Castles, Coastlines and Starry Skies: A luxury travel guide to Wales

Discover Wales’ quirkiest village 

Described as an “explosion of architecture” by its creator, Welsh architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, Portmeirion is a picturesque village on the northwest coast of Wales that looks more like Italy than Wales. Sir Clough created the village over the course of 50 years, often salvaging parts of grand houses set for demolition in an early act of sustainability. The result is a striking collection of beautiful buildings in contrasting styles, from Arts & Crafts to Palladian. 

 

Portmeirion Pottery, founded in 1960 by Sir Clough’s daughter Susan, grew into a world-renowned brand, best known for its Botanic Garden collection, which remains popular to this day. The village was also the otherworldly filming location for cult sci-fi TV show The Prisoner.

 

Day tickets are available as well as options to stay overnight in one of two four-star hotels, 32 serviced rooms or 13 bijou self-catering cottages with access to the hotel facilities. Portmeirion.wales

Stargaze in Dark Sky Reserves

Stargazing is a hot travel trend for 2025, and Wales is among the world’s best places to experience it at Dark Sky Reserves, Parks and Discovery Sites sprinkled across Wales. On clear nights, especially in autumn and winter, stargazers will see thousands of stars and comets. 

 

There are also meteor showers that are more predictable than you might think, with the best being the Perseids in August, Geminids in November and Quadrantids in January, where gazers can see more than 100 meteors in an hour.

 

Dark Sky Wales provides stargazing experiences with expert guidance revealing a deeper understanding of the universe. darkskywalestrainingservices.co.uk

Take a swing at Celtic Manor 

Few hotels can claim to have hosted world leaders for a NATO Summit or golf’s greatest team event, The Ryder Cup, but Celtic Manor Resort has done both. This imposing landmark, perched on a hillside on the edge of Newport, has three golf courses, including the signature Twenty Ten that was purpose-built to host the Ryder Cup, offering players dramatic terrain and challenging design.

 

The award-winning Forum Spa and Ocius Treatment Rooms are perfect for relaxing after a round of golf or before visiting one of the five bars or six restaurants.

 

There are 332 elegant rooms as well as larger lodges for groups dotted around the grounds. The self-catering Hunter Lodge can accommodate eight guests in four bedrooms, with open-plan living space, a hot tub, sauna, private garden and views of the Montgomerie course. www.celtic-manor.com

 

Celtic Manor Resort

 

Revel in the luxury of Palé Hall

Once owned by the Duke of Westminster, Palé Hall, a fine Victorian mansion on the doorstep of the Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, has just 18 decadent rooms with ornate fireplaces, William Morris prints and views over the wooded grounds, but the Victoria Room, where the queen stayed in 1889, is the pinnacle with its four-poster bed and seven-foot tub. 

 

Set on 50 acres of gardens and woodland that stretch down to the River Dee, the AA Five Red Star, Relais & Chateaux luxury country house also has four suites secreted around the grounds offering the utmost privacy, including The Bracken, a duplex suite in a restored Coach House with a courtyard garden and roll-top bath.

 

The property secured Wales’ first Michelin Green Star at The Henry Robertson Dining Room where locally sourced lamb, venison, game and seafood, alongside herbs, fruit and vegetables grown on the estate, are served by staff wearing uniforms made from recycled material. www.palehall.co.uk

 

Palé Hall on the doorstep of the Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park

 

Explore the capital from Voco St David’s

The capital of Wales, Cardiff is a vibrant coastal destination with a string of attractions, from museums and parks to the UK’s Royal Mint, which has manufactured coins for more than 1100 years.

 

A short walk from the city centre, located on Cardiff Bay, Voco St David’s is a five-star hotel with an award-winning spa, fitness centre, indoor swimming pool and 142 contemporary rooms and suites, many with deck-style balconies offering views across the bay. The Tiger Bay Floor pays tribute to the history of the area that was formerly known by that name when it was a bustling port, and the corner suite is filled with thoughtful accessories, such as a telescope and vintage radio, two balconies and a bedroom with harbour and bay views.

 

Meaning ‘land and sea’ in Welsh, the hotel’s Tir a Môr restaurant serves local delights, including pan-roasted cod, Brecon lamb and the ubiquitous Bara Brith cake, a traditional fruit loaf made with tea. stdavids.vocohotels.com

 

Five-star hotel Voco St David’s is located on Cardiff Bay

 

For more information, visit Starring Great Britain: A Premium Collection 2025