The Well Barn comprises a small collection of local businesses in the heart of Litlle Crosby, a…read morequaint village just outside of Crosby and under ten miles from the centre of Liverpool. There is an authentic rural feel here as the winding roads have restricted speeds and there are no street lights. The Well Barn courtyard is easily located off the main street and houses a diverse mix of shops including: a craft shop, a holistic therapy and well being store, Corinthian furniture and a plumbing company. The stableyard itself is often used s an event space for community gatherings such as the recent summer fete. It's a really beautiful area with a lovely relaxed atmosphere. The Well Barn is easily accessed from Liverpool or Southport but retains the peace of the countryside.

Love the hotel, the room and walking around the village. Sitting in front of the fire in the…read moreevening and just relaxing. We visited last year and had issue with the restaurant breakfast. Last year my eggs royal were served cold and by the time I could get the servers attention it was too late to order something else and his comment "you didn't have to pay for breakfast so what's the issue" This year we went down earlier and again I looked forward to trying eggs Royal. Again they came out barely warm. This time I chased down the manager and got a different breakfast. Last year we had room 2 in the hotel. Loved that it was a corner room so we had water front and village view. This year room 1. Just as lovely but no river view. Also they've done away with the free slippers being embroidered with the logo. Yes they still have slippers but they are unadorned. I know I know sounds petty but they were such a nice touch. We were there for the food and art festival again but not the hotels fault, the wind storm closed it down for Saturday. Sunday it was opened. Another less than stellar interaction was from the "guards" at the entrance. We had to check out Sunday and we were given a lift to the car park and went to enter the fair. We were supposed to get a plastic shopping bag but the guard refused saying the driver got two bags for the man in an orange coat. Hubby was wearing an orange coat but we didn't get bags from driver. They argued that we must have put the bags away and just wanted more. I don't steal and don't like being accused of stealing a silly bag. We checked the car and there were no bags. We managed to get a single bag grudgingly I know I know again petty but it does add up to be annoying.

The Good The Bad and The Ugly…read more The Good This was a bucket list wish trip. We've been wanting to get to see Portmeirion for 30 years and this was the year!!! We booked a room in the hotel and it included breakfast and we decided against having dinner there because as luck would have it the yearly Christmas craft and food festival was going on at the grounds. We enjoyed the fair and in the evening we sat in front of one of the fires. Husband reading and me knitting. Wonderful relaxing visit. The public rooms were old world gracious and cozy. The bar had a nice selection of drinks to enjoy. Our room was beautiful and we had two windows. One over the river and one up to the village. It was cold and rainy during our visit but believe it or not we came for this weather, being from Florida we kind of miss the cold. The Bad First morning breakfast was a full Welsh breakfast and was good but the second day, the last day and the one we will remember was horrible. I got the salmon eggs Benedict and husband an omelette. His breakfast came out steaming, mine - I almost had to chip off the ice. Okay there wasn't ice on my eggs but there was not a degree of warmth over room temperature and the room was cold. Couldn't catch the eye of a server. They were too busy cleaning up getting the room set for lunch. I had one bite of my eggs and pushed them aside. I went to fix my cup of tea and there was only two sugar cubes in the sugar bowl. What???? Thank goodness the table next to us was empty so we just swapped out. No salt and pepper on the table either. You would think the servers would notice that the food hasn't been eaten and ask about it. The Ugly Finally got the attention of our server. I told him my eggs were cold and inedible and if he had checked on us it could have been corrected during breakfast hours. (Breakfast was over by the way). He then got snippy and said there is no check because breakfast is included in the room. What the heck??? Just wish our last memory was better. Would i return?. That's a good question. The facility is beautiful, the room was great. Walking around the village was interesting but leaving hungry wasn't how I wanted to end our trip. Honestly if breakfast service is any indication of meals there I'm glad we didn't spring for dinner.

The memorial hall in Criccieth is a great place for shows, the local amateur dramatics group…read moreStarlight Players perform a pantomine and a summer show each year as well as other one off shows. The hall can also be used for children's parties, wedding receptions etc. The kitchen is a little small, but the toilets are clean and have tonnes of space.

