Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Sandra Hembery

The Welsh seaside town voted one of the best in the UK

A Welsh seaside resort has been voted one of the best coastal destinations in the British Isles.

But it was beaten by a place you may not have heard of.

Portmeirion , the tourist village in North Wales, was narrowly pipped to top spot by Bamburgh in Northumberland, which scored 89% for overall satisfaction in a Which? survey.

Bamburgh - if you're not familiar with it - is  about 50 miles north of Newcastle and 20 miles south of the border with Scotland.

Meanwhile Portmeirion, built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis with its unique Italianate design, notched an impressive 88% customer rating, with its seafront, hotels and attractions bagging five stars.

Resorts were rated in 10 categories, including the quality of the beach, attractions, scenery, food and drink, accommodation, peace and quiet and value for money.

Welsh resorts rated particularly well, with Tenby also nudging into the top 10, at joint eighth (78%), and Llandudno and St Davids tying with 78%, rating highly for scenery and being good value for money.

(Mirrorpix)

Price was a key factor in the scores: the Welsh resorts have hotels which cost an average of less than £100 per night, giving them a clear edge when it comes to budget-savvy staycationers.

Portmeirion, which is famous as the location for numerous films and television shows - including The Village in the 1960s show The Prisoner - scored five stars for its seafront, accommodation, attractions, and scenery.

The Which? survey, which pulled in information from nearly 3,000 visitors, said: "Wales did well overall, with four seaside towns in the top 20, from the Italian Riviera-inspired Portmeirion and reassuring seaside tradition of Llandudno to beaches in Pembrokeshire that rival any in the world."

Portmeirion itself has not been short of famous visitors.

Tenby did well, too (Khrizmo/Getty Images)

Noel Coward wrote Blithe Spirit while staying at Portmeirion, and HG Wells and George Bernard Shaw were also early tourists.

It is now owned by a charitable trust, and a top tourist attraction in its own right.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.