Harlech Apartments - Branwen

51 Customer Reviews

• "I have stayed in Branwen and the other apartments in the building about a dozen times."

  On this occasion, I was very disappointed to see that there has been considerable ingress of water around the window in the bedroom. This has left a damp and slightly mouldy residue. It appears to be ongoing. In addition, there appear to be continuing problems with the heating. Whilst the radiators are capable of producing good heat, they occasionally did not function at all. These are beautiful apartments with incredible views and the maintenance should be kept up-to-date.

  Thank you for your feedback and your support to the apartments and CADW; it is greatly appreciated. Cadw have noted the water ingress/damp and mouldy residue in Branwen and as per the heating, remedial, repair and servicing works are already planned as part of our significant annual programme of winter maintenance scheduled for the apartments. In addition, Cadw look to maintain the apartments throughout the year with ongoing and reactive maintenance works undertaken. Unfortunately this year, in advance of the core maintenance period, we have recently experienced unprecedented storms such as Storm Darragh, which have caused additional problems and works to be undertaken which Cadw are taking forward, with our sincere apologies for any inconvenience to you during your stay. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Kevin3.4★Dec 2024

• "The apartment's view of Harlech castle was outstanding!"

  The apartment was clean, well decorated and the kitchen well equipped. Will definitely be looking to stay there again!

  Reviewed by Dan5.0★Oct 2024

• "All in all a wonderful place to stay accommodation and unbeatable views"

  Reviewed by Sheila5.0★Sep 2024

• "Very comfortable and cosy appartment in great position and beautiful views."

  A bench to sit on outside would have been perfect or access to the cafe chairs and tables when it was closed.

  Reviewed by Lynne4.4★Aug 2024

• "We enjoyed our stay in Branwen ; the Apartment was clean and comfortable with lovely fluffy towels."

  However there are some maintenance issues. The kitchen tap continually drips, the radiator in the bedroom cannot be turned off, which was uncomfortable during the hot weather. The door lock is temperamental and the base of the shower fitting hose fell off at one point. The welcome pack was lovely, but we felt the lack of a toilet roll and bin bags which are normally a basic provision, were inconvenient and disappointing. Over all we enjoyed our stay.

  Reviewed by David3.8★Jul 2024

• "Fantastic all round highly recommend apartments & company!"

  Reviewed by Gail5.0★Jul 2024

• "We very much enjoyed our stay at Branwen Apartment it was home from home ."

  Bed was very comfortable and bathroom stunning. Our only criticism was no cleaner only a hand held dustpan and brush. The view of the castle and sea was amazing . The parking facility and free 3 day pass was an added bonus. The lift was great as I have a disability Would definatley recommend this apartment

  Reviewed by Sylvia4.4★May 2024

• "A problem with the shower which was not resolved during our stay."

  However Sykes apologised and gave a partial refund which we appreciated.The apartment is lovely and the views stunning. We also appreciated the little welcome gift and having parking was great.

  Reviewed by Jennifer4.4★Apr 2024

• "Heating was not working so had to come home after 2 nights."

  Quilt had a large coffee stain on it . Bedding generally is looking tired.

  Reviewed by Jill2.8★Dec 2023

• "This holiday apartment was lovely."

  The bed was extremely comfortable, the lounge was fine for relaxing, the apartment was warm and the shower was great. And of course, the view is stunning, especially if you sit with the curtains open after it's gone dark, looking at the castle. There were quite a few niggly maintenance issues, many of which had been raised by previous reviewers and not attended to. I complained whilst we were there and two maintenance men came out over two days, so a swift response but they only seemed to change a couple of bulbs. My message to the owners is to inspect this for yourselves and sort the issues out because they will only get worse and increase in number. However, my message for anyone considering whether or not to book this, is DO. The niggly issues don't really detract from the stunning location and the comfort of the apartment.

  Reviewed by Sharon4.4★Oct 2023

• "I have stayed at this property many times (in all of the 5 apartments)."

