The New Inn

I spent a lot of my childhood in Llangynog and have had some great meals at the New Inn over the years. Today, instead of cheese and broccoli pasta bake, we got a few tiny pieces of broccoli and potato in cheese sauce. When I said that there was no pasta in it, I was told that they hadn’t got any!! Whilst we were eventually offered a replacement meal, we did not have the time to wait due to a long journey home. We were offered pudding but only one of us eats sugary deserts. £50 spent and disappointed.

There are pros and cons to booking somewhere last minute; just getting away was our priority for a weekend in August and wanting to be near-ish to Bala, there weren't many late options. And it may be that we also had the last room at the New Inn.... On the positive side: easy to find, safe parking, friendly staff*, a good village pub with fine beer an ok-menu. Plus, the bed was exceptionally comfortable and (after hours; there's noise from the pub, fair enough) the peace was superb. Good two nights' sleep for sure. On the negative: Room 2 is tired, worn out even, in dire need of some very simple upgrades. There was one bedside lamp, not two. A slightly 'damp' smell, which can be fixed with regular opening of windows and a spot of 'Glade'. There was a kettle, but we had to ask for mugs and some milk to go with the tea bags, which might have been there for a while. And RM2 has the smallest of en suite bathrooms, where you could have hot water or water pressure in the shower, but not both at the same time. This too had visible evidence a lack of airing, eg the mould. Mrs H said words to the effect that they may have forgotten we were coming or, it was like visiting the aunt who knew you were coming sometime, wasn't sure which weekend, and was then surprised that you'd brought your girlfriend with you and hadn't prepared the double room. All of which to say that this could be so much better - and perhaps the other rooms are already. At £70 a night, we didn't expect very much, but were still left a bit disappointed. And I guess this is the dilemma - I'd have gladly paid another £30 a night for this location (even the same room) if it were modernised. But that might not be enough short-term to cover the costs of that modernisation. To be honest, it didn't look imminent. (*ps - and we suspect that when we asked for the B+B wifi password, rather than the pub's version, fibs were told. Pub wifi was very good, room wifi was almost non-existent, despite the presence of a booster in the room, right on the bedside table. Now, because we have the same set up in our own home, I knew which of the strong BT signals on my mobile wifi related to that booster in the room. And it wasn't the pub one. If you're going to say there's no wifi in the rooms, please remove the evidence to the contrary. Diolch).

Came here for a meal at lunchtime. The manager was very friendly and our order came fairly quickly although it was slightly confused, Chips were replaced by a baked potato as originally ordered. It was cold in the centre, The other meals were fine. We sat outside with soaking cigarette butts in ashtrays on each table. The table umbrellas were lying under a hedge. A large table tennis table was propped up against a post near where we were seated. It has the feeling of a place that has given up on normal standards.