Milford Haven, Wales: A Coastal Stay at Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront

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Discover what Milford Haven is famous for and how the industrial history of the town has shaped it into what it is today. Plus, hear about the best things to see, do and eat in and around Milford Haven, from visiting the independent shops, bars, cafes and restaurants that line Milford Waterfront, overlooking Milford Marina, to exploring all that wider Pembrokeshire has to offer.

Home to the biggest fishing port in Wales, Milford Haven is located on the south-west Wales coastline in Pembrokeshire, and is perhaps best known for its locally sourced fresh fish and seafood.

Originally known as “The New Town” after being founded by William Hamilton in 1793 to settle Quaker families from Nantucket and establish the town as a whaling station, it became known as Milford Haven in around 1868.

The Welsh translation of Milford Haven is “Aberdaugleddau”, meaning “the mouth of the two Cleddaus”, referring to how the Pembroke River and the Daugleddau estuary join, winding west to form the spectacular 22 mile-long Milford Haven Waterway.

Since the late 18th to early 19th century, when whaling and ship building/repair were the dominant industries, this waterway has been at the heart of everything Milford Haven stands for. Fishing took over by the 1880s and, with Milford Haven’s harbours among the deepest in the world (capable of accommodating large oil tankers), the second half of the 20th century saw the growth of oil refining.

Looking to the future, Milford Haven is turning its attention to more renewable energy sources, like solar and wind power, alongside ambitious plans to attract an additional two million tourists to the town.

Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront

Opened in April 2022, Tŷ Hotel Milford Waterfront is owned by the Port of Milford Haven and operated by the Celtic Manor group, in partnership with Milford Waterfront.

Based on the site of the former ice factory on Nelson Quay, the 100-bed hotel is ideally located for admiring the natural coastal landscapes and views of Milford Marina, as well as exploring the countless independent shops, restaurants and cafes dotted around Milford Waterfront.

In addition to the hotel itself, Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront operates four ‘Floatel Rooms’ – en-suite luxury double cabins based on the water at Milford Marina, and Shores Apartment – a four-star, two-bed self-catering apartment above nearby Foam restaurant, overlooking the waterfront.

A room with a view

Although there’s no beating the jaw-dropping panoramic views of Milford Marina and Waterway from the balcony of my fourth-floor double room, other highlights include a comfy kingsize bed, complimentary Welsh drinking water and Tregroes Waffles, a luxury monsoon shower, Elemis toiletries, a 43″ Samsung interactive HD TV, a hair dryer, an ironing board and air conditioning.

dulse restaurant and bar at Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront

Named after the edible seaweed growing around the surrounding coastline, dulse restaurant draws its inspiration from its coastal setting, with a menu peppered with fish and seafood, alongside classic Welsh dishes like Glamorgan sausages, Welsh rarebit and cawl (albeit with a seafood twist).

The team is led by Executive Head Chef, Sy Crockford, who is returning to his native Pembrokeshire roots following a long-term culinary career with the Celtic Collection.

dulse works in partnership with several of the independent, local businesses dotted around Milford Waterfront, sourcing its fish and seafood just across the water from Milford Fish Docks; it doesn’t get much more local than this.

Quality meat is another focus, with appearances from Pembrokeshire-reared beef and Trealy Farm Charcuterie on the menu. Meat-free options are also available, although somewhat limited.

Dining at dulse for dinner (served from 6pm until 11pm, with last orders at 9.30pm), here’s what I ordered:

• Chicken, leek and Snowdonia cheese croquettes, served with a fruity, mildly spiced Matson curry sauce (made famous by Chef Tom Kerridge), chicken crackling and Llaeth y Llan yoghurt.
• Silky cod fillet, pan-fried skin down until crisp, sitting in a creamy sweetcorn chowder along with Pembrokeshire potatoes and diced vegetables.
• Sweet peanut butter parfait, raspberry jam ice cream (sourced from The Scoop) and baked white chocolate

Breakfast is served from 6.30am until 10.30am, taking the form of a hot, traditional breakfast buffet alongside freshly baked pastries, cereals, fresh fruit, juices, tea and coffee. Eggs can be cooked-to-order, and the restaurant plans to expand its breakfast offering in due course.

