A Quirky Destination:Portmeirion
These days, hotel stays are considered a little passé and a trend has emerged for staying in establishments termed “restaurant with rooms”. Such is the status of food and gourmet dining in popular culture right now that hoteliers have come to realise that a luxurious bed and décor can only get you so far; but offer a menu peppered with the yield of the onsite kitchen garden and meat that, pre-plate, grazed in the field next door and eager guests be queuing out of the door faster than you can say “field to fork”.
Recent years have seen some excellent restaurant-with-room options emerge, including places such as The Moody Goose at the Old Priory hotel in Bath and the Artist Residence in South Leigh, Oxfordshire, which was once a country pub but now with its bohemian twist and arty vibe, is offering fabulous food and quirky rooms. In keeping with this better than ever array of picture perfect restaurants with rooms, for a truly magical es- cape to feed your inner child and revive your soul, an escape to the village of Portmeirion will not disappoint.
To say that Portmeirion is an enchanting Italianate village in North Wales doesn’t relay the magic of this unique place. It is a self-contained gem of unique rarity. In addition to its architec- tural heritage, its stunning setting and sub-tropical gardens, Portmeirion has two stylish hotels, a cluster of self-catering cot- tages, shops, a spa, cafes and restaurants and an authentic Italian style gelateria. In short, once you enter the gates of Portmeirion,
you enter a magical kingdom and you can be as detached from the outside world and indeed reality as you choose.
As a busy writer and mother of four young children, I found an escape to this quirky, architectural wonderland to be just the tonic. Indeed, if Portmeirion were to be likened to a culinary dish, it would be chicken soup for the soul. It’s a difficult place to categorise because it is not a restaurant with rooms, but then nor is it simply self-catering cottages or hotels. It is, in some re- spects, an architectural paradise that provides a range of differ- ent accommodation options and excellent cuisine but then this adequately describes Portmeirion, too. Perhaps it is best de- scribed as somewhere that offers an experience and a place that is unlike any other.
“If you’re after a refreshing break and some blue sky thinking this is definitely the place to visit.”
www.focus-info.org FOCUS The Magazine 11
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