  On the last several occasions we have had significant problems with the heating. This time it also failed and was not fixed despite promises to do so. As the weather was unseasonably warm after the first couple of days, it was not a significant problem, but it was disappointing that it was not fixed. On the facilities side, there is a significant damp patch over the top of the shower and the walls of the front of the lounge are also showing significant damp and water ingress. These are very nice apartments with wonderful views, but you should really fix the heating problem which is clearly structural and keep up the repairs better.

  Reviewed by Kevin3.4★Sep 2023

• "Ceiling in shower obviously has had a bad leak from above."

  Freezer draw in fridge completely iced up so fridge door could not shut properly, we had to spend 30 minutes chipping this off to use the fridge! The fridge is not correctly fitted into the kitchen unit causing the door to foul when closing. Light over sink in bathroom flickering and going off and light over kitchen table flickers all the time. No light in either oven. Only casserole dishes in kitchen, no saucepans.

  Thank you very much for taking the time to send feedback following your stay. It is a real pity you didn't let us know about the issues as soon as you arrived as we would have sent someone straight across to resolve them. These things will be raised now with the owners and put right straight away. We hope to be able to welcome you back to Harlech soon! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Simon3.1★Sep 2023

• "The fridge freezer box was frozen solid (photographs avaiable if required."

  ) This resulted in the freezer being of no use whatsoever, with temperatures of 28° and 29° this was extremely annoying to say the least! There was a drawer front in the fridge with no drawer, it was just left on a shelf in the fridge (photographs avaiable if required) The shower detached from the outlet on many occasions whilst a temporary fix was achieved by pushing back into place this inevitably failed on next use. The ceiling in the shower room showed signs water ingress, brown staining. These issues, particularly the first 3 fell well below the standards one would expect for an Appartment of this alleged standard. Most disappointing.

  Reviewed by Garry2.5★Sep 2023

• "Excellent all round."

  Hi specification, position and cleanliness. Would be very happy to recommend to any business or holiday traveller.

  Reviewed by Phil5.0★Aug 2023

• "The quality of this apartment - building, furnishings, location - is exceptional."

  There is only one small improvement I would suggest - twice as much cutlery would save people from having to wash up all the time! Just 4 teaspoons, for example, is a nuisance. For an outlay of, say, £20 on some additional knives and forks, this apartment would be truly perfect!

  Reviewed by Marcus5.0★Jul 2023

• "OMG what a great location & views to end all views."

  The Branwen flat was lovely and would stay again. The local shops & restaurants are so friendly 10 out of 10 fir everything.

  Reviewed by Sandra5.0★Apr 2023

• "I was very impressed with the quality and cleanliness of the apartment."

  The actual layout, quality of all furnishings and appliances was just as depicted in the advertising material. Wonderful views of the surrounding mountains and the outstanding castle. First rate; it has been a long time that I have been so impressed with a holiday let. Also, cafe facilities and welcome center were a great plus. CADW have done a great job!

  Reviewed by Philip5.0★Mar 2023

• "Time to replace glasses and crockery and provide a bottle owner - but these are only small points."

  Had a problem with heating that was rectified promptly during Christmas- many thanks

  Reviewed by Gareth5.0★Dec 2022

• "Have previously stayed at this property and I continue to rate it as excellent."

  I do have a couple of issues - bedroom door from living room does not close properly. Also have an issue with the microwave - despite choosing the highest power setting cooking took far longer than normal.

  Reviewed by Stephen5.0★Aug 2022

• "Absolutely loved the apartment."

  It was everything it said in the brochure. Only a few comments to make: one, the shower needs a proper attachment so you can stand under it, not have to hold it with one hand and try and soap up with the other hand! maybe reseal the screen as water did leak under it, minor point. Two, a couple of extra bath towels would be good as extras, as the use of one for a whole week is a challenge. Three, extra bin liner for the large bin would be good, again, its a challenge especially in the hot weather stopping some smells coming up from the bin even when the lid is firmly shut. Very happy overall, will be booking again.

  Reviewed by David4.7★Aug 2022

• "Our stay at Branwen was second to none."

  An apartment furnished to the highest standards, with everything you could possibly need provided. There are incredible views in every direction, at night we sat in enjoying the setting sun ovet Harlech Castle, a memeory that will live with us for a long time. A perfect base from where we explored North West Wales and the Llyn Peninsular. The welcome pack on arival, reserved parking and free access to the Castle, (the visitor center and restaurant are well worth visiting), all added to a wonderful stay. We will definitely be returning.

