The Place
Pentre Mawr offers a great mix of two things we love: good old-fashioned excellent service and individual character. It stands just outside the village of Llandyrnog in an area of outstanding natural beauty: an elegant white house which has been in the family for over 400 years, surrounded by 200 acres of woodland and meadows. Owners Bre and Graham greet every arrival with Bucks’ Fizz and afternoon tea: providing a mere hint at how ‘spoilt rotten’ you’ll feel after a stay here.
The place has a feeling of being tirelessly worked at. Bedrooms vary in size, but all doubles have king-size beds: some are beautiful four posters; some have highly carved and polished wooden headboards. More modern, minimalist styles can be found in a few of the rooms, but the attention to detail is impressive everywhere: iPod docks, antique decorations, ground coffee, cafetieres, and nicely picked out period features.
Outside, there’s an ultra-fashionable “glamping” option: five tents which look military from the outside, but are truly opulent within, with king-size beds, under-floor heating, tiled bathrooms, roll-top baths, plump sofas, en-suite hot-tubs: the works. A Michelin-graded dinner is served either at a huge grand dining table or in the more private conservatory. A full Welsh breakfast ‘to die for’ is served in the pretty morning room.
Despite all of this perfection, the atmosphere at Pentre Mawr is friendly, not formal. One guest describes it as a ‘home from home’ and the personalities of the owners shine through: each room is named after a T.S Eliot cat and thoughtfully placed bowls of polos are on hand for guests to feed the resident horses. Bre and Graham are thoughtful, welcoming and overall excellent hosts.