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"Pant Lleni is a classic Welsh cottage in a beautiful pastoral setting."
On a meadowy hillside with long views of Llyn Gwynant, the cottage sits one valley over from the Pen-y-Pass routes to Mount Snowdon. The property is private, accessible through a locked gate via a narrow lane. A full downstairs and two bedrooms offer plenty of room for four, so this father-son duo were spoiled for space. Inside is cozy, with exposed beams, whitewashed walls and every basic convenience. If you're the "pampered" traveler, look elsewhere. But if you're looking for beauty, solitude and comfort after a solid day's hiking, this is the place. Magical.
Reviewed by DavidMay 2022
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"This was my 7th stay."
Cleanliness on some past stays has been frankly appalling but this time much cleaner than recently and I can see repairs etc eg spotlights, all very welcome. But the Stanley packed up (repaired quickly thanks), no tea towels or bath towels, And the phone isn’t working. How can I report a problem when there’s no phone - Beddgelert is the nearest mobile signal, not a welcome trip after a 6 hour journey. And I had to repair the toilet seat when I arrived…it was fixed in totally the wrong position for some reason. The hob is still past it….has the mains wiring been checked?…earthing leak? The door lock needs attention…ok from outside but jams from inside. The track will need attention soon, particularly along the flat part. Compared with the past, these things are relatively minor but Pantlleni is expensive and these things shouldn’t need raising. I know the Stanley packing up is just one of those things but without a phone, I had a very cold day and night until I could make contact. I still love the place but it’s getting very pricey now, too much considering the facilities.
Reviewed by DavidMay 2022
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"If you are looking for a cottage with Wi-Fi, television, surround sound and a hot tub this isn't for you."
If you are looking for a cottage of character in a magical location, it is. Most holiday cottages these days have been over modernised, offering the ambience of a dental surgery. Pantlleni is the opposite.
Reviewed by DavidApr 2022
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"Pantlleni was even more beautiful this year - we appreciated the new furnishings."
It is such a special place and we had a great time, with walks from the door, star watching with unpolluted skies and enjoying the peace and beauty. The view from the front room window took our breath away each day as we walked in. We will definitely be back next year!
Reviewed by HelenApr 2022
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"What a lovely week at Pant lleni , it literally sits in the shadow of mount snowden ,the location and view over the lake are stunning !"
Lots of places nearby to visit. Found the cottage to be very warm and cosy plentiful hot water and a lovely Aga that radiates heat. Great place for dogs with a lovely large garden . Described as basic but I beg to differ we were very comfortable . Get away from it all! Value for money is outstanding compared with other properties , it even has its own lake side access albeit unloved. Kitchen well equipped but the bathroom should be next on the refit list . All said we didn’t want to leave! Hope to return again.
Ryan
Devon
Reviewed by RyanApr 2022
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"We all enjoyed ourselves again at the cottage."
There were some very
welcome additions/improvements since we were last there. The new chair, cushions etc. made it more cosy. The children enjoyed their stay and getting involved in everyday chores, ie. washing dishes, help preparing meals, setting the table, stoking up the log burner, jobs they never do at home. Surprisingly they did not miss their iPads, TV etc. went for lots of walks which they enjoyed. Would come again.
Reviewed by Keith & CaroleApr 2022
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"What an outstanding Christmas stay."
We appreciated the decorations hugely. We stay in the Nant Gwynant area 3 times a year. Pant Lleni is our new favourite. All amenities were perfect. View was outstanding. Walks were perfect, even found new trails through Coederyr (Eagle Wood). We would live to return. Heating, cooking and hot water was provided by a fantastic Stanley Range master oil fuelled cooker. Bit of research before the stay meant it was easily worked and provided many a delicious oven roast. Thank you for a wonderful stay.
Reviewed by PaulDec 2021
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"The house was very dirty, with mold around all the sky light windows, brown grease in the bathroom coming from the sky light, whitewashed walls that came off on our clothing and on everything it touched, I had to clean for three hours when we arrived plus the pots and pans that we used."
