For more information and to book please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or let us arrange your whole trip, by calling +44 (0)20 8987 4312 or from the USA dial 1 866 610 3867.
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.
Fuel up on bacon butties or almond croissants in the river-view café at Wye Valley Canoes (+44 (0)1497 847213) in Glasbury, before leaping into action on this impossibly attractive waterway. Don't forget to check out our area-specific Welsh destination guides for Brecon Beacons, Cardigan Bay, Carmarthen Bay and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Wales
Boutique b&b style at north Wales' hippest hideaway with Escape's perfectly manicured garden and an eclectic mix of original grandeur and modern touches.
Tucked away in the foothills of Snowdonia, North Wales, Ffynnon is as close to the Mr & Mrs Smith rural B&B ideal as it’s possible to be. The hospitality on offer is second to none.
An elegant Edwardian townhouse in lovely Llandeilo, Fronlas is an ecologist’s dream. The breathtaking views of the Brecon Beacons aren’t bad either.
The fishing village of Aberaeron is painted to perfection, forming a pitched crescendo of pastels and primaries. The Harbourmaster Hotel is a jaunty midnight blue.
Holm House boutique hotel – set back from Penarth's Victorian seafront – blends 1920s style and opulence with Noughties flair; inside, miles of wood panelling wrap expertly around contempo-eccentric rooms.
Hurst House on the Marsh was once a farm estate, but, thanks to a multimillion pound overhaul, you'd never know that now. Its handsome chrome-and-glass bar looks like an art installation on loan from Tate Modern for starters…
Absolutely everything about the Drawing Room has been lovingly created in a style that’s timeless, tasteful and indulgent.
A warm, welcoming, Welsh mansion built in historic surrounds, The Grove guarantees a stylish, luxuriously comfortable stay near the postcard-perfect Pembrokeshire coast.
Nestled between three mountain peaks and surrounded by lakes, reservoirs and rolling hills, The New White Lion bed and breakfast in Llandovery is a wonderful Welsh boutique getaway that provides succour for urban style junkies, romantic weekenders and countryside thrillseekers alike.
Llety Bodfor is a spruce seafront townhouse in Aberdovey (Aberdyfi in Welsh) that conceals a world of fresh-linened, sheepskin-cushion-covered beds a stroll from the Welsh coastline.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
May Hay Festival, in Hay-on-Wye (www.hayfestival.com), sees great writers and poets converge to talk, read, drink and argue in border country. July World Bog-snorkelling Championships, Llantyrwyd Wells (+44 (0)1591 610666). August Brecon Jazz Festival (www.breconjazzfestival.co.uk), an international affair attracting big-name performers. The Green Man festival (www.thegreenmanfestival.co.uk) is a newly established and already much-loved folk music festival which has recently seen spectacular performances from Joanna Newsom and Bonnie Prince Billy. September Abergavenny Food Festival (www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com), which has been hailed as one of the best of its kind. November Mid-Wales Beer Festival (+44 (0)1591 610666). For more ideas, see our Welsh destination guides for Brecon Beacons, Cardigan Bay, Carmarthen Bay and Vale of Glamorgan, or check out our events guide, Smith 52.
This pub on Maengwyn Street in Machynlleth has country-comfortable dining rooms and a seriously talented chef organising the menu.
Located on Lion Street in Hay-on-Wye, this pub has a traditional atmosphere and a dedicated approach to its craft, priding itself on good British produce and its own ales.
A gastro pioneer in these parts, this pub at Felin Fach, near Brecon is a pink-walled landmark with an impeccable reputation for its very, very good lunches and suppers.
Set in Cwmbach, Newbridge-on-Wye, near Builth Wells, this elegant and modish restaurant with rooms, for a lunch that you'll talk about for the rest of the day.
The fish is fresh and the wine are well-chosen at this bar and restaurant on Terrace Road, Aberdovey, where the restaurant is starchyish, and the bar more cramped – in a very fun way.
For something contemporary head to Harbour Lane, Aberaeron for a stylish bar and restaurant serving excellent modern Welsh cuisine alongside delicious tapas.
This wonderful pub has award-winning, locally sourced menus.
This place at Craswall, near Hay-on-Wye is a proper old pub with local beers and ciders, and an expert chef turning out homemade pies.
This place on Brecon Road, near Crickhowell is a popular old inn serving good trad food.
This local in Llanfan Fawr, near Llandrinod Wells is a 12th-century pub serving real ales.
Standing by a bridge over the river in Llanwrtyd Wells, this is a great place to try bara brith with Caerphilly cheese or a delicious rarebit.
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