10.08.2024
Carreg Wen among Times "Best of Pembrokeshire"

It's great to see Carreg Wen feature again as one of The Times newspaper's favourite places to stay in Pembrokeshire. This is from an article by James Stewart (August 2024) under the headline: "I've explored all of Pembrokeshire - these are the best places to stay". Many thanks James! More here

Tags:
Categories:

17.10.2022
Carreg Wen wins Sawday's Competition!

We're delighted to have won a fantastic competition run by Alastair Sawday's 'Special Places to Stay' in conjunction with the pottery company Emma Bridgewater. It means we were able to choose lots of lovely Emma Bridgewater goodies for free, including mugs, throws, trays and cushions. Our favourite is the personalised 'Carreg Wen' pink heart teapot (see photo). We've added some additional photos to the website gallery showing some of the new items we've selected for the house. Huge thanks to Sawday's and Emma Bridgewater. We're really pleased with these great additions to Carreg Wen. 

Tags:
Categories:

05.05.2022
Carreg Wen makes it into The Times 'Best Holiday Cottages in the UK'!

We're delighted to have been selected as one of The Times 'Best Holiday Cottages in the UK'! The Travel section describes Carreg Wen as a 'warm, luxurious' cottage with views which 'will keep you mesmerised'. So thrilled to have been chosen for this prestigious list. You can read more here

Tags:
Categories:

18.04.2021
Availability 2021

Due to unprecedented demand, we're now fully booked until October 2021. We're very sorry we're not able to offer anything before then. However, if you'd like to book Carreg Wen for later in the year or for 2022, then please do get in touch. We'd love to hear from you. Contact owner Andy via andy@carregwen.com or 07950000261.

Tags:
Categories:

23.06.2020
SUMMER 2020/CORONAVIRUS

Subject to a Welsh Government review on 'self-contained' accommodation, we are expecting to be welcoming guests to Carreg Wen once again from Monday 13th July. We are currently fully booked until 11th September - sorry we can't offer anything before then!

Tags:
Categories:

Dr Rob Davies at Rookwood Art Gallery
24.04.2019
New Wildlife Art Gallery Opens in Solva

A fantastic new art gallery has opened in Solva, directly opposite Carreg Wen! Rookwood Art Gallery specialises in landscape and wildlife art & photography, and has been set up by artist and author of 'African Raptors' Dr Rob Davies (brother of Andy, owner of Carreg Wen!). In the beautiful surroundings of Llanunwas farm, this is a great addition to Pembrokeshire's thriving art scene. Rookwood Studios is also home to a conservation mapping enterprise or GIS lab called Habitat Info and a database on African birds of prey. 

Tags:
Categories:

23.04.2019
Carreg Wen's Textile Taxidermy

Our guests at Carreg Wen are going to find a striking new addition to the walls - in the shape of a Mabinogion Fallow Deer! It's been made by Helly Powell of Fauxidermy and fashioned from the textiles of Pembrokeshire's Melin Tregwynt woollen mill. The antlers naturally fell from its previous owner. It's a remarkable piece and we love it. For more information on the artistry behind it, please go to www.fauxidermy.co.uk

Tags:
Categories:

14.08.2017
The Edge Festival A Huge Hit

Solva has perhaps come up with the British music festival scene's best kept secret: The Edge. Staged over 3 days in August, this year saw a wonderful sunny festival draw its biggest crowds yet. A celebration of arts, music, sport, and literature, the village was abuzz with activity throughout the weekend. From padde board taster sessions to the increasingly popular open water 'Swim to the Edge', this hugely enjoyable event brings so much more to the summer calendar than just a great music festival. The legendary Andy Fairweather Low & the Low Riders headlined on the Saturday night, but it was the Superskas who got the party well and truly started on Friday. Great beers, great food, great music. Take us the Edge 2018!

Categories: Music Festival

Carreg Wen awarded 5 Star Visit Wales rating
12.01.2017
Visit Wales 5 Star Grading for Carreg Wen

Visit Wales, the Welsh government body responsible for tourism, has once again awarded Carreg Wen a 5 Star rating on its latest inspection. This is the top rating it can give, and we're thrilled that the detailed report gives Carreg Wen 169 out of the maximum 175 points (5 Stars are awarded for properties scoring 87% and above - Carreg Wen scored 96.6%). The inspector describes the property as "a beautifully presented barn conversion enjoying a prime coastal location on the outskirts of Solva". Thanks Visit Wales!