Firstly, in any way that we can endorse Bryn Tanat Hall as an intimate wedding venue, or a weekend…read moreretreat for friends and family, we will gladly oblige without hesitation. We held an intimate wedding weekend celebration, which included a large evening reception on the weekend of 21 April 2012. The Hall and the grounds were immaculately designed for comfort; formal, without feeling stuffy. Every guest that joined us for the weekend commented on the beauty of both the Hall and the grounds. The photographs on the main website do not do the Hall justice, with each room having its own character and personality. Despite being demanding clients, every detail we requested was executed meticulously to our specifications. Even at the last hour, the team at Bryn Tanat Hall managed alterations and used their skill and expertise as true hoteliers without compliant. We still are not quite certain how they accomplished this feat, but it made it seem effortless to our eyes. Susan and Peter: in addition to this review, please ensure the family and the staff receive the appropriate recognition for their commitment in delivering a truly personable service. Your team provided nothing short of a seamless service which left us, our house and reception guests feeling that they attended the "wedding of the century". Thank you, Susan and Peter, for making everything so very special; rarely is perfection ever exceeded.

I was actually embarrassed the other day to admit that I had never ventured to the Baltic Triangle…read morearea of Liverpool. After being told it was 'far away from the city centre' I was surprised to find us there in no more than 10 minutes from Liverpool One - have people forgotten how to walk? We were there to check out the 'No Homers Club' exhibition, to which my attention was drawn via Twitter. Now, anything Simpsons related is bound to get me excited, and the name alone was enough to have me arranging a day out to the 'Pool. Heading into the city anyway for a hen do, it was great to find something else to extend my visit (and have an excuse to take the other half with me for some lunch company!) The exhibition space itself is somewhat hidden, so keep your eyes open for any signage. It hosts a number of events throughout the year, including live music and djs, so there is a fully stocked bar at the front. Lots of people were going for coffee, served in takeout cups, or beer. The interior is large and white, making it perfect for people who want to make their mark, with two sets of toilets available. Regarding the 'No Homers Club' - well, I wanted everything! An eclectic, pop culture experience that would have any Simpsons fan grinning. From the 'draw Milhouse from memory in a minute' activity for an upcoming zine to screen printing, it was a brilliantly curated collection and a great way to spend some time. I'll be keeping my eye on this venue to check out some more events in the future!

Dec 17th 2015 - a busy Thursday night at Constellations. Dave McCabe and the Ramifications were…read moreplaying, and supported by Mark Frith, Lying Bastards and Familiar Looking Strangers. Like all Liverpudlian nights out, this one had a good atmosphere. The creative scene here is stronger than anywhere else I've been mainly because it's the norm. Constellations and similar Baltic region converted warehouses have created a new dimension to the well established basement bar scene on central Liverpool. Within this relatively new venue ceilings are high and decorated with falling diamonds and golden leaves. The smoke from the machine rises. The bars are new and clean, but they haven't lost any sense of authenticity. This place means something, and it means something new. Full of musicians with serious credentials and even better personalities. You can meet at least ten new people without even trying - oh and as to be expected they've got to be some of the most stylish people I've seen in a while. I fitted right in :) I haven't eaten there yet but the photographs alone are making me hungry for more. A far cry from the post war Beatles diet, this new landmark is representing how it feels to be alive now in a scene that's ripe for success for those with talent. As always, much more than just a night out. Inspiring times!

The Old Rectory is a high class guest house located at the end of a narrow, windy lane on the…read moreoutskirts of the village of Glan Conwy. The historic town of Conwy is located just across the Conwy estuary and the resorts of Llandudno and Colwyn Bay are both about five miles away. The entrance is a bit blink and you'll miss it but this isn't a place that will rely on passing trade. This is the ideal place for a relaxing break as it offers spectacular views down the Conwy Valley towards Snowdonia and is off the beaten track with no passing traffic. The rooms are all very well appointed. It's also easy to get being only about a mile or so from the A55. The only downside is that they no longer serve food. This is a great place to spend a couple of nights if you can afford it.