  Reviewed by Richard5.0★Apr 2022

• "Wonderful apartment, excellent views out of every window."

  Small but we'll equipped kitchen. The apartment was lovely and warm in March. Lots of walks from the door and loads to do in area. We always go on self-catering holidays and do several a year, for us (at the discounted price) it is in our top bunch. Thank you

  Reviewed by Carol5.0★Mar 2022

• "Apartment location was absolutely stunning and interior was well appointed and clean."

  A few issues in getting the keys (they weren't in the wall safe - the apartment was actually unlocked with the keys on the table) and a really disappointing microwave (very low powered despite finding the instructions for use online - took almost 10 mins to heat a can of beans). Otherwise really enjoyed our stay.

  Reviewed by Tanya4.7★Feb 2022

• "Another excellent stay at Branwen."

  As ever the Menai Cottages experience was first class. Thank you very much we will return.

  Reviewed by Gareth5.0★Jan 2022

• "The apartment was lovely, with very comfy sofas and great views and the best shower I've ever used."

  Overall I'd recommend it and would return but with some extra things in my luggage... The bed was comfy but the pillows were really not and resulted in quite broken sleep and a very sore neck There wasn't much crockery or cutlery and the kitchen was missing quite a few usual items including some basics like a grater and a measuring jug (though there was a gravy boat and a nut cracker! ) There is referred noise from the apartment above, most of which could be resolved by adding felt pads to the legs on the furniture That sounds like a lot of negatives but really it's a great location and a lovely apartment just missing some home comforts

  Reviewed by Lizzie4.1★Sep 2021

• "Lovely apartment, in beautiful location."

  This one bedroom apartment has everything you need for a comfortable stay. Clean, spacious living area, dishwasher and fully functioning cooker and separate combination oven/grill/microwave. Four lots of crockery/cutlery which meant we had to put the dishwasher on regularly. Wet room was functional, although not a fan of these. We would definitely use this apartment again, and recommend that and Sykescottages.

  Reviewed by Claudia5.0★Jul 2021

• "Great apartment - very stylish, very clean, modern appliances, well stocked with kitchen utensils etc, very comfortable bed."

  Enough space for us to feel at home for a week. The flat was a little cold at times. There were a couple of items broken on arrival; (the tray in the shower, a chair in the bedroom) but I guess these had just not been reported by a previous occupier. The welcome goodies were a real treat - thank you so much. The location was fabulous in terms of the castle. We struggled with finding a shop to buy basic food when we arrived as the shop on the high street ahs closed and we didn't think to explore the area down by the campsite until a day later. It is certainly not essential but would be a really nice thought if you could email clients before their stay to remind them where the nearest shops are and to recommend that they book meals in advance, perhaps even with a list of nearby restaurants (though this may be too changeable to accomplish with the current situation). Especially with COVID-related restrictions currently, we were at a loss as to where to buy food or eat out initially, which detracted from the experience a little (everywhere local was booked up over a week in advance and we ended up driving around for a couple of hours searching for food the first night). One of the nicest perks was having free access to the castle and other CADW sites during our stay - this could be made even more of a selling point on your site, I think. The staff at Harlech Castle (and indeed at Conwy and Caernarfon Castles) were superb - so friendly, helpful and enthusiastic, while going out of their way to help. The cafe at Harlech Castle was also great - we used it a lot. Thank you for a luxurious and memorable stay.

  Reviewed by Andrew5.0★Jun 2021

• "Beautiful apartment with unbeatable views of the sea, the mountains and, of course, Harlech Castle."

  Had most things you need for a week away, although the limited workspace in the kitchen was a bit frustrating! Luckily we were happy to eat out most evenings, with a number of excellent restaurants in walking distance. The complimentary Cadw Explorer Pass was not available during our visit due to Covid-19 restrictions but staff were really helpful and we visited Harlech Castle for free - they would have arranged other visits too had we wanted. A power cut knocked out our heating but this was sorted quickly by staff - it was otherwise a cosy and comfortable apartment.

