Trearddur Bay, near Holyhead · Hotel
A large seafront hotel above the sandy bay at Trearddur, with an indoor pool, a relaxed bar and sea-view rooms facing the Irish Sea.
Trearddur Bay Hotel sits directly above the beach on the west coast of Anglesey, a few miles south of Holyhead. It is the biggest hotel on this side of the island and has been the default choice for beach holidays here for decades. The building is unremarkable from the road, but the position is hard to beat: the sand is across the lane and the front rooms look straight out over the bay.
Rooms range from compact standard doubles to family rooms and suites, with the sea-facing ones commanding a premium and deserving it. Decor is comfortable rather than designer. The indoor swimming pool is the reason a lot of families book, and it makes a significant difference on the wet days that Anglesey reliably produces even in August.
There are two eating options: a more formal restaurant and a bar that does straightforward pub food in a livelier setting, both open to non-residents. Service gets consistently good marks, and the hotel handles large family groups and weddings without losing the plot. Dogs are accepted in some rooms.
This is the practical west-coast base. South Stack and the RSPB cliffs are around fifteen minutes away, Holyhead port ten, and the coast path runs along the headland at either end of the bay. Rhosneigr's watersports beaches are twenty minutes south. It suits families and walkers more than couples looking for seclusion, and it is busy in school holidays, so book early and expect the pool to be lively.