The Castle of Brecon Hotel

About The Castle of Brecon Hotel

The Castle of Brecon Hotel occupies part of the eleventh-century Norman castle founded by Bernard de Neufmarche, and has taken paying guests since the 1800s, which makes it one of the oldest hotels in Wales. It stands on the high ground above the River Usk at the edge of Brecon town centre, with the surviving castle walls and the Ely Tower in the grounds. A recent multi-million pound refurbishment under the Coaching Inn Group has smartened up the interiors considerably.

There are 42 bedrooms across the main building and adjoining wings, ranging from compact doubles to larger rooms and suites, several with four-posters. Many look over the gardens towards the Beacons or down to the river, and those are worth asking for by name at the time of booking. Rooms are done in a modern style with good beds, en suite showers or baths, tea trays, televisions and Wi-Fi, and the older parts of the building keep their high ceilings and sash windows.

Public areas include a bar and a restaurant serving all day, from breakfast through to evening meals built on Welsh produce, plus terraces and lawns that get busy in summer. The hotel is a regular wedding and function venue, so weekends can be lively. There is free on-site parking, which is unusual for a town-centre hotel in Brecon, and the cathedral, the shops and the canal basin are all within a five to ten minute walk.

It is the practical choice for a first visit: central, well priced, big enough to have rooms available when the smaller places are full, and a sensible base for driving out to Pen y Fan, Llangorse Lake or the waterfalls around Ystradfellte. Guests wanting boutique intimacy or a spa should look further out of town. Rooms are sold on a room-only or bed and breakfast basis.