We could have stayed at either of these beautifully designed cabins in North Wales forever! We fell in love!
Over the last few years, both Steffan and I have enjoyed travelling to various countries worldwide and staying at some fantastic accommodations. Some luxurious, some quirky and some just that little bit different, not bizarre, but enough to stick in your mind.
Within the UK, we have stayed in shepherds’ huts, little huts, log cabins with hot tubs, all the way to bell tents planted on working farms.
So, what was it about these beautiful cabins that made them so special!
The location
For us, lovers of the outdoors and nature, lovers of the smell of the sea in the air and the call of the mountains, the location could not have been more perfect. Both cabins in North Wales are set in South Snowdonia and are just a short drive to the mountains or the beach in either direction. We did have the best of both adventure inspiring worlds.
The Pens, built on a working sheep farm, and in Spring, it was an absolute joy to be surrounded by bleating lambs and be sat watching them spring around the fields from the breakfast bar in the mornings with a mug of tea in hand! Whilst located on a farm, it felt so remote. The views from the balcony across sweeping fields that seemingly went on for miles and the silence just made us feel like we were the only ones in the world.
There are stunning walks from the door and super close to Cader Idris if you fancy a hike.
Ty Coed, whilst not that far away, had a slightly different feel. It was closer to the “action”. And when we say action, we mean sleepy seaside towns, beaches full of curious seagulls and rock pools inhabited by little fish and playful crabs. Ty Coed is set back from the road in its little plot and just 15 minutes from Barmouth or Fairbourne by car.
The Pens
The Bedroom
The Pens is the first of the two cabins situated in magical North Wales and sleeps two. It is the perfect romantic retreat.
I think most of you will agree that the bedroom when you are away for any length of time is super important because, if you don’t get that beauty sleep, your days just become so much less enjoyable.
The bedroom was beautiful and inspired rest. The living room peered through to the bedroom via a solid wooden beam, and it was so inviting we could barely wait to crawl back in after a day of adventures!
The bed was super comfortable, pillows were delightful, the view was serene and having a little dresser by the bed and solid wooden posts and hangers in the corner added to the beauty and natural feel of the whole room. Decorated In earthy shades of greys and greens with the dark wood did bring the outside world in to join you.
The other thing we loved was the whole place had a thermostat and whilst we had terrible weather whilst there, The Pens remained warm enough but never too hot, which was perfect. As there is nothing worse than being too hot or too cold when you are resting.
The Living Area
The whole cabin is open plan and we loved this about the place, cooking whilst chatting across the cabin, making tea and coffees and being able to see into the bedroom – it just made staying connected and feeling at one all the easier.
The living area was spacious and had the most comfortable sofa with decorative pillows, but one of our favourite touches? The wicker basket with extra blankets and pillows by the couch! We love to get cosy in the evenings, and the blankets helped us do just this! What can we say?
There is a huge flat screen tv mounted on the wall with access to Netflix so you can get your series fix in the evenings, which, whilst we love disconnecting as much as the next person, we do love our homely comforts!
The icing on the cake for The Pens is the huge sliding glass doors that open onto a huge balcony overlooking the fields and mountains in the distance. Even though the weather was terrible, having that view from the kitchen and living room made up for it. Come wind, rain, or shine, there is no denying that those huge windows made you feel connected to nature even whilst sat on the sumptuous warm sofa.
The Kitchen
The entrance to The pens walks you straight into the huge open plan and fully stocked kitchen. Framed by a rustic wooden breakfast bar with huge windows overlooking the fields on one side and beautiful work surfaces created from local slate, with every cooking or kitchen appliance you could dream of, on the other.
A coffee machine with complimentary coffee pods, hanging wine glasses that glisten at you across the room and cupboards full of anything you would ever need to rustle up a hearty meal.
Hannah and Tom have thought of everything and even provided a small basket complete with Welsh cakes, crisps, and a welcome note. Little touches like this do make your stay all that more special!
We are pretty used to staying in smaller accommodations on our travels where landscape photography is the focus. So having a vast and well-stocked kitchen was such a treat for us! We cooked up Penne El Rustica for our evening meal and enjoyed porridge at the breakfast bar before setting off for morning hikes. Perfection.
Open plan and so many windows meant light streaming in from any direction coupled with the most beautiful views. We were in heaven.
The Bathroom
Rainfall shower, you say. As with everything in The Pens, the bathroom was no exception to the little touches, and relaxation was inspired as you entered the room. A huge rainfall shower, complete with shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and the most beautiful sink, is held proudly by solid wood and tree inspired base. Even when you were brushing your teeth, you felt connected to nature!
The Outdoor Space
The Pens has its huge driveway running adjacent to the cabin, complete with gates to keep the lambs and sheep out… yes, we left them open a few times intentionally, so we had some friends!
But the outdoor space that blew us away was the huge balcony overlooking the countryside!
The glass sliding doors led out onto the outdoor area, and there was a quaint little seating area complete with cushions kept indoors for when the weather was dry. We could have sat out there for hours!
Unlike other cabins we have stayed in, this one felt so remote and immersed in nature. A haven for relaxation but not so remote you can’t see or do anything with many walks from the door and attractions within 15 minutes drive away.
Ty Coed
The Bedrooms
Ty Coed can sleep four people and as such has two gorgeous bedrooms.
As you walk down the hallway, the first you meet is the smaller room but so purposefully arranged and perfect for two. The room comprises of an interjoined bunk bed which automatically makes you think kids… but honestly…. The beds are more than big enough for an adult if you fancy something a bit different and are travelling as a four!
