One stay at this wonderful country hotel in a hidden location with award-winning restaurant and you’ll be begging to return
As we travelled through the impressive iron gates and slowly descended into a hidden dell in the undulating Pembrokeshire countryside it felt like we were being transported into a secret and enchanting pocket of peace, away from the noise and stress of everyday life.
For the next 36 hours this feeling of escape, of calm, and of being immersed in a very special location continued after a memorable stay at one of Wales’ best country hotels for me and my family.
As the car wandered down the quiet driveway a view of the historic building emerged through the trees and instantly created a visual welcome that ignited the feeling of excitement – I knew our one-night stay at Grove of Narberth was going to be special.
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But this property didn’t always raise expectations of a visit to remember, at one point in its journey it was close to slipping onto a pathway to dereliction; a galaxy away from the luxury country retreat it has become.
A brief history of the house included three distinct chapters – it is likely the main house in the 1680s by Daniel Poyer, who inherited the property. Then around 1874 Arts & Crafts architect John Pollard Seddon extensively renovated the Jacobean house, adding features like a grand hallway, new staircase, library, ceramic fireplaces, and ornate joinery.
But more recently a period of neglect between owners meant the once grand estate declined into a rundown estate. Luckily, current owners Neil and Zoe Kedward made the same journey down the driveway and saw the property peer at them through the foliage, they too fell in love and the building was set on a road to renovation recovery and transformation into the stunning building it is today.
Since then the hotel has won an impressive amount of awards including Independent Hotel of the Year in 2024, a Michelin Key and AA 5 Red Stars & 4 Rosettes for its restaurant, and high rankings in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards including the UK’s number one Small Hotel in 2023 and number three Boutique Hotel in 2025 and number three in the Top 50 Boutique Hotels UK in 2025 – and that’s just a few of them.
We parked the car and wandered up to the large, carved wooden front door whilst admiring the garden terrace crowned with strings of outdoor lights overlooking the lake. I thought the terrace would be an incredible place to enjoy an afternoon tea or evening drink in the sunshine or under a starry sky.
But when we stayed it was a drab and dreary rainy and windy December day, but the weather could not dampen our enthusiasm at our forthcoming stay at this beautiful property.
As we entered we were greeted by an impressive square entrance hall with a central table display – it was a week before Christmas so this centrepiece was very festive. I later chatted to a member of staff updating the display who told me almost every item in all of the beautiful Christmas nature-based displays around the house were created with foliage and items from the garden and grounds.
The hotel was a wonderful place to start getting into the Christmas spirit. To the right was a large lounge with a central Christmas tree and a substantial fireplace but it was the lounge to the left, with original wood wall panelling and a truly gorgeous period fireplace, that was my favourite place to linger and then relax.
It was cosy and warm, a parlour that had surely over the years welcomed and impressed guests from the era of a private home right up to the home’s current status as a wonderful country hotel.
Bypassing the period staircase we found the reception area in a rear room and, as with many aspects of the hotel, it was a welcoming space – no big, austere reception desk and bright lights but a cosy reception room with traditional table and display cabinets that just happened to have two laptops on it and two smiling staff behind it.
We were a little worried before we arrived that the hotel was ‘too posh’ for us, that we usually crash in a Premier Inn when travelling to watch football or attend a gig, but from the moment we arrived we felt like the house embraced us fully with its special ambience and the staff could not have been more welcoming.
A hotel’s staff can enhance or hinder a relaxing stay at a special place in my opinion and at Grove of Narberth I can’t praise them enough, welcoming and knowledgeable, who exuded the love and passion for the building that comes from the owners at the top of the staff tree and clearly cascades down.
They were softly spoken and seemed to glide around the building unseen, adding to the atmosphere of relaxation and calm – until you needed them, and then they would suddenly appear.
Throughout our stay the staff seemed to have an innate talent of knowing when you would like some more tea and when you just want to be left alone, next to the fire, listening to the logs crackle and the wind whistle past the shuttered windows.
Being almost as obsessed with tea as with property, I always, of course, said yes to tea and when it came there was also a range of tasty morsels to accompany it.
We climbed the delightfully creaky staircase to be shown to our room. We stayed in the Henry Signature Suite and nothing could have really prepared us for how welcoming and yet luxurious it was, a mix of layers of tactile materials, wall panelling, statement furniture and art work pieces, and a palette of warm creams and neutrals.
The door opened and the lounge was the first space to explore, offering a squishy sofa that later turned into a bed, two arm chairs and even our own Christmas tree in the corner. There was, of course, a television offering a good range of channels including Sky sports but we hadn’t come here to do something we could do at home – this stay was about switching off, not switching on.
The mini bar was the most comprehensive I have seen, with a range of teas plus in the hidden fridge below there was a bottle of wine, Welsh lager, soft drinks and apple juice, milk and some snacks too.
The interior design inside the suite of three rooms was a subtle and successful mix of connections to heritage via statement pieces of traditional furniture and the beautifully restored Arts & Crafts fireplace, but in a modern context.
