Fforest Albion: The Hotel To Know In West Wales

Located in a peaceful riverside spot and housed inside a former sail-maker’s warehouse, Fforest Albion is the first luxury hotel in the small Welsh town of Cardigan. 

In the west of Wales – where you get a precious few extra minutes of daylight each evening – find Fforest Albion perched on the estuary of the River Teifi.

Located just a few minutes’ stroll to the town of Cardigan – where a tangle of pretty streets set around an old stone castle are packed with cafés and homeware shops – this hotel may come with all the mod-cons, but its charm lies in its playful take on local life and history. 

A former warehouse making sails, maritime history is infused throughout. Rows of small, square windows decorate the outside of this huge, austere stone building, their glow a welcoming yellow at night. Zigzagging the inside of the building, walkways to the rooms are long wooden gangways revealing ship-like bedrooms. 

On arrival, you’ll enter into a bar and reception area: somewhat of the hotel’s hub where, during the day, you might sip on a hot pot of tea in a bright blue enamel teapot. By evening expertly-crafted cocktails are shaken up and served alongside local cider. 

The first thing you notice in any of the 12 cosy guestrooms is the smell of rich wood; it’s that of the old, reclaimed planks used throughout that give a golden glow to the bedrooms. Low ceilings give the feeling of a ship’s cabin, and beds are covered in thick, locally woven blankets. All rooms are en-suite, bathrooms divided by a Japanese-style screen, lined in turquoise tiles, and kitted out with Aesop shampoo, conditioner and body wash. It’s a pleasing concoction of texture throughout, and one that makes you feel instantly at home – ready to slip into a deep sleep.

The ancient town of Cardigan may be small, but it has some wonderful options if you’re looking for a special meal or a great pub in which to unwind with the locals. Next to the hotel is the Castle Inn Pub, which Fforest restored and re-opened in December 2023. It has the same echoes of old reclaimed wood as the hotel, but some slick red paint accents – order a Wrexham lager or local Fforest gin and listen to the lively bilingual conversations around you. Five minutes’ walk from the hotel is Boys and Girls – a small dinner spot with a wonderfully high standard of food; we started with asparagus smothered in wild garlic pesto before trying the crispy fish burgers and finishing with a Basque cheesecake. Cross the river to Pizzatipi, a local favourite, for wood-fired pizzas. 

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The real draw of the hotel though is the astonishing coastal walks nearby – snaking along the Ceredigion coastal path to the east, and the Pembrokeshire coastal path to the west. Trails follow curved, wildflower-lined paths with vast vistas of the Atlantic. And don’t miss Mwnt beach, where an ancient white stone church sits above a sandy cove home to porpoises.