Where to stay: Wales
From Pembrokeshire to Snowdonia, these weird and wonderful Welsh digs include a windmill, chapel and an off-grid cottage overlooking the sea
Llancayo Windmill
Five storeys, topped and tailed by a ‘snug’ and kitchen, with six bedrooms accessed via a gently spiralling staircase in between: this Monmouthshire windmill is a good bet for groups. There are 360-degree views of rolling hills and cornfields from the wraparound balcony halfway up, and the decor’s a modern take on rustic. From £2,427 per week.
Points Cottage
The view’s the thing at this two-bedroom cottage: set in the Brecon Beacons, the panorama spans seven counties. The interior’s Grand Designs-meets country cottage, literally — it featured on the TV show and is still full of cosy touches such as an Aga, rolltop bath and open fireplace. Access is via 4×4, which can be hired from the owners. From £472 for two nights.
Penrhyn
Overlooking the sea (and its seals and porpoises) on the north-west tip of Pembrokeshire is this pretty three-bedroom cottage with a difference: it’s off-grid, with no electricity. The lighting is courtesy of candles and oil lamps, and there’s a Rayburn and a gas cooker, while a piano and spectacular over-water sunsets make good entertainment. From £494 per week.
Capel Dinorwig
This former chapel in Snowdonia has been converted into an airy, design-centred eight-bedroom hideout on the edge of the National Park. It’s swish, with underfloor heating, but eco-friendly too (solar panels, rainwater harvesting). Focused around an open-plan mezzanine level, the stylish living area sits under a vaulted roof. From £1,393 per week.
Published in the Jul/Aug 2017 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)