Where to stay
Portmeirion’s huddle of historic, kooky cottages and scaled-down grand houses scattered about the site are available for overnight stays and self-catering holiday lets. Ranging from two-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom houses, there are 13 fully equipped cottages at Portmeirion, each with its own quirky name, from Dolphin and White Horses to Belvedere. Prices start from £395 for a threenight self-catering stay; £130 per night for a Village suite.
Hotel Portmeirion opened in 1926 as the focal point of Sir Clough’s proposed village. The main building, built around 1850, was the original mansion of Aber Iâ, once described as ‘one of the most picturesque of all the summer residences to be found on the sea-coast of Wales.’ It faced dereliction before Sir Clough added the first extension, a tower-like wing to the west of the house, and today, each room is individually styled but retains a renaissance feel and coastal accents throughout. From £154 per night for a standard double, B&B.
Castell Deudraeth opened in 2001 following a complete renovation of this early Victorian mansion and restoration of its gardens. The building’s Baronial elements, borrowed from the Gothic and Tudor periods, create an impressive example of Victorian architecture at its most fantastical. Indeed, Sir Clough referred to the Castell as ‘the largest and most imposing single building on the Portmeirion estate’, although it took 70 years for his original vision to be realised. Castell Deudraeth offers 11 contemporary-styled rooms, its interior fusing the building’s heritage and traditional Welsh materials with 21st-century comfort and design. A stunning Victorian walled garden offers further entertaining space during the summer. The family connection also remains strong, with work by Sir Clough’s daughter Susan Williamsellis and her husband Euan Cooper-willis, founders of Portmeirion Potteries on display, as well as Bronwyn Williams-ellis’s tile panels, which are featured in each of the bathrooms within the hotel. From £125 per night, B&B.