The Tiger Inn

A characterful boutique inn and café-bar on Merthyr Tydfil’s historic High Street

The Tiger Inn is one of the most characterful places to stay in Merthyr Tydfil — a historic High Street inn at Pontmorlais that has been lovingly restored into a stylish little boutique hotel, complete with its own café-bar lounge and a surprising, pretty walled garden tucked away behind. It even earned its moment in the spotlight on Channel 4’s Four in a Bed. With individually styled en-suite bedrooms, proper coffee and home-cooked food downstairs, and the town’s shops, arts venues and railway station all within a short stroll, it is a genuinely lovely base for exploring both Merthyr and the Brecon Beacons beyond.

It is the kind of place that feels personal rather than corporate — full of vintage touches, warm colours and thoughtful details — and it makes a welcome change from the usual roadside hotel.

The rooms

The Tiger Inn offers a choice of comfortable, individually presented en-suite bedrooms, from cosy singles and doubles up to roomy Executive Doubles and King rooms, several with their own seating area or sofa. Rooms are bright and stylishly done out, with crisp white bedding, cheerful splashes of colour, a smart TV and free WiFi throughout. Because it is a small, characterful inn rather than a big chain, each room has its own personality — and the welcome is genuinely friendly.

The café-bar lounge and garden

The heart of the Tiger Inn is its ground-floor lounge, an inviting café-bar full of exposed stone, vintage furniture and greenery. It serves excellent coffee, speciality teas, cocktails and a well-liked menu of home-cooked food and brunches, much of it locally sourced — from a proper cooked breakfast to lighter bites and cake. Out the back, the walled garden is a real hidden gem: a sheltered courtyard strung with festoon lights, with cushioned benches, a covered arbour and even a lion’s-head fountain, perfect for a drink on a warm afternoon. The inn also has event spaces used for birthdays, celebrations and small weddings.

At a glance

• Characterful boutique inn on Merthyr Tydfil’s historic High Street (Pontmorlais)
• Individually styled en-suite rooms — singles, doubles, executive doubles and kings
• Smart TVs and free WiFi throughout
• Café-bar lounge serving coffee, speciality teas, cocktails and home-cooked food
• A pretty, sheltered walled garden with festoon lights and covered seating
• Event spaces for celebrations and small weddings
• As seen on Channel 4’s Four in a Bed
• Steps from the shops, Redhouse Cymru and the railway station

Exploring Merthyr Tydfil and the Beacons

Staying on the High Street means you can leave the car behind. The shops, cafés and the landmark Redhouse Cymru arts centre are on the doorstep, and it is a short walk to Merthyr Tydfil railway station, with trains to Cardiff in under an hour. Just up the road, Cyfarthfa Castle — the ironmaster’s mansion and museum in its own parkland — tells the story of the town that once produced more iron than anywhere on earth, and families love the Brecon Mountain Railway’s steam trains from nearby Pant.

For the outdoors, the Brecon Beacons National Park begins immediately to the north. Pen y Fan and Corn Du, the Taff Trail, the reservoirs of the Taf Fechan valley and the mountain-bike trails of BikePark Wales are all within a short drive, with “waterfall country” and the market town of Brecon a little further on. See our South Wales accommodation pages for more ideas across the region.

Good to know

The Tiger Inn is a small, independent inn, so its handful of rooms are best booked ahead, especially at weekends. There is easy parking nearby rather than a large private car park, in keeping with its central High Street setting, and the café-bar and garden are welcoming spots whether or not you are staying the night. If you are after somewhere with genuine character right in the heart of town, this is a lovely choice.

Frequently asked questions

Where is The Tiger Inn?
It is on the historic High Street at Pontmorlais in the centre of Merthyr Tydfil (CF47 8UH), a short walk from the shops and the railway station.

What sort of rooms does it have?
Individually styled en-suite rooms, from singles and doubles to Executive Doubles and King rooms, several with a seating area, all with a TV and free WiFi.

Is there food and drink?
Yes — the ground-floor café-bar lounge serves coffee, speciality teas, cocktails and home-cooked food and brunches, much of it locally sourced.

Is there a garden?
Yes — a lovely sheltered walled garden with festoon lights, covered seating and a lion’s-head fountain.

Is there parking?
There is easy parking nearby; the inn sits right in the town centre rather than having a large private car park.