  Reviewed by Jennifer4.4★Oct 2020

• "We felt very safe as the very comfortable apartment was cleaned to a very high standard and cushions etc had been removed."

  The view from the apartment is spectacular. The parking and key arrangements were excellent. The castle staff were also very helpful in answering any questions. We struggled at first to make toast but did work it out eventually but a toaster would have been better. There were fewer information leaflets available than usual, but if like us, you like to visit places for a nice stroll and a coffee with adequate parking we recommend Criccieth and Llandanwg beach and reserve. We thoroughly enjoyed our short break and would recommend the property and company to friends.

  Reviewed by Madeline5.0★Sep 2020

• "A fantastic apartment and a superb location."

  Disappointed however when checking all drawers on departure, to find another person’s pyjamas. There was also a part used soap dispenser on the bathroom sink which we removed at the start of our break. With a 6pm check in and 9am checkout with all towels, bedding and protectors bagged and bins emptied, I did not expect this. Am now glad that my NHS working hubby did not let me in until he had used super strength anti-bac wipes on all surfaces.

  Reviewed by Amanda4.1★Aug 2020

• "We arrived at the appartment at 19:30 (10."

  08.2020) after a 7 hour journey to discover the key was not in the key safe. A call to your office was promptly answered and the local agent was contacted. I was told a key would be delivered with in the hour and I would be called. No call came. I called your office again after 75 minutes to be told a key would now be in the key safe, not the way you expect to begin your holiday. We finally accessed the apartment at 20:45. A parking permit for the public car park was also supposed to be in the apartment but wasn’t. A disappointing experience

  Reviewed by Dawn5.0★Aug 2020

• "From the description."

  pictures and location of the apartment I expected a comfortable, well presented property in an excellent location and that is exactly what I got! The apartment fully met my expectations and I was delighted.

  Reviewed by Stephen5.0★Nov 2019

• "Great location."

  Excellent eateries in Harlech. Accommodation was of a high standard.

  Reviewed by Peter5.0★Sep 2019

• "The unit is not what I would class as luxurious."

  Nice yes but not luxury. Cutlery seriously lacking only 2 knives. 4 plates, bowls etc meaning that it needs washing up all the time. No bottle opener. Also the recycling instructions were appalling. Each council is different around the country with what they recycle. No instructions on what to recycle, where or how. Not impressed. Towels also had makeup on them and so weren’t clean. Disappointed but with a bit of thought and investment could be luxurious

  Reviewed by Steve3.1★Sep 2019

• "No welcome pack so no housekeeping book to report slips."

  The shower was powerful enough but water was everywhere.The rack in the shower was small and coming away from the wall.No shaver point and no room at the sink for toiletries.Far too many cushions in the bedroom where on earth do you put them when you go to bed.As we have been to the apartments before we knew about the cooking difficulties so we were prepared.However we were disappointed to find that there a distinct drop in standards.Crockery ,cutlery and glasses were mismatched especially the mugs and cereal bowls (one of which was badly chipped).The toaster is too small and needs a good clean.Whilst at the apartment we used the frying pan once and sad to say it looked like it should be replaced.It would be nice if you could supply a washing up bowl for the kitchen sink and also a tea cosy.We were also puzzled that in the bathroom there was an almost empty bottle of hand wash,and in the kitchen there was an empty bottle of hobrite along with a box of foil with no foil.The sugar bowl was empty but dirty as was the tea canister.This begs the question do you usually supply these items and failed to replace them or whether a previous guest had left them but no one had bothered to dispose of them.We felt that that this particular apartment could do with a bit of a facelift to return the wow and claim of sophistication as described on line.

  Reviewed by Janet3.1★May 2019

• "A perfect place to escape!"

  Wonderful apartment and views. We will be back. Thank you.

  Reviewed by Sonya5.0★May 2019

• "Wonderful views, clean and spacious apartment, well equipped kitchen."

  It was perfect.

  Catherine EckersleySep 2018

• "This is a stunning apartment in a perfect location right by Harlech Castle."

