Former Royal bolt-hole named best in Wales in AA awards
Now in its 29th year, the AA B&B Awards celebrate establishments that go the extra mile, from meticulous housekeeping and memorable breakfasts to authentic service and unforgettable stays. This year's winners impressed AA inspectors with their individuality, attention to detail, and unwavering dedication to guest experience.
There were awards for the different UK nations with a location in Gwynedd named the best AA Restaurant with Rooms of the Year in Wales. A pub in Mid-Wales was named the best Inn.
Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Hotel & Hospitality Services , said: 'These awards shine a light on the brilliant people and places that make Britain's B&B scene truly world class. . Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
"Whether it's a warm welcome in Scotland, a design-led retreat in England, or a culinary gem in Wales, this year's winners represent everything that's special about independent UK hospitality. They go beyond offering a bed for the night - they offer character, comfort and care that stays with you long after check-out.'
Wales winners
AA Restaurant with Rooms - Wales: Plas Dinas Country House, Bontnewydd, near Caernarfon
What judges said: 'Plas Dinas Country House nestles between the Snowdonia (Eryri) mountains and the Irish Sea; an idyllic setting with stunning views. Located in beautiful grounds, this delightful Grade-II listed building dates to the mid-17th century. Featuring beautiful grounds and an award-winning restaurant, and formerly the home of the Armstrong-Jones family, it offers ten individually styled bedrooms in historic yet relaxed surroundings.
"Take a stroll round the estate or sit by the roaring log fire in the drawing room on a cold winter's day. Each room has recently been redesigned to represent the person or role within the Armstrong-Jones family that they represent. The Princess Margaret Suite has been recently redesigned and features wedding memorabilia from her wedding to Lord Snowdon.'
AA Inn of the Year - Wales: The Nags Head Inn, Montgomery, Powys
Judges said: "Once a coaching inn, the Grade II listed Nags Head but has been bought right up to date to offer modern accommodation. A warm welcome is assured from the friendly team here. Log fires in the winter and a sunny terrace for alfresco dining make this a great destination at any time of the year. A range of imaginative dishes including their own take on pub classics is on offer. To complement the food, a range of local beers is stocked in addition to a well-chosen wine list.'
AA Bed and Breakfast of the Year - Wales: Ramsey House, St Davids, Pembrokeshire
Judges said: 'Ramsey House offers the ideal combination of professional management and the warmth of a family-run establishment. The property is quietly located on the outskirts of St Davids and is surrounded by unspoilt countryside. It provides modern, well-equipped bedrooms, with en suite bathrooms, along with a good range of welcome extras. The award-winning breakfast provides a choice of home-made items, including breads and preserves.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Sun
5 of the best climbing plants to transform your garden including fragrant flower that blooms for six months of the year
WANT to add a dash of colour into your garden but aren't sure where to begin? Climbing plants are a great option if you're low on space and want to maximise the plants you can have. 2 2 Speaking to Good Housekeeping, gold-winning Chelsea Flower Show designer Joe Carey, who co-designs with his wife, Laura at Carey Garden Design Studio shared five of the best climbing plants to add to your space. Common Honeysuckle A great choice if you want something relatively low-maintenance that can also survive the grey skies of a British summer? The gardening whizz recommended honeysuckle for the best of both worlds. He explained: "As a UK native, common honeysuckle is really well suited to UK gardens, and we love it; it has such a wonderful scent." Climbing Hydrangeas For more shady gardens, climbing hydrangeas are a great pick. According to Joe, they're both gorgeous during the summer months when they flower, but the seed heads also look great in autumn. Although it might not be the best choice for chalky soil, it will thrive in a spot with plenty of space to grow, he added. Clematis Perfect for sunny spots which are usually overbearing for plants, varieties of clematis can weather it all. He added that his favourites include clematis ' Frances Rivis ' and clematis cirrhosa var. balearica, - but of course there are plenty of options out there. Not only that, but some clematis, like the 'Sugar Sweet' hybrids and 'montana' types, can start blooming as early as March and continue into November, meaning you can enjoy them much longer than other blooms. Kids will have hours of fun in the garden with The Range's bargain buy - it also lights up, plays music & is on sale Climbing roses On the hunt for something more traditional, look no further. Joe said his personal favourites are the Rosa 'Wedding Day' type: "I prefer the single flowers because they look more like our native roses and bees can access the pollen more easily." However, for larger spaces, a 'rambling' variety might be the best pick. Star Jasmine And if you want some more greenery in your garden, Star Jasmine could be just what you're looking for. Not only does it have evergreen foliage, but when it does bloom the scent is stunning too, the pro explained. Simply pop them in a sunny spot and they'll grow fast and thrive.