Reviewed by William AntonyOct 2021
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"A fantastic house and breathtaking location."
We loved it so much we’ve booked it again for next year.
Reviewed by JessOct 2021
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"Prior to paying the balance for this holiday, I had emailed you expressing concerns about reviews left by previous holidaymakers on your website about the conditions at this property and was assured that it would be clean and free of damp."
When we arrived, we discovered a rotten peach (literally turning black) under the kitchen table; a dried contact lens in the sugar bowl and a hair grip in the bathroom carpet. The bathroom had black mould on the walls and black cobwebs between the sink and the bath. There was a big score out of the bath at the tap end which would have caused an injury had we chosen to have a bath rather than a shower. Many lightbulbs had blown which we replaced with spares we found in the property. Some light fittings did not work at all and there were even light fittings on the ceiling that had their wires cut and cable tied back. The radio did not work but my husband spent time fixing that and one of the windows in the living room had been painted shut. The outside lights did not work at all which was a health and safety concern. Whilst we were aware there would be no telephone reception at the cottage, this could have proved to be a major issue as one evening, on our return to the cottage after dark, a tree had fallen across the access driveway. Fortunately we were able to move it ourselves, but had this been a larger tree and this had fallen during the night, we would have been unable to move it; unable to leave the cottage by vehicle and unable to get any help without having to walk 4-5 miles to the nearest point where we were able to achieve mobile reception. It is quite clear this cottage has not had any proper attention for many years and I would not be recommending a stay here to anyone. Such a shame, because it could have been so beautiful.
Reviewed by DawnSep 2021
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"The location of this property and its views are amazing."
On the negative side we couldn't get central heating or hot water working and the whole place needs a good bit of TLC.
Reviewed by EmmaAug 2021
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"The road in was very overgrown, seems most of it is owned by the hostel that’s been shut down for about 2 years."
The housekeeper cut back on the day before we came home, I did some on the day or our arrival and the next morning.
Though that said it could have been a little cleaner, but not sure how often it’s been used if latel. Lovely views to the lake and very peaceful, too quiet initially for my wife. The garden was not fully in closed but it was in so much space you were enclosed by it. The grass was cut on the Friday before we left, it was quite tall, about knee high. It did not spoil what we did around the cottage, but would have been nice to have been shorter earlier.
The bed was comfy, didn’t miss using the mobile, WiFi or tv, weather was perfect and the cottage was quaint and just an older style inside.
The housekeeper is a lovely lady.
This is an unbiased review and hope I don’t come across as moaning it just been objective, the bottom line is we had a good time here, my wife and I plus our two dogs, would we stay here again, yes we would, if you want to get away from it all and relax, then this is the place for you, handy for snowdon, handy for the lake, just walk down and hit the beach.
Reviewed by MarkJul 2021
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"Amazing views and rural charm can only get you so far."
The view is exceptional as is the peace and quiet of this rural escape. The double bed was also comfortable. The steep driveway wasn't that bad either to be fair, we found it completely passable in our 4X4 which has good ground clearance. It may not be possible in a small compact car such as a Fiat Panda size car for example. But, that's where the positives end I'm afraid. This place needs an extreme deep clean, a good lick of paint, new chairs and a new oven. When we first arrived we noticed greasy cupboard door handles, a dirty hob, dust above all door frames, dirt behind the toilet, a moldy shower curtain, dusty extractor fan, dirty living room curtains, dirty living room rug, the list is too long to go into. We also only had hot water on day 1. After that, no matter what I tried I could not get any hot water. I had to boil the kettle to wash the dishes. Thank goodness there is an electric shower. There is also an overly complicated range oven with contradicting instructions, perhaps for future guests an explanation video on the booking confirmation would be helpful. Looking around the cottage aswell it became clear that every single wall is damp. I hung my coat on a hook and it was covered in white paint from the walls. This needs urgent attention. In the kitchen there are hardly any glasses or full sets of cutlery. So if there is more than 2 of you, you better take your own. Oh, and also, there is supposed to be a BBQ but all we found was a metal table with a rusty grate on it. Not at all good. I understand this to be a basic no thrills stone built cottage and it is, that was very clear in the listing. But, what I can't accept is that this cottage hasn't been well maintained at all. It appears they are just taking the customers money and letting it fall into disrepair which is such a shame. I would consider staying here again just for the view alone but the description of a basic no thrills cottage is no excuse for extremely poor standards inside the property. It needs a complete refurbishment, not to modernise but to make guests feel a little more at home.