Click here to check current rates and book a stay at Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront

Exploring Milford Waterfront and Milford Marina

If you enjoy walking, following one of the three Heritage Walking Trails designed by local young people last year can make for an interesting way to discover Milford Waterfront.

Milford Haven Museum

Telling the tale of Milford Haven’s cultural and industrial history, Milford Haven Museum is a must for any history enthusiasts.

Housed in one of the oldest buildings in Milford Haven, the museum was built in 1797 to store whale oil ahead of it being shipped to London.

Located just behind Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront, the museum is open from Easter until October, from Monday to Saturday from 10.30 am until 4pm (with last entry at 3.30pm). Please refer to the museum website for admission charges.

Milford Fish Docks

Located just across the water from Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront, Milford Fish Docks is the home of Wales’ biggest fishing port.

The area is home to several independent, family-run businesses, like the Welsh Lobster Co and The Fish Plaice.

Welsh Lobster Co.

Established fairly recently, the Welsh Lobster Co. buys live lobster, crab, fish and other seafood from local fishermen, and stores it in purpose-built, oxygenated ‘bins’ filled with water.

Welsh Lobster Co. sell to both individuals and businesses based within Milford Haven, and across the rest of the UK. While their website is currently under development, potential customers can get in touch through the Welsh Lobster Co. Facebook group, or by calling +44 (0) 1646 663976.

After my first experience of cooking and eating live lobster, I urge you to get your orders in ASAP – this is among the best lobster I’ve ever tasted! While preparing a fresh lobster can be a little intimidating at first, once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s not too bad; we froze ours to ‘stun’ the lobster, before cutting it in half from the head down (the most humane way to kill a lobster, apparently), and grilling the meat. If you’re feeling a little daunted, read up on how to cook lobster (or how to cook lobster tail, if you want to start small!) and check out some YouTube videos so you can master the technique.

The Fish Plaice

Just a couple of doors down from the Welsh Lobster Co., The Fish Plaice – owned by Welsh Seafoods – is run by friendly fishmonger, Jan and offers an incredible selection of locally landed wet fish and shellfish.

Known locally as ‘The Fish Lady’ for her extensive knowledge of fish and seafood, Jan has a reputation for dishing out recipes to her customers along with their purchases. I’m sure she would’ve had a suggestion for the dressed brown crab I bought off her, had I not already earmarked it for my favourite Grenadian dish, crab back (in the style of BB’s Crabback, Grenada).

Places to eat and drink on Milford Waterfront

The Cheesy Cow

If all that salty sea air has got you feeling peckish, head to The Cheesy Cow for a bite to eat.

Best known for its freshly baked, indulgent baguettes and colourful grazing boxes, The Cheesy Cow is located just a stone’s throw away from Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront, on Nelson Quay.

A lockdown success story, The Cheesy Cow was set up by Georgina Neale around two years ago and has since become one of the most popular cafes on Milford Waterfront.

The Sugarloaf Deli and Bakery

Based on Milford Waterfront at Barrallier House on Nelson Quay, the Sugarloaf Deli and Bakery produces a range of handmade sweet and savoury bakes, pastries, sandwiches, snacks, grazing boxes and tables, pâtisserie treats, bread and more.

Besides selling goods to locals and visitors, The Sugarloaf Deli and Bakery also supply independent local businesses like Pembrokeshire-based Bluestone Resort, as well as providing a selection of bread for Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront.

Run by local businessman, Shayne Busby, The Sugarloaf Deli and Bakery has been so successful since it launched during lockdown around two years ago, they’ve recently opened a second branch has in Saundersfoot.

