Llangoed Hall

Mixed thoughts about our stay and needs to be split into three parts, location, hotel and staffing. Fortunately we booked with an offer otherwise we would not have stayed given the normal prices. The hotel is an amazing location and the rooms are large and there are plenty of public places to sit around and look out at the views. However, what the hotel lacks is any atmosphere. I’m not a fan of piped music but it felt like we were on a “silent retreat” as there was no background noise and the few guests that were there, spoke in hushed whispers. For a hotel to charge high prices things need to be spot on. There were multiple niggly issues. The tables in the dining room are low and not rotated correctly so you can’t get your knees under due to a cross bar. In our bathroom in room 5 the H and C were missing from the taps. No fridge in the room so you need to ask for fresh milk. The tv is too small for the room. The hotel is frayed on the edges and needs a bit of TLC. On Sunday morning before we went out we tidied up our bed - Simone did go into our room but the bed wasn’t touched and the towels we left hanging on the back of the door weren’t folded or put back in their place. There were very few hangers in the wardrobe and none you could hang trousers from. As a result I didn’t unpack but my other half half did. Although staff did their best it’s quite clear they are under staffed which impacts on service. Breakfast was a la carte on Saturday, buffet on Sunday and a la carte on Monday. We had to wait a while for the buffet to be replenished as when we went down at 8.30am there was very little left. However the buffet was nothing more than you’d get in a full English. The fruit options were the same each day and there was some Camembert and that was it. There was one choice of yoghurt. We had an evening meal on the Sunday which was very good-three courses for £50. Our bill at checkout was wrong as we were charged for a full bottle of wine instead of a glass which was immediately corrected. In most hotels you’d expect a reception desk by or near the door, to welcome you. There is a table at one end of a corridor. I think it’s there so the staff can multi task between the bar, dining room and reception. Overall if the hotel is to survive it needs a reset - for example it was not clear to us who the manager or person in charge was.

We had a very enjoyable 3 days at the hotel. We had a good deal through Secret Escapes which gave us good value. I wouldn’t pay full price for the hotel. Could go with two or three more staff. Excellent breakfast and dining - would return on another trip.

This was our second visit and the quality had declined considerably within about 3 years. There was no help with luggage and no welcoming sherry in the room. The hotel seemed short-staffed (two young ladies were multi-tasking trying their best). Dinner, for what it was, was pricey at £50 per head, and we had to return an uncooked souffle (!) receiving numerous apologies. The bar for pre-dinner was not fit for purpose and a simple request for a sweet sherry received the response “we don’t have any sherry”! Breakfast was a disappointment to the extent that fresh fruit was restricted to melon and the tea and coffee were served from an urn and a vacuum jug. One had to seek a member of staff to look for a fresh cup of tea. There were also discrepancies with certain items e.g. yogurt missing. These may be minor points in some ways but they accumulated to provide a poor experience. A potentially beautiful garden suffered from a lack of attention to maintenance and upkeep. The place has pluses in terms of its heritage and location and two very obliging members of staff but is in competition with a number of Welsh country house hotels which provide a quality of experience far higher than Llangoed Hall which charges premium rates.

It is a magnificent old building on the outside and just as impressive on the inside. I had a 4 poster bed which was wonderfully comfortable and the pillows are huge and fluffy so I slept really really well which I don't very often in a strange bed. My bathroom had a huge shower and a bath and a TV so you can soak in the bath eand watch TV. What a luxury! Breakfast sufficient with a good selection of cereals fruit and bread and the full Welsh was cooked well.

I am writing this on behalf of my Mum. I bought my Mum and Partner an afternoon tea for Christmas 2023, this was their 2nd attempt to have it, they were showwn into a cold lounge, no table with nice crockery! the offering was disappointing, selection nothing like the pictures when I bought it. They had to ask for the champagne which tasted like fizzy water, Very poor food and service for the cost. The first booking was cancelled, but they failed to contact my Mum, they claimed to email or phone her, but they did not have her contact details as I bought the voucher, they did not contact me.

