Ivybridge Guest House

A Three-Star Guest House above Goodwick, near Fishguard

The Ivybridge sits at Drim Mill in Dyffryn, on the hill above Goodwick just outside Fishguard, and it has the sort of guest score that tells you everything you need to know — 9.1 out of 10 from nearly seven hundred Booking.com guests, with the breakfast rated “exceptional” and mentioned in comment after comment. It is a proper, personally run guest house rather than a hotel: white-walled, with a conservatory across the front, a lawn and picnic tables outside, and owners who look after people. Coastal walks start nearby, the Goodwick Moor bird reserve is close by, and there is a spa next door.

The Rooms

The rooms are all en-suite, simply and comfortably furnished, with crisp white linen — the guest house makes a point of it — and a proper tea, coffee and hot chocolate tray in every room. There are doubles, twins and family rooms, and several have a desk or a table and chairs to sit at. Bathrooms have a bath or a shower, with free toiletries, a hairdryer, linen and towels. Some rooms are apartments with kitchen facilities, which suits longer stays. There is a flat-screen television, a socket by the bed and a drying rack for wet clothes — a small thing that anyone who has walked the coast path in Welsh weather will appreciate.

Breakfast, the Garden and the Practicalities

Breakfast is the thing people write home about, served in the dining room at the front. There is a bar, a garden with outdoor furniture and a picnic area, barbecue facilities, and a terrace. Parking is included with the room, WiFi runs throughout, and there is secure bicycle storage — useful, because this is good cycling country. A shuttle service is offered, which matters here: the Rosslare ferry leaves from Fishguard Harbour just down the hill, and plenty of guests are catching it. There are step-free facilities for guests with disabilities.

At a Glance

• Officially 3-star guest house at Dyffryn, above Goodwick near Fishguard
• Rated 9.1 out of 10 by Booking.com guests; breakfast rated “exceptional”
• En-suite doubles, twins and family rooms; some apartments with kitchens
• Bar, dining room, garden, terrace, picnic area and barbecue facilities
• Parking included with the room; free WiFi throughout
• Bicycle storage and a drying rack for wet gear
• Shuttle service available — handy for the Rosslare ferry
• Facilities for disabled guests

Fishguard, Goodwick and the Ferry

Goodwick and Fishguard sit either side of the same great bay, joined by the harbour where the ferries leave for Rosslare. Lower Fishguard, the little harbour at the far end, is the one you will recognise — it played Llareggub in the 1972 film of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, and stood in for Cornwall in Moby Dick. The upper town has a square, a good pub or two, and the Last Invasion Tapestry in the town hall, which tells the story of the French landing at Carregwastad Point in 1797, the last invasion of mainland Britain. Goodwick Moor, on the doorstep, is a reedbed reserve full of birds.

The Pembrokeshire Coast

This is one of the great stretches of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. North and east it runs to Newport, Dinas Head and the wild cliffs towards Poppit Sands; west it goes to Strumble Head, its lighthouse and its seals, and on towards St Davids, which is twenty-five kilometres away and has the finest cathedral in Wales tucked into a hollow so the Vikings would not see it. There are seals, choughs and porpoises along this coast, and the beaches at Abermawr and Aberbach are usually empty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of place is it? A personally run three-star guest house above Goodwick, near Fishguard, with en-suite rooms, a bar and a garden.

What is the breakfast like? Booking.com guests rate it “exceptional” — it is the single thing most often mentioned.

Is parking included? Yes — parking is included with the room.

Is it handy for the Irish ferry? Yes — Fishguard Harbour is just down the hill, and a shuttle service is offered.

Are there family rooms? Yes — and some apartments with kitchen facilities for longer stays.

Is there somewhere to dry wet clothes? Yes — a drying rack, plus bicycle storage.

Book Your Fishguard Stay

For coast-path walkers, cyclists, birdwatchers and anyone catching the Rosslare boat, this is the best-rated place to stay around Fishguard and Goodwick — and that breakfast is not a small consideration. Check availability and book using the options shown on this page.