Since the time of travellers taking the journey along the London to Holyhead road during the Regency, Georgian and Victorian eras to more recent holidaymakers enjoying the staggering beauty of Snowdonia, there's a village inn and hotel that has welcomed them all.
Offering a cool drink and pub grub by the riverside at Bethesda in Gwynedd, the Douglas Arms Hotel and Inn has been a roadside companion to countless thousands of travellers, visitors and local residents.
The pub and hotel was built between 1820 and 1830 as a coaching inn to serve Thomas Telford's new turnpike road to Holyhead that opened at around the same time. And what a welcome sight to weary travellers it must have been when long journeys were considerably less comfortable than today.
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In 1997 the property was recognised for its important function as well as character and charm, by being awarded a Grade II listing by Cadw for being 'a good example of a substantial late Georgian coaching inn'.
The distinctive Georgian facade with grand column porch and symmetrical sashed windows is a landmark gem in the village, not just for visitors but as an important part of the local community of the slate quarry village of Bethesda for over two centuries.
The inn is situated in a prime spot on the historic A5 thoroughfare, that is still a very popular route through the area, and within the village established on the back of Penrhyn Slate quarry, which the estate agent states is still a major employer in the area to this day.
This stunning slice of Wales is surrounded by the majestic, mountainous scenery of Snowdonia National Park and the glorious Nant Francon Valley. The village itself has a wide range of amenities including two village stores, a range of independent shops, eateries and pubs, local schools, and leisure facilities that include the longest zip wire ride in Europe hiding within the slate quarry.
The area is wonderful and worth exploring - thousands of visitors every year can testify to that - but the village is also well-placed for access to more urban centres, with Bangor about six miles to the north and access to the A55 across the north coast of Wales only about three miles away.
Back at the village, and the Douglas Arms Hotel holds a prominent place within the landscape as well as within the history of the community. The front of the property catches the attention of the passing trade, but the rear offers a pretty and generous garden next to the River Ogwen.
A section of the garden is utilised as a beer garden with views of the Nant Francon valley and high peaks of the Carneddau range, so lucky customers can sip a cold pint on a hot day with the staggering, surrounding views complemented by the ever-engaging sound of the river water rushing by.
The agent states that the garden has been subject to flooding from the nearby Ogwen River but they have been informed that the rising water has never affected the premises due to its elevation above the river bank.
The inn and hotel has been owned, maintained and loved by the same family since 1913 which is a wonderful backstory to the property, and when you step inside its like stepping into a time capsule with the date on the calendar the year 1935.
So much has been left untouched for decades, including some of the furniture, that the inn that was already intriguing from the outside is now taken to the next level.
The sizeable accommodation for use by owners and customers spans across three floors, but there is an impressive basement too, with a slate flagged floor which has seen some use through the years and is still in use to this day - the stories those flagstones could tell would probably be captivating.
This lower floor contains multiple storage rooms, a cellar and a kitchen, plus a staircase that takes you to the ground and customer focussed areas above.
The impressive hallway includes period features such as a substantial front door, cornicing and a sweeping, grand staircase worthy of an elegant and classic Georgian property. And maybe under the carpet there might be a hidden period tiled or wooden floor waiting to be discovered.
The first room to the left is the customer dining room, with a substantial marble Georgian fireplace adding a touch of grandeur to the space. Behind this room is the very generous games room, easily welcoming a full size snooker table as well as dual aspect to the green landscape outside and direct access to enjoy it.
Across the hall is a customer lounge area, and the other side of the staircase is the lounge bar, overlooking the garden. The ground floor also has customer toilets and access to the beer garden.
Up the impressive staircase to the first floor and the current layout on this level includes three bedrooms and a bathroom. But arguably the main star of the show on this level is a vast lounge and dining room that runs from the front to the back of the property that is packed full of delightful 1930s style including two fireplaces and the majority of the furniture.
Up again and the top floor includes a kitchen, lounge, bathroom and four bedrooms making it, at least in part if not as a whole, the perfect owner accommodation.
Finally, on this level you will discover a surprise; a glass roof lantern built above the centre valley of the two pitched roofs that creates the most wonderful of extra spaces.
Known as a belvedere, this creative use of this void of space into an internal room crowns the special inn as extra special. This extra space offers panoramic views through the continual section of glass on all sides, mesmerising you with the stunning, surrounding countryside, and offering you such a quiet and unique place to call your den or reading nook, you might never want to leave it.
The Douglas Arms Hotel and Inn is on the market for £475,000 with Dafydd Hardy Commercial, call them on 01286 676760 to find out more. And if you love having a peek around dream homes or want to see some of the best properties for sale, join our Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter for a twice weekly dose sent to your inbox.