Tags: Visit Wales
Categories: Inspection Rating

12.01.2017
Winter at Whitesands

Happy 2017 from all at Carreg Wen! We've had a fair few bookings over the winter. We also spent a wonderful week ourselves in the house over Christmas (this accompanying photo was taken on a glorious morning at Whitesands). Bookings coming in for the summer/autumn already and great to see some familiar faces back again. Finally, a big thank you to all our guests last year - we've loved reading every single review. Your comments are hugely appreciated. 

Tags: Whitesands
Categories:

Article from The Times
17.04.2016
Carreg Wen in The Times 'Best Places By The Sea'

The Times newspaper has selected Carreg Wen in its recent 'Best Places By The Sea' travel supplement. In a list of '12 Great Houses By The Sea' from around the UK, Carreg Wen is featured with a photo of one of the bedrooms. Here's an extract from the write-up: "Stylishly furnished with a mix of antique and modern pieces, the house has underfloor heating beneath Welsh slate in the open-plan living area with beamed ceilings and a wood-burner. There's a lovely sun room, garden and terrace". We're very grateful to have been picked and obviously delighted! 

Tags: The Times
Categories: Reviews

31.03.2016
Duck Race 2016

Easter Monday in Solva and where better to spend it than sitting in the sunshine on the banks of the River Solva cheering on plastic ducks! The annual duck race has long been a firm favourite in the calendar and this year the sun brought out big crowds to witness the Easter fundraiser. Each duck is sponsored (funds go towards the running costs of the Solva Memorial Hall) and the 10-15 minute race culminates in a great spectacle beside the harbour car park. We sponsored 4 ducks but didn't get a look in!

Tags: Solva
Categories: News

Grub Kitchen photo
31.12.2015
Grubs Up!

The Grub Kitchen in St.Davids is a real find. Recently opened by chef Andrew Holcroft (pictured), it offers a pretty unique gastronomic experience: Bug burgers, mealworm macchiatos & cricket cookies! It is a mecca for entomophagists (insect eaters!) and a brilliant experience for those of us trying out baked bugs for the first time. We loved the food and the restaurant itself which is an old cow shed on the farm. Andrew's partner Dr Sarah Beynon runs the award-winning Bug Farm across the yard from the restaurant and offers a superb tour of the tropical bug house. Handling stick insects and cockroaches proved a huge hit with the kids. Hugely recommended. 

Tags: Reviews
Categories: Restaurant

15.08.2015
Bay View Stores Sign Goes Viral!

Our local shop, the brilliant Bay View Stores, became something of an internet sensation recently when photographs of one of its signs went viral! When Australia were bowled out for 60 runs by England in the fourth Ashes test, Bay View Stores owner Gwyn Price had already pre-empted a collapse with a sign outside the shop advertising: "For Sale, Australian Cricket Bats, Hardly Used"! From Radio 2 to the Lad Bible and an assortment of famous cricketers, the sign got mentions worldwide plus more than 100,000 shares, retweets and favourites. The Western Telegraph featured the story before Gwyn followed up with a sign: "Missing: Welsh Stud, last seen on page 10 of the Western Telegraph"...!

 

 

Tags: Solva
Categories: News

05.06.2015
Another lovely Trip Advisor review

Just in: "We have enjoyed a fabulous week at Carreg Wen. The cottage is in a beautiful location close to Solva, St. David's and the Pembrokeshire National Park coast path. The cottage is well equipped for couples and/or families with two double bedroom upstairs and one twin bedroom on the ground floor. The kitchen, dining room and lounge are well equipped and flow as a single open-plan space. The bonus is the sun room, overlooking the garden and with great sea views across the fields to St. Brides bay. We noted a lack of coat hangers, hanging space and hair dryer, although not essential, would make the property even better....We were sad to leave the lovely cottage and amazing views at the end of our week stay, we hope to return"

Such a great review - many thanks. We've replaced the hair dryer (previous guests had mistakenly taken it home!) & and are working on hanging space! Bear with us. Hope to see you again. 

Tags: Trip Advisor
Categories: Reviews

15.01.2015
Loving our first Trip Advisor review!

We've just had our first guest review on Trip Advisor - and so far, so good! It's entitled 'Beautiful house in beautiful spot' and reads as follows: "Just returned from New Year here with friends and our two year old. Can't recommend it enough - the house is beautifully designed and appointed and very cosy with incredible views across the fields to the sea beyond. Andy the owner was so nice, too - very helpful and welcoming, with lots of useful advice. Will definitely come again."

