The Royston
Llanbrynmair, Wales
This post is essentially a love letter to Wales, and a bit of an apology too. So far we’ve ventured into the Scottish Highlands twice, spent a whirlwind 48 hours in Skye, tucked ourselves away in Braemar for a weekend - the list goes on. The same can be said for England, as we frequently bounce around all four corners(ish) of it, from cabins in Norfolk to converted chapels in Somerset. Wales, however, has slipped under our radar somewhat. Enter The Royston, a small boutique hotel in Llanbrynmair that’s BIG on charm and personality.
The smaller the hotel, the more you want it to feel like a home away from home - and owners Rob and Clive have ticked that box. Built in 1880 as an homage to the original owner’s London townhouse, The Royston sits pretty amidst 10 acres of very green, and very glorious pastureland. Spread across three floors, with seven rooms, a lounge and basement kitchen + dining room, we had enough room to patter about without bumping into other guests. Even better, the lounge was big enough for a fire AND a generously stocked honesty bar.
We were met with three miles of beach surrounded by postcard-perfect houses and sand dunes to clamber, which ended up being long enough to stretch our legs and long enough to earn that trip to the chip shop.
There are three room categories (Superior, Deluxe and Large) and we found ourselves in a ground floor Deluxe room. With rolling hills as far as the eye can see, the binoculars in our room came in handy (as did the birdwatcher’s book) as we spied on the locals - namely pheasants that strut past your window in the morning. Just as dreamy as the views, the design throughout the house is contemporary, punctuated with lots of art, trinkets and treasures that Rob and Clive have collected throughout the years. Clive was kind enough to let us snoop around the other rooms before more guests arrived, and they’re just as lovely. Really, really lovely.
Breakfast is served in the basement dining room, and Rob and Clive do all the cooking which instantly makes it feel like you’re at a friend’s house for Sunday brunch. With no ask too big, there’s even an epic veggie full breakfast up for grabs. Dinner in the evening was just as a charming, with a ‘farm to table’ three-course meal rustled up. Take heed that it’s a low key, rustic affair and you’re asked to order off the menu in advance of your stay to stamp out any food waste, but that just means the only decision you need to make is drinks related.
When it comes to exploring further than the surrounding fields, I strongly recommend asking Clive for some pointers. One map, a pen and five minutes later, we hopped in the car with a full itinerary, carved out by Clive’s top tips and local know-how. After a whirlwind tour of the local antique dealers in Machynlleth, we ventured a little further, ending up at the costal spot, Aberdyfi beach. We were met with three miles of beach surrounded by postcard-perfect houses and sand dunes to clamber, which ended up being long enough to stretch our legs and long enough to earn that trip to the chip shop (win win).
We begrudgingly checked out the next morning (with heads a little fuzzy due to honesty bar enthusiasm), making a promise to each other that we would return to Wales, and to The Royston, when the weather is a little warmer. Waving us off with a bag of freshly laid eggs (honestly, the best departure gift I have received yet), we started missing Rob and Clive when we hit the motorway. By the time we hit London, we started to really miss Wales. So Wales, we’re sorry. And we’ll be back soon. Promise.
The Royston, with rooms from £110.