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
UK's most powerful supercomputer comes online in major AI drive
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle flicked the switch on the Isambard-AI machine in Bristol on Thursday, in a move ministers say will help the UK develop new medical cures and tools to cut emissions. The Government has pledged £1 billion to increase Britain's compute capacity 20-fold by 2030, including through the creation of a series of AI 'growth zones' designed to hasten planning approvals for new data centres. One of these will be built in Scotland, where Chancellor Rachel Reeves has also confirmed £750 million of funding will be dedicated to developing another supercomputer in Edinburgh, and another in Wales. Together with a second existing supercomputer in Cambridge, Isambard is expected to be able to process in one second 'what it would take the entire global population 80 years to achieve', the Government said. Businesses and scientists are expected to be able to use the systems to process more of the data required to train and build AI models to make new drug discoveries and breakthroughs in climate change technology. Researchers at the University of Liverpool are already using the machine to sift through tens of millions of chemical combinations in the hopes of finding ways to decarbonise British industry. The plans form part of the new Compute Roadmap, a strategy aimed at reducing reliance on foreign processing power and transform the UK's public compute capacity. By 2030, the Government expects this capacity to increase to 420 AI exaFLOP – the equivalent of one billion people spending 13,316 years doing what the system will do in one second. To support the plans, researchers, academics and tech bosses have been brought together to develop an AI science strategy to be published in the autumn. The group includes Google DeepMind vice-president Pushmeet Kohli, vice-president of the Royal Society Alison Noble and chairwoman of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Charlotte Deane. Ms Reeves said the plans would 'transform our public services, drive innovation and fuel economic growth that puts money in people's pockets'. Mr Kyle said they would 'put a rocket under our brilliant researchers, scientists and engineers – giving them the tools they need to make Britain the best place to do their work.'
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
UK's most powerful supercomputer comes online in major AI drive
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle flicked the switch on the Isambard-AI machine in Bristol on Thursday, in a move ministers say will help the UK develop new medical cures and tools to cut emissions. The Government has pledged £1 billion to increase Britain's compute capacity 20-fold by 2030, including through the creation of a series of AI 'growth zones' designed to hasten planning approvals for new data centres. One of these will be built in Scotland, where Chancellor Rachel Reeves has also confirmed £750 million of funding will be dedicated to developing another supercomputer in Edinburgh, and another in Wales. Together with a second existing supercomputer in Cambridge, Isambard is expected to be able to process in one second 'what it would take the entire global population 80 years to achieve', the Government said. Businesses and scientists are expected to be able to use the systems to process more of the data required to train and build AI models to make new drug discoveries and breakthroughs in climate change technology. Researchers at the University of Liverpool are already using the machine to sift through tens of millions of chemical combinations in the hopes of finding ways to decarbonise British industry. The plans form part of the new Compute Roadmap, a strategy aimed at reducing reliance on foreign processing power and transform the UK's public compute capacity. By 2030, the Government expects this capacity to increase to 420 AI exaFLOP – the equivalent of one billion people spending 13,316 years doing what the system will do in one second. To support the plans, researchers, academics and tech bosses have been brought together to develop an AI science strategy to be published in the autumn. The group includes Google DeepMind vice-president Pushmeet Kohli, vice-president of the Royal Society Alison Noble and chairwoman of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Charlotte Deane. Ms Reeves said the plans would 'transform our public services, drive innovation and fuel economic growth that puts money in people's pockets'. Mr Kyle said they would 'put a rocket under our brilliant researchers, scientists and engineers – giving them the tools they need to make Britain the best place to do their work.'