What lovely guests!

Tags: Trip Advisor
Categories: Reviews

02.12.2014
Carreg Wen in `30 Best British Hideaways'!

Some great news as we head towards Christmas: We've been selected by the holiday website Travel AOL as one of their `best British hideaways to hole up this winter'. They've picked out 30 `cosy cottages' from around the UK to spend a `super snug rustic winter' and we're delighted that Carreg Wen makes it in there.  The review says: `this spacious luxury holiday home is a wonderful winter hideaway with views'. We couldn't agree more! More here: http://aol.it/1w0nO9U

Tags: AOL
Categories: Reviews

13.08.2014
Our favourite review of the summer

We've had some fantastic comments in our guest book from our lovely guests this summer. It's very much appreciated. "Truly wonderful" said the Skudder family; "Luxury but homely" commented the Powells and David Siveter called Carreg Wen a "peaceful and beautiful home". But perhaps this was our favourite from the Ross family who live in SW London: "We were blessed with the kind of weather you wish to bottle so we could not fail to enjoy a week in this part of the world. However, we would have enjoyed this house even if it had rained all week. It is very tasteful, practical and well equipped with an attention to detail we truly appreciated having stayed in many holiday cottages previously. Congratulations on creating a haven of luxury".

Thank you all very much and please come again!

 

Tags:
Categories:

23.07.2014
Solva in Sunday Times 30 Best Places To Live By The Sea

It's great to see that our wonderful village of Solva has been named in the Sunday Times `30 Best Places to live by the Sea'. Listed longside the likes of Lyme Regis, Penzance & St Ives, Solva is described - rather aptly we think - as `a mini Salcombe, without the pretensions'. The review describes the main street as `full of restaurants, galleries and antique emporia' and `despite being one of the prettiest harbour villages in the principality....seldom feels overtouristy'. We couldn't agree more.

Tags: Solva
Categories: Reviews

08.05.2014
Carreg Wen makes it into Sawday's Special Places!

The hugely acclaimed travel guide `Alastair Sawday's Special Places to Stay' has selected Carreg Wen to feature as part of its amazing portfolio of self-catering properties. After an inspection earlier this Spring, Sawday's invited us to join them, with Carreg Wen selected for their `New Places' and `Close to Coast' collections. Here's a snippet of their review: "The old farm malthouse (ex stables, ex tin-topped shack) has become a blissful bolthole by the sea. Carreg Wen, recently and beautifully revived, has it all: a design-led interior but nothing too precious, a glorious ever-changing panorama of the sea, a huge garden that's great for children, and the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path a skip away". For the full review click here.

Tags: Sawday's
Categories: Reviews

21.03.2014
Our first rating from Visit Wales - 5 Stars!

Visit Wales came to Carreg Wen earlier this year to grade it and we're delighted to say that they've awarded us a 5 star rating, their highest grading! Visit Wales are the premier assessing agency for accommodation in Wales and give properties a rating between one and five stars 'based on the facilities available and overall quality of the experience'.

 

It's been an exciting few years for all of us involved in transforming this old malthouse. We've attached a few photos of what it used to look like, as well as some taken during the build process. Have a look - there was nothing 5 star about it a few years back!

Categories: Awards

Tour of Pembrokeshire 26th/27th April
05.03.2014
Cycling Fans? Don't miss the Tour of Pembrokeshire 26th/27th April

"This is an exceptional event, a totally different feel to most sportives" said one of the record 1100 riders who took part in last year's Tour of Pembrokeshire. With a range of difficulty to suit both novice and seasoned sportive rider, this is a great event to become involved in. The main event takes place on Saturday 26th April and offers a series of routes, while there is a family ride event on Sunday 27th April covering 2 courses (8 miles & 16 miles) starting in St. David's. Even if it's too late to book a place on the main Tour, you can follow the route along the course which takes in the splendour of the Pembrokeshire coast. And keep an eye out for the Irish band the Burren Bicycle Club who'll be playing live in St. David's that weekend. It's a charity event and the two main beneficiaries this year will be the Wales Air Ambulance and the RNLI.

 

For more information go to the Tour's website: http://www.tourofpembrokeshire.co.uk/ It looks like it'll be another great event.

Categories: Cycling