The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth: Ancient Capital of Wales

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Exploring the ancient capital of Wales, Machynlleth, nestled within the beautiful Dyfi (English ‘Dovey’) Valley in Powys, Mid Wales, while staying at The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth.

Did you know the rural market town of Machynlleth, Powys was once the ancient capital of Wales?

Standing at the head of the Dyfi estuary in the picturesque Dyfi (English, ‘Dovey’) Valley, Machynlleth was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr’s Welsh Parliament – the original Senedd – back in 1404. As such, the town is regarded as the “ancient capital of Wales”, despite never being officially recognised as a capital, or even as a city. 

What is Machynlleth famous for?

Today, Machynlleth is perhaps best known for its landmark 19th century Clock Tower, its annual comedy festival (taking place this coming weekend) and its popular indie bookshops, art galleries, antique shops, cosy cafes, tailors and shoemakers (perhaps inspired by Laura Ashley, who opened her first shop here), with a lively Wednesday market to boot.

Meanwhile, the wider Dyfi Valley (Powys, Ceredigion and Gwynedd) is famous for its unspoilt natural landscapes. Think lush green, sheep-scattered mountains and valleys; rolling sand dunes; azure coastlines lapping golden beaches; peat moorland and bogs; leafy woodlands; coniferous forests; and glistening lakes, with the crowning point being Cadair Idris – the highest peak in southern Snowdonia.

Regarded as one of the most awe-inspiring valleys in Wales, the Dyfi Valley forms part of the designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Dyfi Biosphere. Comprising the area around the Dyfi estuary, Aberystwyth and surrounding areas (including the Centre for Alternative Technology, Ynyslas sand dunes and the RSPB Ynys-hir Nature Reserve), this is one of only seven reserves of its kind in the UK, and just 727 worldwide.

Where fauna is concerned, the Dyfi Valley is teeming with otters, beavers and dolphin pods, besides various bird and raptor species including red kites, falcons, ospreys, buzzards, merlins, owls, pheasants, and grouse.

Once the supposed ancient capital of Wales, Machynlleth remains one of Mid Wales’ gems to this day, as I found out while staying at The Wynnstay Hotel, located on Heol Maengwyn in the town centre.

Staying at The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a historical Welsh market town that doesn’t have an old coaching inn to its name. However, The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth is a cut above the rest.

The history of the hotel

Originally built on its current site in the early 18th century, The Wynnstay has undergone extensive refurbishment over the years, although every effort has been made to retain the original character and quirks of the building, from the old ceiling beams to the creaking floor boards.

While the hotel has changed hands several times, husband-and-wife, Charles and Sheila Dark – who originally bought the building in 1998 – have been a constant driving force behind its success, with their passion for this charming old Georgian inn forever luring them back to Machynlleth, even after moving to Italy.

The hotel today

Upon arrival at The Wynnstay, the first thing you’ll notice (if you haven’t entered the hotel via the carpark at the rear, that is), is the Welsh word, “Croeso”, meaning “welcome”, written above the front door. As cliché as it sounds, a warm Welsh welcome is exactly what you can expect from your time here.

Today, the hotel houses 25 en-suite rooms – the pinnacle of which being the stately, four-poster ‘Lloyd George’ room; a restaurant headed up by acclaimed Chef Gareth Johns; two bars stocked with local spirits, beers, ales and 50+ Italian wines; and an abundance of cosy little nooks to lounge around in, including a snug affectionately named “cwtch”, after the Welsh term for a cuddle.   

From the vintage fishing gaffs looming over the dining tables and the fishing memorabilia displayed in the smaller bar, to the church pulpit heading up the main bar in the cwtch, and the old ironmongery (including traditional bellows) hanging above the grand old fireplace in the main dining space, The Wynnstay strikes a fine balance between Georgian elegance and country house charm, sans the usual airs and graces.