The same nature-inspired wooden finish found in The Pens is also apparent in this cabin, and the bunk beds are no exception. They are beautifully made.
Bedroom two, or the main bedroom, is a double and has enormous windows with a mountain view in the distance and is beautiful. We loved the decorative back wall covered in trees and shadows, complete with bedside lamps—just another example of bringing the outside inside.
If you enjoy a bit of television from the bed in the morning or before drifting into your night’s slumber because let’s face it, who doesn’t? There is also a TV hung from the wall which is just an added touch of luxury and convenience for those lazier mornings where the walk to the sofa feels too much.
The Living Area
Easily one of the quirkiest living rooms we have the pleasure of spending time in. The room fills you with the notions of old movies, feelings of adventure and travel and ideas that there are stories behind every bit of decoration from the mounted bicycle on the wall to the map covered coffee table. The living room inspires adventure and exploring. So, of course, we loved it! A mounted flat-screen TV on the far wall and the open plan kitchen means it’s perfect for shared experiences such as eating meals, playing games or just chatting about your day.
The Kitchen
The kitchen, whilst sharing the space with the living ‘room’, had a whole separate feel to it, and the centrepiece was a huge dining table that invites family meals and storytelling.
Hannah and Tom once again exceeded themselves with their hospitality and eye for excellent, thoughtful touches. They had a little crate waiting for us on the table full of marshmallows, popcorn, and cloudy lemonade, along with firelighters for the fire pit in the evenings! We could hardly contain our excitement!
The kitchen again was full of any utensil or item you may ever need or want, from a coffee machine to pots and pans to glasses and a variety of mugs and beautifully designed plates and trays.
Inviting the “outdoors in” seemed to be the very thread that held these beautiful cabins together as any place there was space; there was a window—boasting gorgeous views of trees swaying and birds and bees dancing playfully. There are huge double glass doors from the kitchen that lead you outside and onto the enormous wrap-around balcony. Which I think may have been our favourite part of all! The cabins were full of light, which made the place feel so warm and bright.
The balcony reminded us so much of those old western movies where you’d be sat on a rocking chair drinking your cloudy lemonade watching the world go by. It was such a beautiful spot and inspired nostalgia.
The Bathroom
The bathroom is just as beautiful as the rest of the cabin. It features a bath and rainfall shower and little touches such as an old wooden chair in the corner, beautifully painted pictures on the wall and intricately designed floral hangers on the back of the door.
The rainfall shower was large and again complimentary shower gel, shampoo and conditioner were provided. Everything is considered.
The outdoor space
So, by now, I am sure you can tell that we love the outdoors. So it may come as no surprise that the outdoor space did fill us with so much joy at Ty Coed!
The beautifully designed balcony, made of solid wood, is decorated with benches and bird boxes overlooking the cabin’s views. There is also a second seating area near the front door where you can relax and enjoy the birds singing merrily whilst enjoying a good book.
The cabin is sat Infront of a vast pine forest, so the sounds are immersive nature. The winds blowing the branches from side to side, and if you listen carefully, you can almost hear the waves in the distance.
The crown jewel of Ty Coed in this outdoor space is unquestionably the fire pit! Fire pits cannot help but inspire adventure, laughter, free-living, and holidays! Yes, we are a couple of kids when it comes to toasting marshmallows and chatting around a fire. Nothing brings us more joy.
We had so much fun being sat there in the evening toasting our marshmallows and whilst we returned to the cabin feeling very nauseous after too much overindulgence, it was totally worth it.
A lovely family owns Ty Coed and The Pens, and we had the pleasure of meeting Hannah whilst staying with them and honestly, we could have talked all day. It is easy to see how so many people fall in love with not just the cabins but the friendly hospitality provided by these two.
We asked Tom and Hannah to say a bit about themselves to add to this blog so you can get to know your future hosts a little bit more!
Meet the owners!
“Tom and I have been brought up in the area, and we live in Dolgellau with our two little ones.
The cabins were a great way to diversify from the farm as our area is a very popular tourist area.
Ty Coed was built in 2019, and The Pens was our 2020 lockdown project.
Both are inspired by a childhood well-spent building treehouse!
Most of the wood for both cabins has been sourced either from the farm or the neighbouring woodland.
The bathroom at The Pens used to be a pigsty; we hope it doesn’t resemble that now!
The bike in Ty Coed belonged to a local man and had been stored at the farm for many years before retiring to the cabin.
We have another project starting, which will be a little different to the other 2 which were hoping to get going very soon!
Watch this space!
Our top 3 things to see or do in the area would be –
- Portmeirion – Such a beautiful place!
- Cader Idris – on a clear day, the views of the surrounding area are incredible.
- Coed y Brenin – great for walking or biking and something for every ability. Beautiful scenery and a great cafe!”
If we can offer you any advice on both beautiful cabins, it would be one thing as we can promise you that you will not want to leave! A couple of nights is just not long enough! If that is all you can spare to spend here, it is worth experiencing as it is a break that will undoubtedly have you counting the days until you can return. But if you can take longer, we advise you do.
To book your very own break at one of these beautiful cabins, you can book via the link below on Air B and B, or you can contact or follow Coed Cabins on Instagram.
For more things to see and do near the cabins or in North Wales, stay posted for our favourite beauty spots in the area blog – COMING SOON.
