Castlebank Hotel - there's lovely

I had a business trip which took me down as far as Shrewsbury, then into north Wales. I needed a bed for the night so after drawing a blank with the usual large-chain suspects I plumped for the Castlebank Hotel, in Conwy. I found it on tripadvisor.com and there were loads of people raving about it so decision made!

After I'd booked it (£55 for me for B&B, not bad considering I was willing to pay that for a T****lodge sans brekkie) I googled it and found a good website with lots of information, icluding that they were featured on a TV programme.

The reviews were right, the location couldn't have been better, the place was superb, I felt spoilt the whole time I was there right down to the host addressing me by my correct Sunday name even when he had to remember at least eight others.

I was given Room 7 on the top floor, which according to the blurb was probably servants quarters, but it was bigger than my room at home! The blurb also said that it had been a marine laboratory for experiments with breeding oysters, maybe that's why I felt at home

I then went to my next appointment in Bangor and had time to sneak over to Anglesey via the Menai Bridge .


Last time I was there was when I was about 10, I remember staying in Prestatyn (not thatyn) and going to the Mountain Zoo above Colwyn Bay, and Canaervon Castle, and llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. I drove past Llanfair PG and considered stopping, but I decided against it when I saw the 6 tourist coaches parked outside the rather large gift shop. It wasn't like that last time I was there!

I tried to find the prehistoric site marked on the big roadmap but failed, but I'll be back!