Saint David's Hotel, Harlech.

[TeeJF]

We visited this place quite a few weeks ago now in the company of Sonyes but we wanted to let him get his report and photos up on line first. Anyhow sufficient time has elapsed now so here's our take on the same place, hopefully you'll be able to find something of interest.

Th'history...​

There's not a great deal of history about on t'internet for this place! It was originally a three or possibly four star hotel, and it appears from a thank you card we found on the premises that it was still functioning as recently as 2006. During our exploration we found a commode chair in one of the bedrooms and that rather suggests to me that perhaps the hotel was geared up for pensioners and very elderly and infirm guests, but it's not conclusive.

As can also be seen from this lovely postcard below it has been around for quite some time so what caused it's demise and subsequent slide into dereliction we have no definitive answer, only a theory.

My best guess then would be that's it's all down to the huge change in the holiday habits of the British public beginning in the early 1970s with the advent of the cheap package holiday on the Costa del Sol et all - lets face it, when you have the choice of a room in a hotel on a wet and windy Welsh beach for a week, or basking in sun, blue sea and sangria for half the money, then where are you going to go? For a time the diehards, especially pensioners who are often very set in their ways and have been frequenting the hotel for years, will have continued to go back, but eventually it will have become prohibitively expensive to run and profit returns will have begun to collapse exponentially, prices will have been hiked, and finally a point will have been reached where it could no longer continue without a huge change in direction.

And clearly that was not forthcoming.

What is sad to see is that the chavs and pykeys have moved in to the place in double quick time and trashed and thieved there way around the building so comprehensively that there won't be much left worth bothering with very soon. The floors are precarious in the extreme and at times it's possible to see a drop before you of three to four floors - quite unnerving as you can perhaps imagine.

All in all then a very disappointing explore. But hey! You can't win 'em all!

...and th'pictures...



The hotel's sign is fast dissapearing into the overgrown hedges.

Vandalism shows by the amount of stuff that has been chucked out of windows into the back yard.

The basement discoteque.

Kids will be kids... unfortunately.

The ground floor bedroom corridor.

The bar.

Optic stands in the bar.

TJ's gratuitous self portrait!

The dining room floorboards have been stolen.

A card telling a sadly poignant story.

These magnificent bay windows are in the lounge behind reception.

On the first floor now.

What's she up to?

A bit of art

Out on the balcony over the reception area lounge.

Built of good, solid Welsh stone.

The lift cage...

Arty f*rty lace 'n landscape...

Red curtains.

What do you reckon? Do you think I should?

Glad I didn't shoulder charge it

Enough manky floors and four story drops for one day Time to goooooooo

Th-th-th-that's all folks. Hope you found something you liked!

Thanks for looking ​

 

[sonyes]

Some cracking shots there mate, particularly the last one, knew that would make a good one when you framed it!

 

[Mars Lander]

Nice report as per usual, will check it out on our fast approaching Welsh tour along with some tasty morsels methinks

 

[Lucky Pants]

Nice report , like the look of this place ,thanks for sharing .

 

[UEP-Wales]

Great report as always mate! Shame it's sooooo bloody screwed up now!

Cheers for posting them up

 

[_Nyx_]

Looks like it was such a grand building in its hay day. Super write up and pics, loving the arty shots

 

[perjury saint]

Love the picture of the letter... Really sweet
Thanks for sharing

 

[TeeJF]

Thanks you all.

 

[leftorium]

I was about to complain about pictures showing access points but then realised it would be impossible to take a shot without showing at least one - monumentally chavved - pinching floorboards is unusual I've seen many lifted but pinched? FFS

 

[kehumff]

What a crying shame, letter picture is really nice, Great pictures , great report, was once a great place.

 

[flyboys90]

One wouldn,t believe that amount of mess in such a short time,great photos.

 

[Andymacg]

That place has gone downhill in such a short time. I actually stayed there several times back in 2005 when I was working as a coach driver,and yes it was a pensioners paradise,
mind you I have an inkling where the floorboards have gone, I was passing on a saturday afternoon a few weeks on m way to Shell Island for a camping trip and there was a chap cutting floorboards up for firewood with chainsaw in where the car dealer parks their cars

 

[Beaver]

Nice capture on the letter. Really enjoyed viewing the whole set

 

[TeeJF]

I was about to complain about pictures showing access points but then realised it would be impossible to take a shot without showing at least one -

Have a REALLY good look buddy and I guarantee you will NOT see the access point we used, nor any other for that matter which can be used without a ladder or climbing gear. There are NO photographs on here or on our own site taken of the elevation of the building where we gained entry.

mind you I have an inkling where the floorboards have gone, I was passing on a saturday afternoon a few weeks on m way to Shell Island for a camping trip and there was a chap cutting floorboards up for firewood with chainsaw in where the car dealer parks their cars

Whaaaaaaat???? Blimey, hard faced b*gger he is!!! Some people really take the biscuit!

letter picture is really nice,

Yup, all kudos to TJ (wifey) for finding that and getting such a good shot.



Thanks everybody for your kind comments.

 

[prettyvacant71]

wot lovely views and reading that letter gives the place such a human touch

 

[kevsy21]

Not seen this place for a while,surprised its not been ripped down by now.
Some good pics there.

 

[UrbanX]

Wow, what a place that would have been in its heyday!
Ace photos as per,

 

[LairdOfLochaber]

It makes me so sad that people have so little respect for other people's property, or for the workmanship that went into these buildings, or for the joy they have brought so many over time. That letter you found. What would the dear old gentleman's feelings be if he saw these photos? For a fully functional hotel to turn into this in just 5 years is simply unbelievable! Is there no criminal recourse in your country? And for people to just accept it as inevitable, with a "kids will be kids" attitude, baffles me. Young people aren't feral cats. Have they no ethics? Is there no accountability? The kind of people who would do this would do anything. No one stands up to this?

 

[TeeJF]

Is there no criminal recourse in your country? Have they no ethics? Is there no accountability? The kind of people who would do this would do anything.

The problem in the UK as I see it, and doubtless I will get shouted down for my opinion but what the hell! The kids today are the second and often third generation who have never been brought up to respect society and have had everything handed to them on a plate from the day they have left school. There are extended families living in welfare housing - unmarried mothers with kids who have kids, none of which 'family' work, preferring instead to sponge off those who do work and get taxed heavily, much of which funds these parasites. Discipline in schools is none existent to the point where teachers fear for their jobs and their future so much that they daren't even raise their voices to the yobs they teach for fear of them concocting abuse stories etc. And the police have to deal with youths who know the law so well they quote it at them knowing they are to all intents and purposes untouchable. Long gone are the days off a swift clip round the ear if they are caught misbehaving. There's a saying, 'spare the rod and spoil the child'... sadly those children have grown up and are busy breeding yet more untouchables. It's not all bad here, but until common sense prevails it ain't gonna get any better anytime soon.

 

[Ninja Kitten]

just great!! long drop that one lol..ide probably fall out there!