Elens Castle Hotel

Well, I booked this hotel as a 'treat' for my Birthday / retirement. What a disappointment. I booked the 4 poster bed room. It was dark and gloomy and cramped and airless. It would be a complete passion killer even for a newly wed couple!!!!! It had been nerwly decorated apparently. Ill fitting wallaper was peeling away from the walls, there was an inch gap under the door to the ensuite, ugly old wall sockets were mounted in very visible places, bedding consisted of grotty old furry cushions. We arrived in time for eveing meal. The meal was average but at a more than average price. A extra portion of garlic bread consisted of two slices of toasted bread (one burnt) at a price of £1 per slice approx. We waited in vain to be asked if we wanted a dessert and decided not to bother. We were so disappointed and unhappy that we decided to book out early and were told in a hostile way that we would have to pay for the extra night even though we would not be staying. The price was high but the quality low. I felt embarrasssed to see many foreidn visitors and wonderedif they thought this was typical of Brtish hospitality. Gladly I can say that it is not and there are far better places than this around.

2 readers found this review helpful

We have just returned from a three night stay at Elen's Castle. We found it a lovely hotel - the room was great and provided the kids plenty of room.
The staff were very helpful and welcoming. The bar area made it feel more like a friendly country pub rather than a hotel, and it was great to be able to relax there after dinner.
All the little extras, like maps and guide books to borrow and hose/sponge to clean down the bikes was great.
Highly recommended for families.

1 reader found this review helpful

We stayed Three nights at Elen's Castle but wish we had stayed longer!
We would like to thank the owners and their staff for making our stay so great,they were most welcoming. The room was very nice, comfortable bed and a great breakfast!
We loved the location as the village is pretty and has a lot to offer with trains to Betwy-y-Coed or local wlaks.
We look forward to our next visit.

1 reader found this review helpful

Stayed with a few friends to celebrate a landmark birthday (let's say it was her 25th, you never know if she might ever read this - I'm not taking any chances!). We booked it on a recommendation and weren't disappointed. Idyllic countryside, beautiful building, lovely family run hotel, incredible food (try the steak or the pie...). We had a great time, will definitely be returning.

1 reader found this review helpful

Spent four days in elens castle hotel for our honeymoon. The room was delightful, everything you needed for a comfortable stay.
The owners and staff were extremely accommodating and did everything possible to make our stay enjoyable. The food was divine, home made and locally sourced.
The bar in the hotel is quaint and cosy. A lovely place to relax in.
The hotel is easily accessable, and close to all local attractions. Also close to public transport links.
Altogether the four days were a very enjoyable experience. Fantastic accommodation Beautiful sites in North Wasles plenty to keep you occupied. Would definiately stay there next time we visit North Wales. Highly recommend.

1 reader found this review helpful

My family and i are just back from a most enjoyable stay at Elens Castle Hotel. We had booked a family room and what a lovely surprise to get a suite of three rooms with a shower my little boy was in his eliment having his own bunk beds in a room just next to ours. The rooms were so tasteful you could see someone had put a lot of thought into them. We ate both nights in the resturant the food was to a very high standard the steak i on the saturday night was one of the best iv ever had! Nothing was to much trouble for the owners. The small cosy bar is a must to sit and have a glass of wine or your coffee after your meal. With the real fire on. Even tho it rained we had such a nice base to stay in it didnt dampen our spirits. I would recommend the hotel to anyone wanting a break in the snowdonia national park.

Selective photography - we couldn't find the place as we were looking for the hotel in a location something like the photograph; not in the middle of a row of houses on the main road. The whole place was in a poor state of repair; the room was dire - the bed was so uncomfortable we hardly slept. The attitude of the owner was incredibly bizarre - definitely needed customer service training......... we were wondering if his first name was Basil (!!) As the hotel was situated right on the main through-road, the passing traffic in the early hours was a problem, especially the big slate lorries. This would have spoiled our visit to beautiful Snowdonia, but it was so awful we laughed our heads off! Definitely not on our 'to go back to' list!!!

Unfortunately the changed ownership has not continued the previous standard. Numerous faults with hotel room - windows not closing, leaking toilet cistern, very cold room and very noisy due to generator and noise from kitchens. No service if you required anything during the daytime and restricted menu. There was very little welcome for locals and little sense of the culture of the local area or Wales in general. An obvious example of this for Welsh speakers was a noticeable lack of any attempt to use or promote the Welsh language which starkly contrasted with other neighbouring hotels and businesses. A shame given the stunning location that nothing has been done to encourage clientèle.