Foam Milford Haven

Directly next door to The Sugarloaf Deli and Bakery, you’ll find their sister restaurant and bar, Foam.

With panoramic views of the Milford Haven Waterway from its swanky outdoor ‘Foam Domes’ (igloo-style ‘pods’) and glass dining room, this is a top destination for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea or perhaps even a night-out in Milford Haven.

The Scoop

After filling up on lunch, make a beeline for artisan ice cream maker, The Scoop Ice Cream Parlour, located at the Pier Head on Mackerel Quay, with dreamy waterside views.

Using locally sourced cream and fresh milk from nearby Steynton Farm, The Scoop makes rich, creamy ice cream in over 40 different flavours, from traditional mint chop chip and strawberry, to more creative concoctions like Turkish Delight (pictured) and Lotus Biscoff.

Run by Carl Wonnacott The Scoop also supplies Tŷ Hotels Milford Waterfront with a selection of ice creams, including flavours developed exclusively for the hotel.

Trwffl

One of two independent chocolatiers based at Milford Waterfront (alongside Dilly’s Chocolates), Trwffl was founded by a nutritionist back in 2016 and, today, it’s run by local chocoholic, Sandra Bevan.

“Trwffl” is the Welsh term for “truffle” and, as you can probably guess, Trwffl’s specialty is handmade Belgian chocolate truffles. Every truffle is made by hand, some of them including locally sourced ingredients like Welsh salt, and seaweed-infused Barti Rum.

Alongside truffles, Sandra stocks a seriously impressive selection of handmade Welsh gifts, and food and drink produce; I couldn’t resist treating myself to Caws Teifi’s Seaweed cheese, and Dylan’s Restaurant’s Pickled Samphire.

Martha’s Vineyard

Milford Waterfront is home to an array of restaurants serving everything from pub grub, to fine dining. Not surprisingly, the focus is often on fresh fish and seafood.

Based on Nelson Quay, Martha’s Vineyard takes its name from the Massachusetts island lying just south of Cape Cod in the Atlantic Ocean, packed with harbour towns and lighthouses. The menu hinges upon locally sourced fish and seafood, and quality meat (including Pembrokeshire-reared cattle), with several appetising vegetarian/vegan choices.

Likewise, the drinks menu is brimming with local favourites like Lobster & Môr’s seaweed-infused Welsh dry gin, TIR & MôR; Da Mhile seaweed-infused gin (made by Caws Teifi) and Barti Rum.

I loved the look of several of the dishes on the menu, but I eventually succumbed to:

• Chicken liver and Pembrokeshire Cider pate with toasted wholemeal, sticky plum and apple chutney, and tangy berries
• Indonesian seafood curry: crispy-skinned sea bass fillet surrounded by plump king prawns, chunks of fresh ray and salmon, in a creamy, fragrant sauce teeming with green beans, paired with a crispy shallot and coconut salad, and a crispy poppadom.
• Lemon tart in crumbly shortcrust pastry, accompanied by fresh raspberries

Things to see and do in Pembrokeshire while staying in Milford Haven

If you choose to venture out of Milford Haven, you’ll be well-positioned for exploring some of the best beaches, historical attractions and local landmarks that Pembrokeshire has to offer.

Coastal Foraging with Craig

What better way to get to grips with Pembrokeshire’s extensive natural coastline, than to embark on a coastal foraging adventure – traversing the local waterways, rock pools and beaches in search of edible fishy finds?

Book a Coastal Foraging With Craig course with Craig Evans and his lovable golden retriever, Llew, and you can do exactly that.

Ever since his father took him cockle-picking at Carmarthen Bay as a youngster, Craig has always had a keen interest in Pembrokeshire’s coastal environment. Five years ago, after careers in banking, the RAF and woodland conservation, his passion drove him to set up his own coastal foraging courses.

Craig’s coastal foraging courses have become immensely popular ever since, recently appearing on BBC’s Great Coastal Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo; and Channel 4’s Best Of British By The Sea with Ainsley Harriott and Grace Dent.

