a lovely touch, and quickly consumed.

A spot of afternoon tea

Every room in the hotel feels as though it has been carefully thought out. The dining room is bright and airy in the daytime, with huge windows and hearty breakfasts.

At night, the atmosphere is cosy and intimate – an ideal space in which to enjoy one of the many dishes that have been expertly created. If you look out the window, you’ll be able to spot rabbits hopping about under the moonlight, too.

We were treated to afternoon tea, and what a treat it was. If you’re heading to Palé Hall to celebrate an occasion, I would highly recommend booking it. The tea tray is packed with beautifully aromatic options. Your brew of choice will be served alongside a selection of sandwiches, patisseries, and scones.

For an additional charge, you can request a glass of fizz. We opted for Lanson Champagne, which made a perfect addition.

To walk off the bubbles, sandwiches and cake, we were driven down to the village of Bala in the hotel Bentley. Bala is quaint, with a handful of shops. But the main attraction, of course, is Lake Bala – a gorgeous body of water to sit in front of with a cup of tea and a packet of fresh Welsh cakes as you watch the sunset.

If you don’t want to venture into Bala, and you don’t fancy hiking around Snowdonia, you can walk around the woodland gardens surrounding the hotel. The peaceful grounds are perfect for a post-meal stroll, and you can say hello to some of the hotel’s furry guests.

Upon our return we dined at the three AA-rosette fine-dining restaurant, the Henry Robertson Dining Room. A harpist welcomed us, making for a very heavenly experience. The restaurant serves classic British dishes using local ingredients, and, naturally, while these change year round you can count on the quality being top notch whenever you choose to visit.

An improved dining experience

As far as the dining experience is concerned, it gets even better. Palé Hall has recently appointed a new head chef, launched refined four- and six-course tasting menus and opened up a new private dining area.

You can sample dishes including dry-aged hogget with asparagus and wild garlic and Oakchurch strawberries with Ivoire white chocolate and elderflower.

The new private-dining area, called Hearth, was formerly the original kitchen of the house. The room gets its name from the original cast-iron hearth that still stands in the middle of the room, complemented by a cooking station where guests can take part in the cooking.

Do take advantage of the wine list and the extremely knowledgeable sommelier, who was happy to answer our questions over the phone when we decided to indulge ourselves by ordering a bottle of wine to the room.

We enjoyed the gorgeous Beaujolais that was duly sent up to us and it was the cherry on the cake for what had been a wonderful Welsh weekend.

Nicole was a guest of Palé Hall. A one-night stay costs from £320 for two sharing a double room, including breakfast. Visit palehall.co.uk or call 01678-530285

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