Places to Stay in Wales

Explore Wales region by region

Each part of Wales has its own distinct character — here's a quick guide to help you decide where to stay:

• Anglesey (Ynys Môn) — an island ringed by beaches and coastal path, from the lighthouse at South Stack to the dunes of Newborough and the castle town of Beaumaris.
• Llŷn Peninsula — surf beaches and fishing villages within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Abersoch, Aberdaron and the National Trust harbour at Porthdinllaen.
• Snowdonia (Eryri) — Wales's highest mountains and finest walking, with lively bases at Betws-y-Coed, Beddgelert and Llanberis and adventure days at Zip World.
• the North Wales Coast — classic seaside and castles: Llandudno's Victorian promenade and the Great Orme, medieval Conwy, and the beaches of Colwyn Bay and Rhos-on-Sea.
• North East Wales — the Dee Valley and Llangollen, the UNESCO Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and walking on the Clwydian Range.
• Mid Wales & Powys — big skies and quiet valleys, the second-hand book town of Hay-on-Wye, Machynlleth and Lake Vyrnwy.
• the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) — Pen y Fan, waterfall country around Ystradfellte and some of the darkest night skies in Britain.
• Ceredigion — the Cardigan Bay coast where dolphins are often seen, with the harbour towns of Aberaeron and New Quay and seaside Aberystwyth.
• Pembrokeshire — the UK's only coastal National Park: Tenby, St Davids and beaches such as Barafundle, linked by the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
• Carmarthenshire — Dylan Thomas's Laugharne, the National Botanic Garden of Wales and the hilltop ruin of Carreg Cennen.
• Swansea & the Gower Peninsula — Britain's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with the sands of Rhossili and Three Cliffs Bay and the village of Mumbles.
• Cardiff & the Vale of Glamorgan — the capital's castle and Cardiff Bay waterfront, plus the Glamorgan Heritage Coast and the resort of Barry.
• South Wales & the Valleys — mining heritage at Blaenavon's Big Pit, mighty Caerphilly Castle and green valleys within easy reach of the M4.
• the Wye Valley — gentle riverside walks between Chepstow and Monmouth and the romantic ruins of Tintern Abbey.

Popular ways to search

Looking for something in particular? These are some of the most popular breaks people search for in Wales:

• Hot tub lodges in Wales and cottages with hot tubs
• Dog-friendly cottages — including dog-friendly cottages in Pembrokeshire and on the Gower
• Sea-view cottages and hot tub lodges in Snowdonia
• Current special offers and what's on in our Wales events guide

Planning your trip to Wales

When to visit

Wales is a year-round destination. July and August bring the warmest weather and the busiest beaches; late spring (May and June) and early autumn (September) are quieter and often just as bright, with lower prices. Autumn and winter suit mountain walks, waterfalls in full flow and firelit country inns — and it's when you'll find the best off-season deals.

Getting here and around

Most visitors come by car. Direct trains run from London to Cardiff, Swansea, Llandudno Junction and Bangor, and from Birmingham to Aberystwyth. Scenic lines such as the Cambrian Coast and the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways are an attraction in their own right.

Why book direct where you can?

• No agency booking fees when you book direct with the owner
• Direct contact with the owner wherever a listing shows Book Direct
• Honest descriptions and genuine local knowledge
• A wide choice of independent accommodation across Wales

Frequently asked questions

Do I book through Wales Tourists Online or with the owner?

We're a directory, not a booking agent. Some places take bookings direct with the owner, and their listings carry a green Book Direct badge. The rest are booked through an agent such as Booking.com or Sykes, and the right link is on each listing.

Where are the best beaches in Wales?

For sand, try Tenby and Barafundle in Pembrokeshire, Rhossili and Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower, or Newborough and Benllech on Anglesey. For surfing, the Llŷn Peninsula has Hell's Mouth, near Abersoch.

Where is the best walking in Wales?

For mountains, head to Snowdonia or the Brecon Beacons; for coast, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and the Gower Peninsula are hard to beat.

Where are the best places to visit in Wales?

Start with Caernarfon and Conwy, where the castles and the medieval town walls still stand. St Davids is the smallest city in Britain, with its cathedral in a hollow below the town. Llandudno has a Victorian pier and a tramway up the Great Orme, and Portmeirion is an Italian-style village on the Dwyryd estuary near Porthmadog.

Where is the best place to stay in Wales?

It depends on the trip. For mountains, stay in Betws-y-Coed or Llanberis in Eryri. For a seaside town, try Saundersfoot or Llandudno, and for a city break, Cardiff. Every area has its own page here, so pick the part of Wales first and the town second.