Wales
United Kingdom
- Countryside
- Verdant variety show
- Country life
- Coastline, castles and contemporary cool
The sleepy green counterpoint to southern England’s metropolitan madness.
Over the past decade, the central swath of Wales has gained a golden reputation among organic-aware weekenders looking for a break from urban living. Happily, ye olde Wales and cool Cymru co-exist perfectly. There are superchic hotels and restaurants, but also plenty of auntie-run pubs still going strong. Mid-Wales beaches offer Atlantic surf and retro charm; walkers can hike up Snowdon or stroll down the English Marches. With its Victorian spa towns, millions of books in Hay, and the growing gastro scene showcasing Welsh produce, this is a region approaching Next Big Thing status.
Pictured: Harbourmaster Hotel
Boutique hotels in Wales
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and boutique hotels in Wales
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Getting there
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
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Worth getting out of bed for
Highlights some of Wales' best attractions; for more information about Brecon Beacons, Cardigan Bay, Carmarthen Bay or the Vale of Glamorgan, go to the relevant UK destination guides.
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Eating, drinking & dancing
We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Wales.
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Smith Maps
Here is the map of Wales; each Mr & Mrs Smith hotel is marked by a flag; click it for more details.
moreLocal knowledge
- Taxis
- Outside Cardiff, you’ll have to pre-book or find out if there’s a decent local firm via your hotel.
- Tipping culture
- As in the rest of the UK, a 12.5–15 per cent tip is expected in restaurants; sometimes it’s included, sometimes not.
- Packing tips
- Bucket and spade. An audiobook of Under Milk Wood for the car. Umbrella, windcheater, woollies…
- Recommended reads
- On the Black Hill by Bruce Chatwin; The Unbearable Lightness of Being in Aberystwyth by Malcolm Pryce; Collected Stories by Dylan Thomas; Red Kite Country by Mike Reid and Colin Woolf.
- Cuisine
- Try fish, fresh from river and ocean, local cheeses, leek soup, bara brith (a dried-fruit loaf), laver bread (made with seaweed), local lamb and black beef.
- Currency
- Pound sterling.
- Dialing codes
- Country code for the UK: 44.
- Do go/don't go
- It’s all about the weather: seasonal serendipity will decide whether you enjoy a roaring fire or a beach barbecue, though a summer’s day is always likely to be bracing rather than baking. Beaches fill up on summer bank holidays but remember, a crisp winter walk can be extra special when you’ve got the whole valley, beach or hillside to yourselves.