After a good meal here last year whilst staying in Wales, we had hoped to repeat the experience when holidaying this year. It took me 3 months to book a table in their restaurant as their website wasn't working, the phone constantly went to answerphone with no messages answered, and when I emailed explaining the problem they just replied telling me to book online or phone. I should have taken the inability to contact them, coupled with the poor re views, as a warning and just gone elsewhere. However, when someone did eventually answer the phone I made the booking for 5 weeks time, and received an email confirming it. Five weeks later, the night before we were due to dine at the Llangoed Hall, I received an email telling me they were unable to accommodate our reservation as they had an exclusive wedding booked for that day. They tried to blame the online booking system even though they knew I booked over the phone and the hotel personally emailed me confirming it. If I had cancelled our booking at such short notice, under their terms, they would have charged me 50% of the estimated cost of our meal, so I suggested that it was only fair that it should work both ways and they compensate us similalry for the inconvenience, disappointment and their serious lack of professionalism. Needless to say this avaricious business had no intention of making any goodwill gesture, except offering a free bottle of plonk were we ever stupid enough to try and dine there again.

After a great meal here last year whilst staying in Wales, we had hoped to repeat the experience when holidaying this year. It took me 3 months to book a table in their restaurant as their website wasn't working, the phone constantly went to answerphone with no messages answered, and when I emailed explaining the problem they just replied telling me to book online or phone. I should have taken the inability to contact them, coupled with the poor reviews, as a warning and just gone elsewhere. However, when someone did eventually answer the phone I made the booking for 5 weeks time, and received an email confirming it. Five weeks later, the night before we were due to dine at the Llangoed Hall, I received an email telling me they were unable to accommodate our reservation as they had an exclusive wedding booked for that day. They tried to blame the online booking system even though they knew I booked over the phone and the hotel personally emailed me confirming it. If I had cancelled our booking at such short notice, under their terms, they would have charged me 50% of the estimated cost of our meal, so I suggested that it was only fair that it should work both ways and they compensate us similalry for the inconvenience, disappointment and their serious lack of professionalism. Needless to say this avaricious business had no intention of making any goodwill gesture, except offering a free bottle of plonk were we ever stupid enough to try and dine there again.

Went with friends who had stayed before and enjoyed the experience. How things change! As mentioned before nobody to greet us, no offer of tea/coffee. Was not aware before that there is no lift. Room down long corridor and was quite pleasant if a trifle dated. Down for drinks pre dinner only to be told by the undertrained person behind the bar that a gin and tonic was beyond their capabilities! Eventually we went through for dinner where we found that the table lacked side plates, napkins and various bits of cutlery. After the first course the table was cleared by a young man using tray plonked on the table and piling plates on it in the middle of the table. Breakfast was not very good with terrible coffee..We had to order at the table for the hot food. The avocado with poached egg lacked the egg. The bacon was burnt and my breakfast was forgotten altogether. Later we were looking forward to sitting reading in the drawing room with a better cup of coffee. However nobody appeared to take an order. We went for a walk around the much neglected gardens, again a massive disappointment. We visited Builth Wells over the lunch period but came back looking forward to tea. Again no sign of anyone until a helicopter arrived when the manager came out of his office like a bolt of lightning. During our stay the stair carpet was not vacuumed and the downstairs ladies loo remained blocked. There was also no milk in our room for morning tea. To be fair dinner on the second night was quite good and served promptly. When I came to pay the bill someone appeared very quickly. I wrote to the directors of the company that owns the hotel and eventually received a bland reply by email. Basically thanking us for putting up with their staff training. For £600 for two nights I do not feel we got a value for money.

I feel compelled to share my experience attending a wedding on 14th September. From the moment we arrived, the breathtaking beauty of the building captured my heart. The wooden beams and grand fireplace brining back fond memories of travelling with my family. The staff truly stood out, providing exceptional service. Everyone was so friendly and would go above and beyond to ensure the day unfolded seamlessly and their genuine warmth made the day that little bit more special. The couple were overjoyed and I can honestly say that it was one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever attended. The attention to detail, beautiful setting and genuine care and support from the staff made the entire experience unforgettable. I would like to give a special shout out to the wedding co-ordinator Abbie and her remarkable team, whose hard work and dedication was evident throughout the entire weekend. Thank you once again for a wonderful experience. I look forward to returning in the future!