Gardens and Grounds
Hilltop Hall is a picture or pure regency elegance, but you’ll wish for the scudding clouds to pass fast, because so much of the beauty is on the outside. Tranquility reigns as you pass from Italianate garden to orchard to picnic area to the woodlands with their criss-crossed paths and invitation to crack some twigs underfoot.
You could spend your whole time here exploring. Where will the bridlepaths that cross the 85 acres of park and woodland take you? Walk the woodlands, get the barbie fired up in the private sitting area and sizzle your steak over the views that hang across the valley.
The Italian Garden is the place to get as chilled as a Prosecco, around the eccentric pond with its FA Cup-like corner statues and relaxing fountain. Wander the orchard, pack up your dinner and head to the picnic area, or pack the kids off to the play area. Beyond the boundaries, Offa’s Dyke invites you to explore the wild blue yonder.
Living Spaces
Seemingly the seat of an eccentric medieval overlord, Hilltop Hall offers an H-Plan layout, greeting you with a grand entrance hall complete with spectacular chimney piece and busts to each corner.
From here, it’s a short sashay into the huge drawing room. Light the logs and escape with a book or enjoy a family film night. For a harmonious diversion, head to the first floor to tinkle the ivories on the baby grand in the music room.
There’s further space to be part of, or apart from, things in the library room. The snug’s the place to curl up with a classic, while the games room with pool table will eat up hours if the weather does its worst.
Cooking and Dining
Dine in medieval splendour amid the low beams, spooled, tasselled curtains and the eccentric throne chairs that flank the ornate fireplace. You’ll sit around the chunky, candlelit table and pretend to be Henry VIII. You can feed up to 28 here, as well as your imagination.
Cook on a large gas range and hob, on an electric oven or, in the true spirit of Hilltop Hall, on the large Aga. If you’d rather put your feet up than turn your hand to catering, call up our chefs for a one-off celebration or fully catered break. You can even waive the washing-up.
If the pull of the fells and the views of the valley prove too much to resist, you can cook al fresco with your steaks sizzling in the Welsh mountain air and the cork popping from your Prosecco.
There’s no excuse needed for walks around here, but the Aussie Rooster, the Duke of Wellington and the Sun are just a short stagger away. Wash down your food with draught and craft ales. In Llangollen, Fouzi’s offers wraps, burgers and baguettes right on the banks of the River Dee.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms here are so much of an indulgence, you’ll feel like you should be bathing in bubbly before bedtime. Furniture is eclectic and eccentric, swagged curtains pool onto the floors and ornate touches abound. Names are as offbeat as the décor: bed down in the Twin Peaks room, the Highland Fling, or Chinese or Moroccan rooms.
Sleeping 14 in the main house and a further 6 in the apartment, Hilltop Hall comes with two double rooms and a sofa bed in the apartment, while the main house offers seven in total, comprising one twin or superking, two superkings, and five doubles. Two of the bedrooms are en-suite and six bathrooms should ensure squabble-free bathing and basking.
For a guestfest, there’s no extra charge for use of the double futon, single futon and sofa bed.
What People Say
Enchant and exhaust the kids
Hire a canal boat or get pulled across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct by horse, vulture the culture at the Eisteddfod, or place your bets at Chester Races. Enchant the kids on a Thomas steam train from Llangollen station, then exhaust them at Park Hall Farm feeding the lambs and riding the zip wire.