A home from home

The Wynnstay is not just a hotel, yet too homely to be called ’boutique’, too laid-back to fit in with typical ‘country house’ stereotypes, and more than merely a ‘gastropub’ or even ‘a restaurant with rooms’. Instead, The Wynnstay is a home from home; being here almost feels like going to stay with your rich aunt and uncle.

Despite the usual expectations that come with being in such sumptuous surroundings, this is somewhere you can truly relax and make yourself at home, from curling up on the sofa in the cwtch with a good book, to perching yourself next to the fire with a glass of Italian wine.

With no formal dress code in place, there’s no need to worry about getting glammed up for dinner, or having to mind your Ps and Qs at the dinner table; in fact, guests tend to chat among themselves as they eat, while some even bring well-behaved dogs along for the occasion (a £15 surcharge per room, per night applies for deep cleaning).

The four-poster ‘Lloyd George’ room at The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth

It’s not often I get to sleep in a four-poster bed, so when I enter the hotel’s prestigious ‘Lloyd George’ room and I see the gorgeous, Gothic mahogany four-poster bed that dominates the space, I can’t wait to go to bed (although I’m equally excited for dinner!)

Staying in the prestigious Lloyd George room is a history lesson in itself. Gazing at the portraits of the only Welsh-born British Prime Minister dotted around the room, I’m curious to know why the room is named after him. After a little research, it emerges that Lloyd George spoke at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Machynlleth back in 1937, which is probably why this former meeting room has been dedicated to him.

While there’s no outdoing a four-poster bed, further highlights of my room include a Georgian mahogany desk/bureau and lavish grand wardrobe, wall-mounted TV, hairdryer, complimentary WiFi (accessible throughout the hotel), Café du Monde coffee, and Welsh Brew Tea.

Meanwhile, the bathroom features a generously-sized glass shower cubicle and a large sink in addition to Myddfai toiletries, made by a Carmarthenshire-based social enterprise which provides volunteering opportunities for vulnerable adults.

All rooms are cleaned on a daily basis.

What to eat at The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth

With Chef Gareth Johns at the helm of the kitchen, you know you’ll be eating well at The Wynnstay before you’ve even seen the menu. Having previously cooked for the Queen at the opening of the Welsh Assembly, Gareth was once a member of the Welsh National Culinary Team, and a former Master Chef of Great Britain (MCGB).

A keen supporter of the slow food movement, Gareth’s cooking favours home-cooked meals prepared ‘from scratch’ using locally sourced, seasonal produce.

Gareth doesn’t faff about with food, focusing on simple, fuss-free flavours prepared with care using locally sourced, sustainable ingredients, served in portions that leave you feeling comfortably full, rather than hankering for more, or stuffed to bursting point.

Complimentary cooked breakfast

While many hotels charge a supplement for breakfast, every guest at The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth enjoys a complimentary breakfast at no additional charge. 

And we’re not just talking unlimited cereal, fruit and toast, either; at The Wynnstay, you really can breakfast like a king or queen. Served from 7.30am until 9.30am, the menu ranges from a traditional grill breakfast and veggie cooked breakfast, to scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, poached smoked haddock, and cold meats with Welsh cheeses. 

Having tasted both the traditional cooked breakfast and the veggie version, I can happily vouch for both. Highlights of the grilled breakfast include the meaty Welsh bacon, thick sausage, and black pudding. 

Despite being a real meat lover, however, the veggie breakfast won me over! It was the crispy fried bread and the traditional Glamorgan sausage that did it. A hot, gooey concotion of melted cheese, leeks and breadcrumbs, this was quite possibly the tastiest Glamorgan sausage I’ve ever eaten.

Seasonal ‘slow’ dining

Open to both hotel guests on dinner B&B (who have an allowance of £30 per head) and local walk-ins, dinner at The Wynnstay is served from 6.30pm until 9pm. Lunch is available on Wednesdays from 12pm to 2pm, and on Sundays from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

Guests can choose to eat in one of three dining spaces, including the duck-egg blue, country-esque dining room (complete with yet another fireplace); the main restaurant, with its creaking floorboards and grand fireplace, embraced by a traditional club fender seat; and an adjoining room filled with old wooden dining furniture and, you’ve guessed it, another fireplace (there are four fireplaces in total, dotted throughout the hotel).

