Pavilion Lodge

A secluded sea-view lodge near the coast at Llantwit Major

Pavilion is a timber-clad lodge for four, hidden away at Tresilian Wood on the St Donats side of Llantwit Major and within sight of the water. Detached and private, it pairs a clean, Scandinavian-inspired interior with a terrace that looks out over rolling farmland to the Bristol Channel, and it is one of the few places on this shore where the sea is there in front of you at the breakfast table. Early guests scored it 9.7 out of 10, and it is built for couples or a small family after quiet, comfort and a genuine sense of retreat.

Inside the lodge

The open-plan living space is bright and beautifully finished, gathered around a wood-burning stove with leather armchairs and a dining area beneath a vaulted, panelled ceiling. Two bedrooms take four guests, one dressed in warm reds against the pale timber walls, the other a smart twin. A modern walk-in bathroom keeps handsome patterned tiling, and self-caterers are well served by a range cooker, dishwasher and a kitchen kitted out for more than beans on toast. Rare for this coast, the lodge has air conditioning for warmer spells, and private parking waits right outside the door.

The setting

Step outside and a private garden and terrace hand you the view, along with an outdoor fireplace, a barbecue and furniture built for long evenings under a wide sky. Board games and a shelf of books are there for the slower afternoons when you would rather not move at all.

At a glance

• Detached timber lodge; comfortable for four
• Sea views from a private garden and terrace
• Air conditioning plus a wood-burning stove
• Range-cooker kitchen; outdoor fire and barbecue
• Parking at the door; broadband to every room
• Four-star graded, with a 9.7/10 guest score

St Donats and the shore

The lodge lies within a walk of Tresilian Bay, whose honeycombed cliffs and low-tide cave make it one of the loveliest coves in the county. Just along the coast, medieval St Donats Castle is home to Atlantic College and a lively arts centre with a busy summer programme of music and theatre. The clifftop path heads for Nash Point in one direction and the broad sands at Southerndown in the other, so walkers are thoroughly spoilt. Llantwit Major’s shops, pubs and ancient church are a few minutes inland by car, Cardiff is about forty minutes off, and the airport is nearer still for a quick weekend escape.

Who it suits

Pavilion draws people who would rather hear the wind and the sea than the neighbours. Couples book it as a romantic bolt-hole with a view; small families come for the space, the safe garden and the novelty of a lodge among the trees; and off-season, with the wood-burner lit and the weather rolling in off the Channel, it makes a wonderfully snug retreat. The nearest shops and pubs are a few minutes down in the town, but the real temptation, once you have poured the first coffee out on that terrace, is simply to stay put and watch the tide draw slowly out and roll back in again. Stargazers, artists and anyone chasing a proper digital detox all find their level here, and the wide skies make it a fine spot for a night under the stars.

Good to know

The lodge is let from around £150 a night, a figure that reflects the sea views, the seclusion and the quality of the finish. The booking button brings up live dates and the going rate. Access is along a wooded track, so a written note of the route helps as much as a satnav.