Reviewed by MichaelJun 2021
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"The cottage and what it offers in regards to peaceful, away from it all, stunning scenery and tranquility is spot on."
It's our 3rd visit to this beautiful place but the facilities are not what they were. Not enough glasses and mugs, several bulbs not working in light fittings and lamps. Towels really need replacing as getting worn. Just felt a bit less looked after than it was. A bit of a shame.
Reviewed by TracyMay 2021
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"The location of the cottage is stunning, and we enjoyed our holiday from the moment we arrived."
The place was warm and welcoming, and we were greeted with a thoughtful welcome pack of tea, coffee, milk and chocolate biscuits. We all enjoyed walking from the cottage up to Snowdon and around Beddgelert, and we loved the clear starry skies. We had a wonderful week.
There were comments in other reviews about the lane to the cottage but we found it perfectly accessible in our old Citroen Picasso - which does have good clearance - so long as we went slowly and carefully.
Reviewed by HelenApr 2021
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"Wonderful place!"
Exactly as listed. Cottage was very homely and warm. Had a lovely stay!
Reviewed by StephanieSep 2020
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"This is an old school holiday let, pretty basic but everything you need including a pint of milk and tea and coffee."
Beautiful location.
The lake in the pictures is actually across a main road which isn’t apparent from the pictures although there is access via a small gate and a short scramble through undergrowth. There is better access a little further down the road but there appears to be a charge to launch any craft, I think from the nearby campsite.
There is a very large garden that isn’t maintained but is ideal for kids and dogs to run about in.
All in all I would recommend this cottage.
Reviewed by PamelaSep 2020
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"Lovely cottage - comfortable, warm and well equipped, with great views."
Great location for exploring local area and enjoyed the stay. Nearby caffi gwynant is great, as are the campsite facilities and food by the lake. Suggestions where it could be improved: email directions not as clear as those in the welcome book (it took us a while to find the cottage); should be explicit about very poor rutted track on approach to house (had to park at youth hostel); wood burner chimney was unswept and, as a result, fire kept going out.
As for the ‘Sykes’ experience I emailed twice ahead of the visit but didn’t get either email acknowledged or answered, which is disappointing.
Reviewed by GarethSep 2020
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"This is a lovely cottage in an idyllic location overlooking the mountains and lake."
A welcome break from the fast pace of life. There is no internet or TV which adds to the charm of this cottage.
The only point of note is that access to the cottage needs to be improved. The recommended access from the Youth Hostel is badly broken down and as indicated the first entrance is impassable by a car. Larger signs off the main road indicating the cottage would also be helpful.
Reviewed by DavidAug 2020
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"Booked via booking."
Com and they mentioned WiFi and tv available. There wasn’t any of that but we new in advance so no problem for but I think that should be changed.
Fantastic location with amazing views!
Reviewed by Jan ChrisOct 2019
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"We loved the location, the cottage was rustic and charming and was exactly what we needed."
no Wifi no TV no internet, perfect!! just what we needed. great place for starting to explore snowdonia. We would definately book again. Didnt take us long to work out the heating etc. The views were stunning, the fresh air, the scenery everything was amazing. ( fire chimney probably needs a sweep as the room got very smoky with the lovely log fire) but these are small gripes but all in all very happy as were the dogs
Reviewed by TimOct 2019
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"The cottage along with the amazing views was heavenly."
We had difficulty trying to work out the aga so we couldnt cook using the oven, not a problem though.
We all loved the rustic feel. The only major problem i myself had was that the driveway is not suitable for an ordinary saloon car, my daughter had no problem as she has a 4x4.
