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Be disturbed only by birdsong

Celebrate, rejuvenate and recalibrate among the mountains and lunar lakes of Snowdonia. Immerse yourself with 18 family and friends in a world of Jacobean bedrooms, roaring fires, a yew walk, orchard and even a yoga room. Walk the slate hills, be enchanted by birdsong, heal the wounds of modern life.

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Let the stresses of modern life float away

Where Snowdonian mountains embrace lunar lakes and waterfalls tumble over volcanic rocks, you can pop in to historic Harlech Retreat as a day visitor. But we’re pretty sure you’d prefer to stay there. Pick from 12 Jacobean bedrooms and switch off amid roaring fires, a yew walk, a bluebell glade, an enchanting orchard, and even a yoga room.

Celebrate, rejuvenate and recalibrate in parties of up to 19 family and friends or colleagues amid the stunning slate landscapes of North Wales. And don’t forget up to four dogs: six acres offer plenty of snuffling and searching. You’ll probably prefer to sniff around the welcome hamper of Bara brith, Welsh cakes, cheese, and eggs.

If your kind of break comes disturbed only by birdsong, you should book. You should also book if you like the idea of a waterfall and stream in the garden. Maybe book if you love coastal beaches, mountain lakes, and private waterfalls. And definitely book if you enjoy the feel of the past married to the lazy luxury of the present.

Beams and oak panels sit alongside a 64” TV for log-lit family streaming (bring your logins) over the BT Infinity superfast broadband. Hum along with the Bluetooth. Cook on the Aga. Eat together in the baronial dining room. Tinkle the grand piano. Work out in the yoga room. Heal the wounds of modern life.

Harlech Retreat

Garden and grounds

Harlech Retreat comes wrapped in half a dozen acres of serenity and birdsong. Cleanse your soul around the yew walk, the rose garden, the waterfall, stream, and bluebell glade. Play croquet and badminton on the lawns. Bring up to four dogs and go walkies on the wooded hillsides. Tuck into a terrace barbecue under the biggest skies.

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Harlech Retreat
Living spacesLiving spacesLiving spacesLiving spaces

Living spaces

Elegance. It’s in every Jacobean nook and cranny. And yet it’s rendered using the finest of today’s techniques. Lime plaster, mineral paints in neutral tones of bone and parchment, liberal use of wood and stone, oak panelling and ancient beams unite in a symphony of sophistication.

Within these civilised spaces, buckets of light play across squishy sofas and woodburner flames cast shadows on limestone walls. Slip apart for serenity and space or come together around the 64” TV to stream your Netflix account over the BT Infinity Wi-Fi. Blast the Bluetooth. Borrow a book. Take it slow. You’ve got days more of this.

Harlech Retreat

Cooking and dining

Is there an Aga? Of course there is, plus an electric oven and two dishwashers for when you’re done. Fill the big fridge/freezer with goodies from Tesco and Morfa Stores, barbecue meat from London House Stores, Y Groser deli and Aberystwyth Farmers’ Market. Get your wine from Gwin Llyn.

Eat all together in the grand dining room with wood on the fire and fresh bread on the table, or out on the terrace under the big skies. Finish every meal with a Nespresso or cafetiere coffee. Having a night off? Call in the pro caterers or call out for takeaways from Lemon Tree Indian, Penrhyn Pizza and Kebab, or Silver Lake Chinese.

Meat not your thing? You’ll love Eating Gorilla in Penrhyn, a vegan venue for eating in or taking away, and Foxglove in Barmouth for vegan fine dining. Take the whole family out, including kids and dogs, to The Victoria Inn in Llanbedr or tantalise your tastebuds at Nineteen.57, voted Best Hidden Gem Seaside Restaurant and Bar in North Wales.

Head to The Last Inn (but not first out) in Barmouth for langoustine scampi or buttermilk chicken. Book for the two AA Rosette restaurant at Hotel Portmeirion with majestic estuary views. Eat in an iconic building on the Llyn Peninsula coast at Dylan’s in Criccieth or try the child-friendly Nor Bar in Barmouth for fresh seafood.

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Harlech Retreat

Bedrooms

Birdsong filters into these beautiful Jacobean bedrooms. You’ll remember what deep sleep feels like as you drift off between 300-thread count Egyptian cotton and Fendi and Seventh Heaven mattresses. Harlech Retreat sleeps 19 in 12 bedrooms. All double rooms will take a cot and some also an inflatable mattress.

Let’s start in the Elizabethan Room: bag this for the emperor bed and en-suite. Or maybe you’d prefer the four-poster in bedroom two with its en-suite and superking bed. Bedroom three (Purple) is a single en-suite, while bedroom four (Blue) offers a kingsize en-suite.

In the attic, you’ll find three more singles, while bedroom eight (Coronation) is a kingsize. Bedroom nine (Poets’) gives you another single and ten (Pandora’s) provides a double bed. Bedroom 11 (Nursery) gives you a superking and bedroom 12 (Butler’s Bothy) is a secluded double in the gatehouse.

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What people say

What people say

We absolutely loved our stay at Harlech Retreat for a family birthday. Had everything we needed and the kids had a great time in the gardens. Lovely escape for the whole family and our dogs! - Erin
Stayed here for an anniversary and cannot fault a single thing, we loved the gardens, the log burner and a dining table to fit the whole family. Would stay again! - Alicia
Harlech Retreat

Mines, zip lines and spirits

Head down a disused mine to test out the huge trampolines at Bounce Below. Ride the world’s fastest zip line at Zip World and watch the goats stampede at Children’s Farm Parc. Bring your clubs for Royal St David’s, chill at The Mermaid spa, taste the spirits at Penderyn Distillery and test your spirit of adventure walking the Welsh mountains.

Boy on the zip line. Boy on the zip line. Boy on the zip line. Boy on the zip line.