Lloyds Hotel
One of our 2010 projects was to refurbish and
redecorate the sitting room / reception. The rocking chair, which many
guests found so comfortable, is now at our cottage, waiting a third new
life (it came from Arding & Hobbs at Clapham Junction and was previously
in our home in Wandsworth).Lloyds has been providing hospitality to visitors to Llanidloes for over 130 years. It is located at the "top o' town", as the locals put it. The building is unpretentious, with no claims to architectural fame, yet sits happily alongside the other businesses and homes that make up one of mid-Wales most endearing market towns.
Since acquiring the business in late 1992, we have steadily and entirely transformed the interior, and continue to make improvements as time (mostly in our regular two-month winter closure) and finance permit. Starting with no stars at all under the tourist authority's scheme, we climbed the ranks to achieve three-star hotel status in 2001, and four-star guest accommodation status in 2007.
Word of mouth and returning guests are our main source of business. In late 2004 we were invited to join Great Little Places, a collection of small, personally run places to stay in Wales. We have a glowing (unsolicited) reference in the current edition of The Rough Guide to Wales, and understand we will be appearing in the 2011 edition of the Good Hotel Guide.
I love the low-key exterior which gives no
idea of the delights within. And, my goodness, there were some delights.
Cecily, Kensington, July 2005The stairs to the bedrooms floors are narrow and quite steep. Due to our location, and the origins of the hotel, we have no car park - street parking is usually available nearby.
While we have a licence to sell alcohol to residents and diners, we do not have a bar.
We cannot provide dinner unless it has been pre-booked, and depending on bookings and business commitments, will designate no-cooking evenings during the week. Our five-course dinner is based on a surprise, no-choice menu, served at a set time (7.30 for 8pm), and cannot be hurried: see Our restaurant. There are three and more (depending on the day of the week) alternative eating venues within a short walk.
All bedrooms are non-smoking (as are our public rooms, of course). Bedroom windows have secondary glazing or are double glazed, however being in a town, sometimes noise of vehicles and people can be heard. We do not accept pets (except guide dogs).
You made us very comfortable and we loved your Fairtrade town.
If you should ever go to Wales
O'er the hills, or through the vales
In need of a quiet interlude
With first class wine and delicious food
Where wondrous stories are always told
Where your every day care can be put on hold
Where you are met by attentive hosts
Then really, there is just one choice
And that is Lloyds of Llanidloes
... although I joke about Llanidloes being 'the ancestral homeland' you guys are so welcoming and create such a warm and cosy base of operations that it does, indeed, feel like coming home. Thanks for that!