Luckily i didnt need to use my vehicle during our stay which was just as well as i would have needed recovery. We had just managed to get half way home when my brakes failed. the garage showed me that the brake pipe had been damaged due to the rough drive.
May be a good idea to recommend drive not suitable for motor vehicles.
Reviewed by KarenJul 2019
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"Cottage was significantly cleaner than expected based on some previous reviews."
Very good views and some useful information available in the guest book. Only complaint was visitors parking and blocking the road entrance road near the youth hostel. New signage is required as the current sign states no vehicle access so it suggests the road is not used.
Reviewed by RobertJul 2019
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"Stayed here on the recommendation from a colleague."
Couldn't have been happier. The cottage was cozy, warm, well stocked, and exactly what I was looking for in my retreat to Snowdonia. Reaching it was straight forward, and communication/booking with Menai was also easy. I'll be sure to stay again!
Reviewed by TimothyJun 2019
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"Wonderful rural retreat !"
Reviewed by MarkJun 2019
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"This was my fifth time to the cottage."
The view of course is wonderful but over the years the already basic cottage has clearly suffered from want of investment. The lighting hasn’t been sorted out. The hob works but is difficult to control...it needs replacing. The crockery is poor and tired. Only two normal sized wine glasses left....poor. The bed linen needs replacing ....poor quality and too old and thin. The towels need boiling and checking for stains. Dusty old food bottles left by previous occupants should be thrown out...they’re just grubby and emphasise that the place generally needs a good deep clean and a lick of paint. And why is there still a stick for the electricity....pretty low class and irritating. It seems that more is being taken financially than given which is a shame because the cottage is inherently good quality and in an outstanding location.
It always feels warm and welcoming when I arrive but it isn’t on that I have to spend the first two hours cleaning after a 6 hour drive just so that I can relax and enjoy my stay. Others have commented on this before and although in part it was better on arrival this time....the bath was dirty, the toilet mat clearly was filthy and the shower mat didn’t look clean either. The phone...literally brown with dirt....I gave that a good clean and disinfect before using. I love Pant Lleni and the broader lack of facilities doesn’t bother me but continuing grubbiness and lack of basic healthy conditions does. Come on Menai...time to get this sorted!
Reviewed by DavidMay 2019
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"Remote, quiet location, perfect for us, quirky cottage, but meets all our needs"
Tami ShepherdFeb 2019
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"Lovely cottage in great location."
Away from internet and signal for a week and certainly didn't miss it. Some cars would struggle on the drive when loaded up so take care to arrive in daylight on arrival day. Comfy beds. Perhaps a bit more of a clean is needed in the kitchen. Great week with walks to the Snowdon summit starting a few hundred metres away. Thank you.
Jan 2019
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"The location of the cottage and the views onto the lake are beautifully peaceful, remote and serene."
However, the cottage itself is in need of some rejuvenation (e.g. new sofa and armchairs needed, water tank above spare room is filling up very slowly and noisily over a long period of time) and the whole place needs a thorough top to bottom deep clean. The drive up to the cottage/ back onto the road is really quite off-road-ish and can easily present an issue for less confident drivers/ not off road suitable cars.
Jul 2018
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"Wow! That unbeatable view, the short walk to the lake, the magical garden."
Both of us and the mutts were in holiday heaven. A 4x4 is useful for the track to the house. Can’t wait to return.
Simon CooperJul 2018
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"Quirky cottage in great location"
Tami ShepherdFeb 2018
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"Fab location, warm and welcoming, great facilities."
Yes the drive could be trimmed back so the car would fit better through the bushes but that does not knock it back from 5 stars.
Simon TamplinNov 2017
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"Pantlleni is absolute delight!"
The most fabolous views! We had fantastic family time. No tv, no wifi and no mobile reception was a big plus to get away from our busy lives and spend quality time with the children. We played games, made a bonfire and had BBQs every night! The dog loved it too especially swimming in the lake every day! The location is perfect to engage in various mountain and water activities, Zip world is close by too. We are definitely coming back!
Desi GrayAug 2017