  The views are amazing! The fittings are of a very high standard and the overall presentation and cleanliness was very good. We did have some specific negatives though: - The lack of worktop space in the kitchen to prepare any food/set hot things down when taking out of oven was difficult. - There was a distinct lack of china - on some occasions we had to wash up part way through a meal. This could be easily rectified. - A continual clicking sound in the shower room, which was disturbing at night. - The shower is very impressive and powerful but could not be used at full capacity as immediately water leaked out from under the shower screen - maybe this needs to be resealed? - We found a number of hairs in the bed which was rather unpleasant. They did not seem to originate from one source as were all different. We concluded that they had most likely got on the sheets during the bed being made up and had come off the throw which was across the foot of the bed as this also had a collection of hairs on it. We removed the throw to the top of the wardrobe for our stay, but perhaps it would be better to dispense with this and any potential problem? Finding other people's hair in a supposedly clean bed we found quite distasteful and at 10pm on a Friday night there was little we could do about it other than turn the linen over and remake the bed. - The wall mounted TV in the bedroom is awkward as it sticks out from the wall just where you need to walk past the end of the bed. - The blinds in the kitchen/dining area were a nightmare to raise and lower. We understand H&S and young children getting caught in the plastic chains, but these had been fixed to the frame so high up they were impossible to open/close unless you are about 6ft tall or standing on something. - We couldn't find a DVD player in the sitting room which was disappointing. - Although the instructions said we could control the heat using the radiator thermostats (the heating was supposed to be on from Sept) in fact mostly the radiators remained cold apart from two occasions during the middle of the night when the heating came on for a while. Suggest heating timers need to be checked? - The final point is down to personal taste - but the bedside lamps were so huge we were afraid of knocking them off the bedside tables. We chose to remove them to avoid accidental damage - although they look impressive, for us they didn't feel very practical. These things apart we had a really lovely stay and enjoyed the apartment, the location and North Wales generally. If the points above could be addressed then we would have no hesitation in recommending this apartment and giving it 5 stars. We only share these points as otherwise why ask for feedback?

  Sep 2018

• "Nothing to complain about"

  Aug 2018

• "Mit dem Preis kann man nie wirklich völlig zufrieden sein!"

  ;-)

  Andreas StapelmannJul 2018

• "Great apartment very well appointed"

  John BowyerJul 2018

• "Five star, superb views, excellent accomadation."

  Jul 2018

• "Very comfortable and stylish apartment."

  Stunning views of castle, mountains, and sea. Some things lacking in the kitchen - a few more dining knives, forks and spoons would have been appreciated to avoid some washing up during the preparation of a meal! Also cereal bowls would have been useful - an average portion of, say, granola in a pasta bowl is not an appetising prospect☹️. Perhaps clean the windows,too......

  May 2018

• "Easy to use web site."

  Process was extremely smooth

  Robert MaroneyMay 2018

• "Lovely apartment."

  Would be improved by having: 1) a floor squeegee in the shower room. After 2 showers, we had water running all over the bathroom floor (from under the glass partition) - nothing other than the bathmat to wipe it up with. 2) a hand towel for use in the kitchen - nice tea towel, but don't like to use that for hands as well as drying dishes 3) a check on the fridge between lets. It was clean but being left on "6" meant that some of the food we put in on arrival was frozen the next morning & the ice compartment was thoroughly iced up.

  May 2018

• "Very comfortible and well located"

  E BradshawMar 2018

• "We have stayed a number of times at this apartment with no issues and it is a lovely apartment, however I think it needs some attention due to constant use."

  The microwave door was loose and kept coming of hinges, the shower was not very warm and I did report this to the cleaner but it was not resolved during our stay.

  Jan 2018

• "The accommodation was extremely well appointed and comfortable, however the intermittent hot water for the shower was a problem."

  Two hot showers in a week and at best luke warm for the remainder was not ideal.

  Oct 2017

• "Apartment was stunning, high standard of decoration, and furnishing, beautiful views, and prime location."

  Will definitely be going back

  Michelle MossOct 2017

• "Beautiful apartment with superb views."

  Would stay again.

  Carole HemsleyAug 2017

• "High standard accomodation"

  Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. We are really happy that you enjoyed your stay at Branwen, we hope to see you back in North Wales soon!
  Property Owner

  Jul 2016

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