Pen-y-Bont Hotel, Llanrwst 1959

Nestled by the banks of the River Conwy in the heart of Llanrwst, the Pen-y-Bont Hotel once stood as a modest but well-known local inn, just a stone’s throw from the town’s iconic Inigo Jones bridge.

Located on Bridge Street, the hotel took its name from the nearby bridge (“Pen-y-Bont” meaning “Bridge End” in Welsh), and it served both locals and visitors alike for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. With its prime position near the river crossing, it was ideally placed for travellers passing through this historic market town — a vital gateway between the Conwy Valley and the Snowdonia region.

The hotel traded for many years as a public house and inn, offering accommodation, food, and ale to guests seeking the charm of small-town Wales. Though not as grand as the larger coaching inns found elsewhere, the Pen-y-Bont had its own character, playing a quiet but important role in Llanrwst’s daily life.

In later years, the building fell into decline and eventually ceased trading, with periods of vacancy and dereliction. Despite its location near some of the most photographed spots in Llanrwst — including the famous Tu Hwnt i’r Bont tearoom and the 17th-century three-arched stone bridge — the hotel itself never received the same attention or protection.

The Pen-y-Bont Hotel was eventually demolished, and the site has since been redeveloped, erasing a small but once-familiar part of the town’s riverside scene.