Hope and Anchor Inn

A Friendly Inn with Sea Views over Fishguard Bay

The Hope and Anchor stands on the hill at Goodwick, above the harbour on the western side of Fishguard Bay, and its great asset is the view: from the upstairs rooms you look out over the slate roofs of the town to the whole sweep of the bay, the breakwater, the ferry coming in from Rosslare and the headland beyond. It is a small, genuinely friendly inn rather than a hotel — a bar downstairs with live folk music every Sunday, a garden and terrace outside, and a handful of comfortable bedrooms tucked under the eaves upstairs.

The Rooms

The bedrooms are up in the roof, with the ceilings following the slope and dormer windows looking out over the bay — several have a genuine sea view, which for the price is a rare thing. They are painted in deep greens and creams and simply furnished, with private bathrooms (a bath in some, a shower in others), free toiletries, a hairdryer, linen and towels. Each has a flat-screen television, an electric kettle, a wardrobe and a work desk, and there is heating throughout. Family rooms are available, and one of the rooms has a small sitting area with armchairs.

The Bar, the Folk Music and the Garden

The bar is the reason the locals come, and the chalkboard tells you what to expect: live folk music every Sunday. It is a proper community pub, and staying above it means you can enjoy the evening and then simply climb the stairs. There is a garden and a terrace to sit out on, with the bay in front of you. A continental breakfast is served, and the whole property is non-smoking. There is parking, and free WiFi throughout.

At a Glance

• Small, friendly inn on the hill at Goodwick, above Fishguard Bay
• Sea views over the bay from several of the bedrooms
• En-suite rooms under the eaves, including family rooms
• Bar with live folk music every Sunday
• Garden and terrace looking out over the bay
• Continental breakfast; free WiFi; non-smoking throughout
• Parking available
• Minutes from Fishguard Harbour and the Rosslare ferry

Goodwick, Fishguard and the Bay

Goodwick sits on one side of the bay and Fishguard on the other, with the harbour and the ferry terminal in between — the boats to Rosslare leave from just below the inn. The Parrog, Goodwick’s seafront, is a short walk down the hill, and Goodwick Moor, a reedbed reserve full of birds, is close by. Across the water, Lower Fishguard is the small, perfect harbour that played the village of Llareggub in the 1972 film of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood. Fishguard’s upper town has the square, the pubs and the Last Invasion Tapestry, which tells the story of the French landing at Carregwastad Point in 1797 — the last invasion of mainland Britain, and it ended with a surrender in the Royal Oak.

The Coast Path and Strumble Head

The Pembrokeshire Coast Path passes through Goodwick. Head west and it climbs out to Strumble Head, where the lighthouse stands on its own islet and the cliffs are one of the best places in Wales to watch for seals, porpoises and choughs. Head east and it runs round Dinas Head to Newport and on towards Poppit Sands. St Davids, its cathedral and Whitesands Bay lie twenty-five kilometres to the south-west, and the beaches at Abermawr and Aberbach in between are usually quiet even in August.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of place is it? A small, friendly inn at Goodwick above Fishguard Bay, with a bar downstairs and en-suite bedrooms above.

Do the rooms have a sea view? Several do — looking out over Goodwick and the bay.

Is there live music? Yes — live folk music every Sunday in the bar.

Are there family rooms? Yes.

Is breakfast included? A continental breakfast is served.

Is it near the Irish ferry? Yes — Fishguard Harbour is just below, minutes away.

Book Your Goodwick Stay

For a room with the bay out of the window, a folk session downstairs on a Sunday night and the coast path passing the door, the Hope and Anchor is a warm and thoroughly unpretentious base near Fishguard. Check availability and book using the options shown on this page.