Craig runs a variety of courses according to the local tide times which, as he explains at the very beginning of the course, are the most crucial thing to consider when coastal foraging.

We headed to the quiet village of Dale – around a 25-minute drive away from Milford Haven – and specifically to West Dale beach, where we discovered several kinds of seaweed and edible coastal shrubs, including sea lettuce, rock samphire, sea rocket, sea radish and wild carrot.

We also spotted a few red gem anemones in the rock pools, and I sampled my first ever limpet. It’s safe to say, I won’t be going there again – it had a thick, chewy ring of cartilage around the outer circumference, almost reminiscent of a belly button!

Afterwards, we drove over to East Dale beach to forage in the rock pools, where we found an abundance of prawns and shrimps, around five to six different species of fish, peri winkles, small brown crabs, barnacles, a Macropodian crab (i.e. long-legged spider crab), a sea sponge, sea spaghetti and much more.

Our coastal foraging adventure culiminated with us cooking and eating our foraged finds over a beach campfire fashioned from a Swedish candle, which Craig refers to as a ‘Solva stove’.

Frying some chopped raw garlic bulbs and rock samphire in a little unsalted Carmarthenshire butter, Craig added our foraged prawns and shrimps to the pan, along with some halved crab apples he’d foraged earlier that morning. The finished dish was served ladled into oyster shells, making for a stunning seafood lunch; I’ll never look at a prawn stir fry in the same way again!

Craig runs his coastal foraging courses along 150 miles of the south-west Wales coastline, all the way from Pembrey in Carmarthenshire to St. David’s in north Pembrokeshire. However, most courses take place within a 10-20 minute drive from Tenby or Saundersfoot.

Book onto an upcoming course

Popular Pembrokeshire attractions

• Pembroke Castle: The birthplace of King Henry VII, Pembroke Castle is around a half-an-hour drive away from Milford Haven.
• Oakwood Themepark: Located just a 30-minute drive from Milford Haven in Narberth, this leading theme park is a must for any adrenaline seekers.
• Folly Farm: If you’ll be visiting Pembrokeshire with children, this popular farm attraction is bound to go down well.
• Skomer Island: A national nature reserve located just a mile away from the Pembrokeshire coast, Skomer Island is famous for its nesting birds (puffins, razorbills and manx shearwaters), dolphins and seals.
• Freshwater West – part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, this beautiful beach boasts the best waves in the county, making it a real hit with surfers. Notably, this beach has appeared in a number of movies including Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Their Finest.

It’s been over 220 years since William Hamilton first founded the so-called “New Town” of Milford Haven and, since then, the local whaling, ship building, oil refining and fishing industries have transformed the town into the iconic fishing port and coastal destination that it is today.

However, this transformation is not yet complete. Milford Haven is undergoing a constant process of reinvention to this day, now turning its attention to developing renewable sources of energy, and tempting hoards of tourists to visit the town for a coastal escape. In some ways, the town is living up to its old title of the “New Town” more so today than ever, destined to become a leading UK coastal destination.

After my first visit to Milford Haven, the town has certainly succeeded in luring me back for another trip one day!

For more inspiration on what to see and do on a stay in Milford Haven, visit the Milford Waterfront website.

Getting to Milford Haven

By road

If you’ll be travelling to Milford Haven from Cardiff:

• Follow the M4 west, the A48 and then the A40 to Haverfordwest. From Haverfordwest, take the A4076 to Milford Haven.

By rail

With a railway station in the heart of the town, Milford Haven is well-connected by rail both to the rest of Wales, and to many other big UK cities.

By coach

Alternatively, depending on where you’ll be travelling from, you may also be able to get to Milford Haven by coach via Megabus or National Express.

Have you ever been to Milford Haven? What appeals to you the most about the thought of staying here? Leave a comment below to let me know.

Be sure to pin this post so you can find it when you’re ready to plan your trip to Milford Haven!

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