Must admit, I really, really like Pembrokeshire. Hardly surprising, really. It’s perfectly pretty, quieter than your average holiday hotspot and everyone I meet there is just really, really friendly.
So when a friend told me the Imperial Hotel Tenby has just been refurbished and refitted at huge expense, making it brighter eyed and more bushy tailed than a baby red squirrel, that was all the excuse needed.
Mrs Cullimore and I immediately booked ourselves in for a couple of nights, in a room with a sea view, obviously, and set off to see how the new and improved place was getting along. (Spoiler alert – it’s getting along really, really well.)
Getting There
By Car: The drive to Tenby is part of the holiday experience. From most of the UK, you’ll take the M4 west until it turns into the A48, then the A40. The final leg of the journey is on well-maintained, but delightfully curvy, roads with increasingly stunning views of the Pembrokeshire countryside.
The hotel has parking available on-site, a huge plus in a town where parking can be a challenge. Just be sure to let them know you’re bringing a car when you book.
By Train: For those who prefer to let someone else do the driving, Tenby has a train station with regular services from destinations like Swansea and Cardiff. The station is just a short 10-minute walk from the Imperial Hotel, making it an excellent option for a car-free holiday.
Tenby
Has everything you could possibly hope for in a cute, seaside, holiday destination. Soft sandy beaches, picture perfect harbour filled with boats bobbing up and down, brightly coloured houses lining the cliffs and plenty of winding cobbled streets bursting with independent shops, bijou boutiques, as well as a generous assortment of pubs, bars and cafes.
If all of that wasn’t enough beauty to fill a boatload of buckets, there is also an ancient city wall dating from the 13th century encircling the old town, making it all look more lovely than a rainbow full of unicorns.
Cars are generally banned within these walls during the daytime, so the whole place has a pleasantly relaxed and mellow feel about it. Making it perfect for strolling, shopping and sipping whatever takes your fancy.
The Hotel
The Imperial Hotel is actually built into the ancient city walls of Tenby, right at the edge of the cliffs, which means it has superb views of the sandy beach below, the emerald seas beyond and just over the bay, Caldey island, home to monks, seals and, joy of joys, red squirrels.
Thanks to the recent refit, everywhere you look exudes a bright and welcoming feel. Made us feel right at home the moment we walked in. Which was very nice.
Our Bedroom
It was an enormous double, with gigantic bed, acres of space, exquisite en suite and, best of all, huge windows giving fantastic views of the city walls outside and the sea below.
It even had a dinky, funsized Smeg fridge, and a Dyson hairdryer which my wife told me was totally superb.
Dinner
After working up an appetite by taking a quick stroll round Tenby old town, we headed back to the hotel for dinner. Which turned out to be a most excellent choice.
The dining room overlooks the beach, which means we got to enjoy some extremely fab food whilst also watching the waves, assorted surfers and usual fun and games of the seaside below.
Was the perfect spot to watch the sun set slowly over the horizon.
The menu was a broad selection of grilled delights, along with a mouth watering choice of upmarket staples. With an impressive emphasis on local foods like Welsh lamb, Welsh beef and, of course, local seafood.
We went for a trio of the small plates on offer along with an enormous, heart warming bowl of Pembrokeshire broth, a soupy symphony of seafood that looked great, smelt amazing and tasted like a liquid helping of heaven on earth. Sublime stuff.
Breakfast
Next morning, we were still pretty full from our fabulous feast of the night before, but still somehow managed to tuck into the chic continental breakfast before choosing a hot plate option which turned out to be a mountain of delicious smoked salmon and scrambled egg.
Out and About Nearby
We then set out on the 15 minute drive to Saundersfoot. Another picturesque Welsh seaside town just along the coast.
Mrs Cullimore wanted to go for a mooch around the shops whilst I wanted to take a dip in the sea.
We could have done both these things in Tenby, but Saundersfoot has the added attraction of a beautiful little beachfront sauna, perfect to relax, rejuvenate and restore your faith in the world.
Brainchild of local business woman Kerry, ‘Hwyl Sauna,’ is a wood fired, welcoming space where you can sit in warmth, staring through the picture window at the beach below and maybe, if you fancy it, pop outside for a swim in the wild Welsh sea. Marvellous. Was the highlight of my day. Thoroughly recommended.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for the perfect base from which to explore the charms of the Pembrokeshire coast, then look no further. This place is ace and I highly recommend it!
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