There are country house hotels, and then there is Palé Hall. The Relais & Châteaux property, which sits on the edge of Snowdonia, has the sort of pedigree that travel writers love to remind you of: AA Five Red Stars, a Green Michelin Star for sustainability, and an 18-room mansion where every space has its own personality. But this autumn, Palé Hall is less interested in resting on accolades and more focused on giving guests a reason to book a return visit.
The hotel has unveiled a collection of new experiences that feel both indulgent and quietly unexpected. The Hearth, once the 19th-century kitchen of the original house, has been transformed into a private dining room where Head Chef Ed Marsh will host intimate tasting menus. The room keeps its historic cast iron hearth but adds bespoke wallpaper from Liberty James Studio, a touch of theatricality that sets the stage for evenings of storytelling through food and wine.
Downstairs, the Wine Cellar has been reimagined as a subterranean refuge for those who take their vintages seriously. It is the kind of space designed for lingering over rare bottles and local Welsh labels, paired with artisan cheeses and charcuterie. The atmosphere is deliberately cocooning, a place to disappear into conversation with a glass in hand.
Not every guest will want to spend their time inside. Palé Hall now offers clay pigeon shooting in its grounds, an estate activity that nods to tradition while doubling as a spirited outdoor pursuit. For those who prefer quieter creativity, a new Pottery and Art Studio invites guests to try their hand at the wheel under the guidance of ceramicist Jo-Anna Duncalf. The studio looks onto the gardens and every session ends with a seasonal lunch prepared by the hotel’s chefs.
September brings the launch of new wellness spaces, including a gym fitted with NOHRD equipment and treatment rooms for massages and therapies. October will see the opening of a Whisky and Cigar Lounge, complete with leather chairs, wood panelling, and a curated selection of bottles that balances the familiar with the rare.
The effect of all this is simple. Palé Hall is making the case that a weekend in the Welsh countryside can be more than just a long walk and a good dinner. It can be an escape for the senses, one that folds together food, wine, wellness, craft, and tradition against a backdrop of autumn colour and mountain air.