No floral wallpaper or twee country house design, rather a stylish suite of rooms that, in my opinion, got the balance totally right for a luxury stay in a historic rural house. It is summed up, I suppose, with the ridiculously comfortable king size bed – a four-poster bed but in a more sleek, simple and modern design.
The walls had subtle panelling that created an ideal backdrop for the display of ceramics that created points of visual interest without distracting from the overall design and ambience of the suite.
But this was a suite for the senses; more than just the dual aspect views across the glorious landscaped gardens to the rolling rural landscape that cocoons the property, more than just the restful and luxury design – our noses were treated too.
Wandering into the bathroom was a visual treat that included a stunning, roll-top bath painted an earthy tone, a double sink unit, and separate enclosed shower hiding at the back of the space, but it was the smell that was the most memorable aspect of the space.
There was a range of Goodwash Company bathroom products to use and the bath salts in particular were a luxurious addition to the range – there wasn’t much left in the bowl by the time we left the next day! And yes, I did succumb to the smell and treated myself to some hand cream as the range is available to buy at reception.
The wardrobe in the suite, which also had a dressing table and hairdryer, seduced us into diving into the fluffy dressing gowns and slip-on slippers that were waiting inside – now we definitely felt like we were in a luxury country hotel.
The staff told us that each of the ensuite rooms and suites within the main hotel is different in period character and décor although they also have a visual synergy towards an overall signature ‘look’. Some returning guests like to stay in the same room and some like, as Goldlocks surely would, like to try a new room every time they stay.
There is more to Grove of Narberth than the main house though, as the site also has beautifully converted outbuildings that offer private places to stay within the grounds including the Longhouse, Poyer’s Cottage, and Herb Cottages.
After relaxing in our room for a while, trying out the bath and the shower which were both relaxing and refreshing, we prepared for dinner – a much anticipated visit to experience the seven-course fine dining menu created by award-winning chef Douglas Balish in The Fernery restaurant.
I fussed about a bit, not knowing what to wear. It was Christmas time and I had earlier seen some ladies going into the hotel’s other restaurant looking a bit glitzy so some sparkle was chosen but actually it appeared from looking at the other diners when we arrived at the Fernery that smart casual was absolutely fine.
We were greeted at the bar with drinks and then shown to our table. Fernery is maybe typical of the hotel – welcoming with timeless and tasteful simple décor with a distinctive twist. The space had a neutral backdrop that showcases wall art and, of course, a regular display of ferns, whether painted on the wall or as part of the stunning centrepiece display.
The atmosphere was relaxing and not stuffy, the background music was restful and not intrusive, and it was a comfortable place to chat and laugh, especially with the tables far enough apart to feel like you were in your own pocket of dining experience.
The staff, and there were many, were attentive and knowledgeable, eagerly describing what amazing display of fine dining food was about to appear in front of us at every stage of the meal.
From lobster tail to venison, oyster to wasabi, each plate of high quality taster food was packed with flavour and texture; a visual treat that turned into a taste sensation – I might not ever be able to go back to a Big Mac now!
On the table was a card with a map of Wales showing where the majority of food came from, underlying the ethos of using local and fresh ingredients as much as possible and with some even grown on site in the hotel’s garden.
The hotel can also tempt a visit for residents and non-residents at Artisan Rooms Brasseries which serves seasonal dishes, set lunches, Sunday roasts and afternoon teas in a welcoming space, with garden terrace dining available in the summer.
There are also picnic packages that can be ordered to be your yummy food and drink companion whilst exploring the 26 acres of land, plus a very comprehensive drinks menu in the lounge bar that includes an impressive collection of Welsh sourced drinks. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here
After a comfortable night’s sleep that made us hate the morning alarm when it went off, the delicious breakfast that was waiting for us more than made up for having to leave the suite.
The welcoming breakfast room overlooked the rear garden terrace with glimpses into the Artisan Rooms Brasseries and the very tasty ‘Bore Da Good morning breakfast looked mouth-watering with a good selection of food using, of course, locally sourced produce and ingredients.
To start there was a range of pastries, fruits and yoghurts, cereals and porridge, and even a glass of champagne. For the main breakfast nosebag we chose the traditional breakfast that included bacon, sausage, mushroom, egg, homemade beans, tomato and black pudding, but other options included crumpet with a range of savoury toppings, smoked haddock omelette and eggs benedict.
After one last pot of tea by the fire in the snug it was, sadly, time to pack and depart, heading back to a noisy and fast-paced city life.
But we left feeling refreshed and full of festive cheer and we would definitely like to return. I would love to explore the house and the land during different seasons – spring flowers, summer sunshine, autumn colours – and make even more special memories at Grove of Narberth, a very special place indeed.
The house oozes history, the hidden location is glorious, the food is off the scale delicious but it’s the staff that make a stay at Grove of Narberth the ultimate country hotel treat in my opinion.
Depending on when you book and the time of year a one-night stay in the Henry Suite costs between £233 to £442 per night, with other suites and rooms available at a lower rate, check out the hotel’s website here. The seven course fine dining menu we experienced costs £145 per person, but menus for all food offerings can be found on the hotel’s fernery restaurant website here.
