Nant Ddu Lodge Hotel & Spa

About Nant Ddu Lodge Hotel & Spa

Nant Ddu Lodge sits directly on the A470 in Cwm Taf, roughly halfway between Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil and within easy reach of the Neuadd reservoirs, the Taf Fechan forest and the standard walking routes up Pen y Fan and Corn Du. It began as a small shooting lodge and has grown into a hotel of 33 bedrooms and suites, but the tone has stayed informal: flagstone floors, a log fire in the bar and staff who are used to guests arriving in walking gear.

Bedrooms are split between the original lodge and later courtyard and garden wings. They are generously sized and warmly decorated, with good beds, en suite bathrooms, televisions, tea and coffee trays and Wi-Fi throughout. Suites add sitting space and, in some cases, private terraces. Rooms at the front are closer to the road, so ask for one facing the courtyard or the hillside if you are a light sleeper. Dogs are accepted in designated rooms and there is plenty of free parking.

The spa is the main draw for many guests. It has an 18-metre indoor pool, sauna, steam room and gym, all free to residents, plus a range of treatments that can be booked as day packages. The Lodge Restaurant and Bar serves a bistro menu built around regional Welsh produce, with local beers and a decent wine list, and has picked up OpenTable Diners' Choice awards in recent years. Breakfast is included in most rates.

It suits walkers who want a pool and a sauna after a long day on the hill, couples looking for an affordable spa break, and groups who need somewhere with enough rooms to keep everyone together. It is not a luxury hotel and does not pretend to be. The location is excellent for the central Beacons but you will want a car, since public transport along the A470 is limited.