The menu is tweaked daily to reflect the changing availability of seasonal ingredients, from fresh meat, game and wild-caught fish, to artisan cheeses and foraged ingredients. A traditional roast dinner is served on Sundays. The menu includes vegetarian and vegan options, and special dietary requirements can also be catered for.

Starters are priced from around £7 – £10, while mains range from around £15-25, with desserts costing £7-9.

Highlights of our dinner experience at The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth include:

• Freshly caught Milford pollack, served on a bed of pulpy tomato and parsley in a pool of creamy, locally foraged wild garlic sauce, brimming with juicy cockles

• Peppered duck paired with crushed new potatoes in their skins, and crunchy green beans, served with a velvety, peppery sauce

• Loin of lamb served with crispy kale and punchnep (a traditional Welsh dish consisting of mashed potato and mashed turnip, drizzled with cream)

• Ruby-red, aromatic wine-cured beef (i.e. bresaola), cured and aged on-site in the hotel cellar, served with a luminous green wild garlic sauce

• Classic moules marinière in a simple, herby white wine and butter-based broth

• Sweet parsnip cake with vanilla ice cream, made famous by former New York-based restaurant, WD 50

• Salt chocolate tart with coffee ice cream 

• Trio of Welsh cheeses including Caws Cenarth Perl Las, Caerphilly cheese and Caws Preseli

What to drink at The Wynnstay Hotel

So, we’ve covered what to eat at The Wynnstay Hotel in Machynlleth. Now, let’s turn our attention to the question of what to wash it all down with.

With two bars stocking a selection of locally sourced spirits, beers and ales alongside hand-picked Italian wines, you’ll never go thirsty at The Wynnstay.

Welsh spirits

Like the food menu, the drinks menu is crammed with local favourites, including gins from Dyfi Distillery (distilled just over five miles away, at the nearby Corris Centre) and Ceredigion-based Dà Mhìle, Pembrokeshire-based Barti Ddu seaweed-spiced rum, and Penderyn Distillery single malt Welsh whisky.

Locally brewed beers and ales

Meanwhile, the beer and ale selection encompasses local favourites like Pembrokeshire-based Bluestone Brewing; Geipel Lager, brewed to the German standard in Gellioedd, North Wales; and Cader Ales, based in nearby Dolgellau.

50+ fine Italian wines

While most of the food and drink at The Wynnstay is sourced locally from independent producers, the wine list is the exception to the rule. Having lived in Italy for several years, hotel proprietor, Charles Dark has an excellent knowledge of Italian wines, with a wine cellar stocked with over 50 fine Italian wines.

Cocktails

To complement its drinks offering, The Wynnstay Hotel also serves a range of exquisite cocktails, like this frothy espresso martini prepared by Hotel Manager, Irina, who hails from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.

Must-see things to see & do in & around Machynlleth

The Wynnstay Hotel makes for the ideal base from which to explore the town of Machynlleth and the surrounding Dyfi Valley.

Machynlleth town centre

Besides the aforementioned indie shops and businesses, Machynlleth town centre is also home to a Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (just like the one in New York City), based within a Victorian town house and former Wesleyan chapel on Heol Penrallt, just around the corner from the hotel.

Just down the road on Heol Maengwyn, lies the Owain Glyndŵr Centre – a medieval town house standing on the site where Owain Glyndŵr made Welsh political history back in 1404, by calling a gathering of parliament and becoming crowned the first Prince of Wales.

The town itself also hosts a series of annual events, the most prominent of which being the annual Machynlleth Comedy Festival, held over the late May Bank Holiday (this coming weekend). Additionally, a literature festival (Amdani!) is held at the beginning of April, and the town’s annual folk festival, Gŵyl Machynlleth Festival, has been gaining traction in recent years.

A number of events that form part of these festivals take place at The Wynnstay, which offers its private function room for hire to local artists, musicians and performers on a complimentary basis.

