Cardiff Travel Forum

ive drove past going to work in cardiff from birmingham and thought id visit the castle with my girlfriend as i think its quite romantic and fairytale looking would any body be able to recomend me anywhere to stay nearby for a weekend please i would be most greatful.

It is a pretty place, though not a 'real' castle: it's really a Victorian folly (1870). There was once a proper 13th-century castle there, and some little bits of it remain.

Accommodation nearby:

http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=441

http://www.bestwestern.co.uk/Leisure/Event-Detail.aspx?EventId=103640

I think staying in Somerset would be lovely (and nipping over the Severn bridge to visit). Or maybe somewhere like Chepstow, or perhaps the South Wales valleys (the Big Pit mining museum at Blaenafon is a fantastic experience). Or the Forest of Dean.

http://www.visitsouthwales.com/

http://www.stayinwales.co.uk/wales.cfm?town=Chepstow

http://www.visitsomerset.co.uk/site/places-to-stay

http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/bigpit/

http://www.visitforestofdean.co.uk/

Not sure what your budget would be for a weekend but these two hotels are both close to Castell Coch and would avoid taking your car into Cardiff centre which can be very busy at weekends (which you probably know anyway as you work there!)

http://www.innkeeperslodge.com/

http://www.village-hotels.co.uk/Hotels/cardiff/

A tour of Castell Coch would not take long so you would have time to do other things. Perhaps to travel up to Brecon - a nice little market town on the river with one of the smallest cathedrals in the UK (great cafe there) and spend some time in the beautiful countryside of the Brecon Beacons.

Much closer, Cardiff Bay is a very lively place with shopping, restaurants, water taxi tours around the Bay; on your way to the Bay have a look at Cardiff Castle in the City Centre.

The National Museum of Wales in Cardiff is excellent - free admission, and 3 miles or so from the city centre at St Fagans the national folk museum - also free is a good, full day outing

http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/

Enjoy your visit!

Castell Coch# (Red Castle)is only a few miles from Caerphilly where the largest castle in Wales can be found. If the weather's good then a walk around it's grounds is a great way to pass a couple of hours.

Don't stay on the English side of the bridge as it'll cost you £5 (I think, may be more) To cross over into Wales.

Go to the Hilton hotel web site for great weekend deals. Also Google 'boutique hotels in Wales'. There are a couple in fairly close proximity to Cardiff.

# It's said that Walt Disney used Castell Coch as his fairy cartoon drawing at the start of his films.

Interestingly (or not) it's also said that he used the castle in Carcassonne.

A bit more likely, imo, but who can say?

And the Spanish say he used one of their castles. Look at the Walt Disney castle (or Google images) when its one next and it is similar to Castell Coch. Well, I think so anyway.

Nah, not really any more like Castell Coch than it is like any other castle with pointy bits.

Based on Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, with fiddly French additions, according to Wiki.

Lol. Maybe I'm biased Leics. I drive past it every day on the way to uni. Or maybe it's the romantic in me that's showing through the mantle!

Castel Coch was designed by William Burgess and its interior is wonderful. Burgess also designed the more spectaculor interior of Cardiff Castle. Try one of the hotels in Cathedral Road. The Beaufort is excellent. Otherwide go for a chain hotel. A really cheap hotel is the Etap in central Cardiff (the cheap end of the Novotel Chain). It's only £45 for a double room and better than you'd think. You can walk from the Etap and Novotel to Cardiff Bay.