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Along the winding roads from Aberyswyth and into Gwynedd in North Wales, past fields of grazing sheep up and down deep valleys, Snowdownia’s mighty peaks come closer into view. Just past the market town of Dollgelau, Penmaenuchaf Hotel appears elegantly perched above the river Mawddach, backed by thick woodlands and black mountains making zig zags across the sky.
The handsome Victorian mansion’s dolerite stone facade, typical of the area, is softened by romantic terraced gardens that slope up towards the woodlands. You’re first greeted with a traditional rose garden that unravels around a fountain to the front of the house, before falling into a maze of immaculate hedges to the side. The back of the house, however, is more wild and dense, merging with the woodlands through various walking paths.
Within its storied walls, the interior designer Nicola Harding has been busy applying her magic touch. Taking cues from the crafts culture and heritage of Wales as well as the surrounding woodlands for the colour palette and motifs that appear on rugs to wallcoverings, she has created spaces which feel loyal to her jovial country house aesthetic. ‘It’s less about creating a polished design and more about creating a sense of belonging,’ says Nicola. Indeed, one feels instantly comfortable here. There is a warmth that invites while still retaining that element of surprise.
The rugs used in the public spaces and bedrooms immediately catch the eye. They were designed based on old Welsh weaving patterns and made by Shame Studios in striking colour combinations of oranges, pinks, greens and blues – in a style only Nicola seems to be able to pull off.
In the bar, the dark stained panelling on the walls has been lifted with Farrow & Ball’s ‘Bancha’ green that’s taken up across the ceiling. Striped fabrics such as Olicana’s ‘Soho Stripe’ in absolutely aubergine and an orange and grey stripe from The Cloth Shop meet blue and pink trimmings on the chairs and ottomans.
The foyer has a similar feel, set off by Adam Bray’s ‘Brown Paper Stripe’ wallcovering in teal. An antique sofa has been reupholstered with an antique floral quilt to the seat and back cushions, and paired with Romo’s ‘Smooth’ fabric in Claret on the frame and with trims from Samuel and Son’s ‘Sophie’ collection on the base and header.
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The meeting of old and new continues throughout the bedrooms: beds from the Nix by Nicola Harding collection are complimented by various antique tapestries and quilts which are used to curtain around and above headboards, or otherwise hung like artworks on the wall. Elsewhere, drapery behind beds are bordered in embroidered braids from The Cloth Shop. In the attic bedrooms, Dado’s ‘Floral Ogee’ in blue covers the walls and ceiling to striking effect, making the lower ceiling heights work harder while tying in with the woodland motifs found elsewhere.
Back downstairs, the panelled bar is the very heart of the hotel, where there is almost always someone reading a book, having a tea in stillness by the fire or cocktails before dinner in the fine dining restaurant, The Afon (meaning river in Welsh). There’s a choice between a tasting menu and a la carte – our recommendation is to try both on different nights. The Bala Lamb with smoked anchovy, asparagus and broad beans is exceptional, and you can even try a Welsh sparkling wine to start.
Beyond these stone walls, this sense of belonging is also easy to feel in the warmth of the local community, from Dollgelau to the seaside town of Barmouth a 15-minute drive away and both well worth a visit. It’s nearly impossible not to be enthralled by conversation just stepping outside the Penmaenuchaf, and further beyond, Snowdonia majestically awaits.
Penmaenuchaf Hotel, Penmaenpool, Dolgellau LL40 1YB.
Rooms from £230, per night, on a B&B basis
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