Harbourmaster Hotel

We had two nights in Aeron Queen and if the weather had been wet and windy we would happily have never left the room except to visit the restaurant. The harbour view through the enormous window (with louvered internal shutters for privacy) can be enjoyed from the settee, armchairs or the bed (very big and comfortable). The large bathroom has a heated slate floor, querky bath, double wash basins and the best shower we have ever come across. The room is quiet, being sound insulated from the bar below.
However, the weather was kind and we walked along the (fairly well signposted) coastal path almost to New Quay and back (12 miles) - the hotel guide advises getting the bus back from New Quay which sounds a good idea. One word of caution, it is easy to lose the coastal path at the Llanina Church on the outskirts of New Quay - you need to go down to the shore there and walk along the beach as some of the other rights of way down to the beach seem to be non-existent.
On the Friday night the bar was too noisy and busy for us to have a peaceful meal in the bar after a three hour drive. By contrast, the table we were given in the circular bay window of the restaurant was absolutely delightful. The food is not as ornate as in places with, or aspiring to, Michelin stars but the quality was superb - up with the best we have had anywhere. On the Saturday evening, our restaurant timing was influenced by a Wales-Ireland rugby match on the bar TV, the bar was very busy but again the restaurant was quiet.

It is attention to detail which makes this place so special: real coffee in the room, Molton Brown in the bathroom, enormous wardrobe, iron and ironing board, a really good hair-drier, complimentary real milk and cold bottled water in the minibar and the half bottle of Champagne courtesy of Mr and Mrs Smith was already in an ice bucket in the room when we arrived!