Merrion Cottage

Long Description

Merrion Cottage is a stone-built terraced cottage dating back to 1860, tucked into the village of Penmachno in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. It's been done up for two, so it's ideal for a couple or a solo traveller wanting a proper base to explore North Wales from. Most importantly, your furry friends are welcome too!

Downstairs you've got a cosy living space with a wood-burning stove, which is lovely on cooler evenings and heats the cottage beautifully. There's a well-equipped kitchen for cooking in, and upstairs a comfortable double bedroom and bathroom. Outside the back of the cottage there's a lovely small garden with a bistro set so you can sit and have your morning coffee. In the afternoon, walk out the back gate and find yourself in the beer garden of the local pub, The Eagles (opening hours vary). A few steps out the front door is a Londis shop, so if you need to nip out for supplies, that's the place to go!

Penmachno itself is a quiet, close-knit Welsh-speaking village, so you get the real thing rather than a tourist strip. Slow, easy-going, but lots of activities in close reach!

A few practical bits so there are no surprises:

While there isn't specific parking for the property, the chapel just down the street kindly lets guests use its car park (there's an honesty box for donations). The only exception is Sunday church hours (approx 10am-6pm), when there's plenty of street parking in the village instead. We find most guests are out and about then anyway.

Being down in a valley, mobile signal is patchy and varies by network, but the cottage wifi is reliable and most phones will make calls over wifi these days. There's also free wifi in the village.

Heating is by a wood-burning stove in the lounge, which warms the whole cottage nicely, plus independently controlled electric heaters in each room. There's no mains gas. Hot water comes from an immersion heater, so if it's been switched off it takes about an hour to heat up. The shower has its own heater though, so you'll always have a hot shower. We provide enough fuel to get you through the first day with the log burner.

It's an 1860 stone cottage with all the character you'd hope for. Cosy rooms and a traditional staircase, nothing tricky, just worth knowing. There's no washing machine, though there's a clothes airer, and a launderette in Llanrwst for longer stays.

Dogs are very welcome. The whole property is completely smoke-free. Check-in is from 4pm and check-out by 10am.

Guest access

The whole cottage and garden are yours for your stay, with no shared spaces. Self check-in is via a lockbox, so you can arrive on your own schedule and the place is entirely your own from arrival to departure.

Getting around

You'll want a car to get the most out of the area. Betws-y-Coed is about 10 minutes away for supermarkets and cafes, and from here you're within easy reach of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Swallow Falls, Zip World and the steam railways, with the Conwy valley, Ffestiniog, Llanberis, and even the coast are all a manageable <1 hour drive.

Interaction with guests

The property is self-check-in via lockbox, but our local team is on hand throughout your stay if you need anything, just drop us a message! There is a very thorough recommendations book, as well as lots of information leaflets, at the property if you need help planning activities.

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