Snowdonia’s damp, mild climate makes it one of Britain’s best places to see rare trees and rhododendrons in full flower. This guide takes in Bodnant, Plas Brondanw and Portmeirion, then brings you back each evening to Bryn Bella’s own wildlife garden in Betws-y-Coed, for a slower, gently paced break among gardens rather than mountains.

Every May Day bank holiday, Mostyn Street trades its shopfronts for vintage carousels, steam engines and Victorian costume as the Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza returns. Stay at Bryn Bella in Betws-y-Coed and you’re less than an hour from the fun, whether you drive or hop on the Conwy Valley line. Here’s what to expect, and how to make the most of the weekend.

The Gran Fondo Conwy and Etape Eryri sportives that once brought cyclists to North Wales have both come to an end. Their organisers now run Tour de Môn on Anglesey instead, and Bryn Bella Guest House makes an easy, comfortable base for the journey there and the ride itself.

The Snowdonia Real Ale Trail once carried visitors by bus between eight of North Wales’s best pubs, from Porthmadog to Criccieth. The organised trail has quietly stopped, but every pub along the old route still welcomes a pint. Here’s the story behind the trail, and how to visit these same pubs from Bryn Bella today.