Château Rhianfa is a fairytale castle that seems to have been transplanted from France’s Loire Valley to the island of Anglesey in northwest Wales. There it stands on the banks of the Menai Strait, which separates the island from mainland Wales. The castle was built in 1849 by Sir John Williams, the second Baronet of Bodelwyddan, who lived there with his wife and daughters. In 2011, an extensive renovation transformed it into a luxury hotel offering 16 sumptuous rooms and three cottages converted into particularly indulgent guesthouses.
The castle stands on a green, wooded hillside, with far-reaching views of the picturesque houses along the strait, the lighthouses along the coast, green fields and the extraordinary skies of Wales.
The hotel offers several levels of indulgence, from relatively simple rooms to spacious suites. Meals can be enjoyed in a traditional dining room or in an elegant restaurant set in a vast hall with windows facing the woodland. Afternoon tea, served on the traditional tiered stand piled high with pastries, should not be missed.
Anglesey is one of the few places where the first language is Welsh—the ancient Celtic language of the local people—though they respond to English too… The hotel is an excellent base for exploring the island, with its important historic sites and breathtaking scenery, and for touring North Wales.
Château Rhianfa — official website
The verdict: Imagine France, feel Wales.
Archive article, originally published in Cigar on April 21, 2021. Descriptions and services reflect the original publication.
