Wales’ best hotel opens new pub where you can stay overnight and have your food cooked by an expert chef’

There’s a swanky new gastro pub addition to the Palé Hall Estate

16:46, 22 Jul 2025Updated 16:49, 22 Jul 2025

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn moreOnce a rustic village pub dating back to 1695, The Bryntirion promises a cosy stay where ‘motoring heritage meets modern Welsh hospitality.'(Image: The Bryntirion)

A new addition to the swish Palé estate, The Bryntirion Inn recently opened its doors at the gates of the five-star Palé Hall Hotel in Bala after a £1 million glow-up to inject a fresh feel while retaining its historic decor and vibe.

Once a rustic village pub dating back to 1695, The Bryntirion promises a cosy stay where ‘motoring heritage meets modern Welsh hospitality.’

Owners Anthony and Donna Cooper-Barney have revamped the historic inn, creating a modern gastropub with rooms on the doorstep of the Eryri National Park.

The pair also manage Palé Hall, which we recently ranked as top in our list of the best hotels in Wales. Our travel writer, Portia commends the Hall for “substance beneath the flair” and how the rooms “exuded understated elegance, perfectly complementing the panoramic views of the Dee Valley and its theatrically scenic surroundings.”

Plans are underway to add a spa and a second restaurant and potentially expand the historic hotel’s number of bedrooms. They have also invested £200,000 to create exquisite Welsh art galleries. It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, if The Bryntirion takes a leaf out of its sister venue’s book.

There’s enough classic car memorabilia to keep the petrolheads happy.(Image: The Bryntirion)

This latest village pub project is close to Anthony’s heart. “We are thrilled to introduce The Bryntirion Inn as the latest part of the Palé Hall Estate.”

He adds that the new venture is “the perfect place to share my classic car collection, while creating a true village pub where locals can feel at home.

The Bryntirion is about genuine hospitality, great food, and celebrating everything that makes this part of Wales so special.”

Forget five-star fuss. This is a proper village-style pub with sixty-cover dining room, good-looking bedrooms, and enough classic car memorabilia to keep the petrolheads happy.

Forget five-star fuss. This is a proper village-style pub with sixty-cover dining room(Image: The Bryntirion)

Decor-wise, despite the expensive revamp, there’s still plenty of charm, with original stone walls, low timber beams, a roaring fireplace, and a bar stocked with real Welsh ales on tap and local spirits.

While the bar remains a familiar spot for Bala regulars, the dining room has a more polished but still inviting feel and a creative menu shaped by the bountiful landscape around it.

At the helm in the kitchen is Head Chef Tristan Fitt. His impressive CV includes heavyweights like Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, The Westbury in Mayfair and Wheeler’s Oyster Bar in Whitstable.

In these historic surroundings, Chef Tristan is crafting a solid menu rooted in local produce. Vegetables come from Ty Uchaf Farm just down the road, and eggs are collected from Caepant Eggs in nearby Llandderfel.

In these historic surroundings, Chef Tristan is crafting a solid menu rooted in local produce(Image: Jodi Hinds )

Respected Bala butcher TJ Roberts supplies the pub’s meat, including 28-day-aged Black Angus ribeye and pork chops destined for the grill. The result is a collection of elevated pub classics that feel honest and generous, with no unnecessary frills.

The à la carte menu is seasonal and expressive. One dish pairs a delicate chicken liver parfait with plum gel, lemongrass and Japanese Umeboshi plums.

There’s a proper chicken pie made with baby vegetables, pomme purée infused with garlic and herbs, and a rich tarragon sauce that’s hard to leave unfinished.

Desserts include an elegant tiramisu in Opera cake form, complete with espresso ice cream and a Tia Maria gel. For something nostalgic, the Bryn Strawberry Trifle layers vanilla custard with sponge and sherry-soaked fruit and is beautifully plated.

Sunday lunch here is already drawing a loyal following.(Image: The Bryntirion Inn )

Sunday lunch here is already drawing a loyal following, and it’s easy to see why. Plates arrive piled with crisp roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire puddings and seasonal vegetables.

You can choose crispy pork belly served with apple, sage, and a pig in blanket or roast sirloin of Welsh beef with horseradish. For plant-based diners, there’s also a nut roast pie that stands up to the meaty mains.

The drinks list is worth lingering over. All of the beers, ciders and house spirits come from Welsh producers, handpicked with help from Stori, Bala’s brilliant independent bottle shop and tap room.

There’s a thoughtful selection of low and no-alcohol options too. Overseeing the wine list is Palé Hall’s Head Sommelier Garry Clark, who’s balanced, reliable favourites with lesser-known pours, including some Welsh wines chosen to complement the food.

Word is spreading fast, with early diners already singing its praises online. One TripAdvisor review wrote, “We were not expecting to find such amazing food in a little country pub ten minutes from our holiday cottage.”

Another posted, “Fantastic service, the tastes are sensational, and they welcome dogs as well as humans.” Roasts are also a big hit, with one reviewer claiming, “His was the best Sunday lunch I’ve ever eaten.”

The Bryntirion has six rooms for overnight guests. (Image: Jodi Hinds )

Staying the night? Upstairs, The Bryntirion has six rooms for overnight guests. Each is named after a Welsh mountain and features dramatic landscape photography of its namesake.

The ambience is warm and simple, with wooden furniture, neutral tones, and thick, comfortable beds. Every room has a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee-making kit, and Penhaligon toiletries.

Breakfast is served as a continental-style hamper delivered to your door, and there’s a spacious family room available.

Dogs are welcome, too, not just in the bedrooms but also in the bar and restaurant, making it a great choice for walkers, road trippers, and families travelling with their beloved pet.

What’s nearbyBeautiful Bala Lake [Llyn Tegid], Wales’ largest natural lake, is over four miles long and a mile wide(Image: Portia Jones)

Prominently positioned on the edge of Eryri National Park, the Bryntirion offers a relaxed base for walking, hiking, climbing, cycling, fishing, and water sports on Bala Lake. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here

Just four miles away lies Bala, a historic market town that brims with charm and opportunities for adventure.

Bala Lake, or Llyn Tegid, is the largest natural lake in Wales and a stunning spot to visit, especially in winter. Crisp, frosty air and snow-dusted landscapes create a serene atmosphere, ideal for scenic walks or moments of quiet reflection by the water.

For the more adventurous, cold-water swimming in the lake has become increasingly popular. It offers a bracing way to connect with the natural world and get your wellness boost for the weekend.

The Bala Lake Railway is a must-visit for history lovers and train nerds (enthusiasts). This delightful narrow-gauge railway line runs along the southern shores of Llyn Tegid, offering an enchanting hour-long journey from Llanuwchllyn to Bala on a retro choo-choo. Blimming marvellous.

Local enthusiasts lovingly restored the line after the original Ruabon-Barmouth railway closed in the 1960s. It uses vintage locomotives that once transported slate from the region’s quarries, adding a touch of historical delight to your rail adventure.

If you like hiking, Bala is a gateway to some of Wales’ most epic landscapes. To the west, the towering peaks of Eryri (Snowdonia) offer rugged and dramatic trails, while the quieter Berwyn Mountains to the east provide a sense of wild, untouched beauty.

The Bryntirion Inn is now open for stays and dining from Wednesday to Sunday. Book here.

A one-night stay costs from £140 for two sharing a Double Room, including a fresh Breakfast Hamper., bookings via Booking.com.