The wider Dyfi Valley

Venturing out of Machynlleth town centre and into the surrounding Dyfi Valley, you’ll find a varied range of sights, activities and experiences to suit different ages and interests.

Popular sight-seeing spots, activities and experiences include:

• Cader (or ‘Cadair’) Idris

The tallest point in southern Snowdonia, and one of the highest and most iconic mountains in Wales, Cader Idris (also known as ‘Cadair Idris’) is a must-see sight when visiting Machynlleth. You can even attempt to climb it, if you’re feeling up to it. The Visit Wales website lists three potential routes you could take to reach the peak, in addition to helpful safety tips.

• Cregennan Lakes

A renowned beauty spot managed by the National Trust, this pair of postcard-perfect lakes lie at the northern slopes of Cadair Idris, near the town of Dolgellau, offering breathtaking views over the Mawddach Estuary. Park in the on-site car park and and admire the scenery, go for a gentle stroll or hike, tuck into a picnic, or go trout fishing.

• Ynyslas Visitor Centre, sand dunes and beach

Best known for its beautiful sandy beach, sand dunes (the largest in Ceredigion), mud flats and salt marsh, Ynyslas lies within the Dyfi Biosphere and National Nature Reserve, around halfway between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth.

The site is also home to a Visitor Centre selling locally sourced food and drink produce, gifts, beverages and light snacks, besides offering a wealth of information on the various forms of wildlife that can be found in the area.

• Ynys-hir RSPB Nature Reserve

Not to be confused with Wales’ only two-star Michelin restaurant, which lies next door, Ynys-hir RSPB Nature Reserve consists of a Welsh woodland and wetland reserve that’s home to a variety of flora and fauna, including several rare bird species.

• Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)

Based at Llwyngwern Quarry, just three miles north of Machynlleth, the Centre for Alternative Technology was established in 1974 by a group of eco-enthusiasts. Today, it’s evolved into a globally recognised eco centre that researches and supports more sustainable ways of living.

Highlights include the organic gardens, experimental ‘green’ buildings, and sustainable woodland habitats, with sustainable courses provided by ‘The School of the Environment’.

• Talyllyn Railway

The area surrounding Machynlleth features a network of old railway lines, many of which are still frequented by traditional steam trains.

Running into southern Snowdonia, Talyllyn Railway is the oldest preserved railway in the world, and the world’s first railway to be operated by volunteers.

• Dovey Valley Shooting Ground

Based in the village of Llanwrin, around two miles from Machynlleth, Dovey Valley Shooting Ground is a popular spot for clay pigeon shooting, with simulated games also available, for beginner to advanced shooters.

• Corris Craft Centre

The best craft centre in Wales, Corris Craft Centre is home to a thriving community of independent makers and craft studios.

Among them is Dyfi Distillery, whose gin is made using wild Welsh botanicals from the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve, and has been dubbed “the best gin in the world” by drinks expert, Joe Wadsack.

Meanwhile, chocoholics should make a beeline for Chocablock, who make their own hand-crafted chocolate using Belgian chocolate, in addition to running chocolate-making workshops.

Tuck into a spot of lunch at the cafe while you’re there, and be sure to pick up some local treats in the adjoining Welsh deli before you go.

The Centre is also home to the Corris Mine Explorers, and King Arthur’s Labyrinth.

Getting to Machynlleth

To reach Machynlleth from within Wales, you can either hop on the train to Machynlleth railway station, or jump in the car and take the A470.

Machynlleth is also fairly accessible from England and, particularly, from London and Birmingham, via the M54, while the nearest airport is Birmingham Airport.

Secure on-site parking is available at The Wynnstay Hotel at no additional cost.

Did you know Machynlleth is the ancient capital of Wales? Have you ever been here before, or perhaps even stayed at The Wynnstay? Let me know by leaving a message in the comment box underneath this blog post.

Don’t forget to pin this post so you’ll be able to find it again when you’re ready to book your trip to Machynlleth!

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