Group accommodation with community benefits

Whether you’re planning a reunion, a special event or a family holiday, there's plenty of options for accommodation across Wales suitable for large groups. What makes this list truly special is that the profit from the accommodation is used to sustain the charities and organisations' running them. Furthermore, they all contribute to the preservation of Welsh heritage and culture.

When the Urdd took over Glan-llyn in the 1950s, Glan-llyn Isa’ was used as accommodation for boys (with the girls sleeping in the hall). From the 1960s onwards, Glan-llyn Isa’ was home to Glan-llyn staff and their families.

After substantial renewals, Glan-llyn Isa’ was opened in 2021 as a standalone self-catering centre. Although only a stone’s throw from the main Glan-llyn site, the accommodation is completely separate.

The venue is fully accessible and it sleeps up to 40. There’s a large, dedicated kitchen and an outdoor cooking and meeting space, which includes a pizza oven, a barbecue and a firepit. There is also a cosy lounge to relax and socialise.

While here, you can take advantage of the various outdoor activities and catering offer at the Glan-llyn Residential Centre, while the National White Water Centre is close by.

Follow the walking or cycling route to the village of Llanuwchllyn, or climb the Penllyn mountains: Cadair Bronwen, Yr Aran and Arenig Fawr.

For some home cooked grub, head to the Eagles community pub in Llanuwchllyn, or Y Cyfnod café and bistro in Bala. Could do with a break from the pizza oven at the house? Visit Mawddach Pizza where the cooking will be done on your behalf. For something a little grander, Palé Hall in Llandderfel and Tyddyn Llan in Llandrillo provide a wonderful fine dining experience.

Nant Gwrtheyrn is a former quarrying village which is now a Welsh language learning centre. It offers residential courses for new Welsh speakers of all abilities, but it’s also a Heritage Centre, a wedding venue, and a wonderful holiday location.
There’s self-catering accommodation or bed and breakfast available, as well as options for group holidays – with enough beds to sleep up to 109 people.

Enjoy lunch and coastal views at Caffi Meinir, join the Wales Coast Path in both directions from the beach, or visit the symbolic tree of Rhys and Meinir’s sad love story. Dogs are also welcome in a few bedrooms and in the café.

The Y Fic community pub is about a mile uphill in the village of Llithfaen; the Cwrw Llŷn brewery can be found in nearby Nefyn; while the Glasfryn Parc Activity Centre is a great place to keep the children entertained.

In 1974 a group of people with environmental interests came together to establish the Centre for Alternative Technology in a former slate quarry, three miles north of Machynlleth. It has inspired generations and still does so to this day. The centre runs day courses, postgraduate courses and distance learning courses on practical subjects such as earth ovens, composting toilets, upcycling, traditional crafts and renewable energy.

The environmental charity also provides group accommodation, with the main lodgings located in the WISE building (Wales Institute for Sustainable Education). 24 twin and double en-suite rooms are heated by the site’s biomass facilities, while the showers are powered by solar energy. There are also eco cabins here, each sleeping up to 18 people. Breakfast, dinner and evening meals that make great use of local produce are served at the site’s vegetarian café.

Machynlleth itself is home to independent galleries, shops and cafés, as well as an internationally renowned comedy festival and the Owain Glyndŵr Centre & Parliament House. The town is also a great hub for discovering the wonderful wildlife of the Dyfi Biosphere UNESCO site – which is the area around the river Dyfi and its estuary where you’ll fine rare birds, animals and plants.

From luxury mansions to grand castles, the National Trust owns a number of Wales’ historic houses and gardens. The conservation charity also offers unique group holidays in various locations.

Craflwyn Hall on the outskirts of Beddgelert is a mansion built in the 1890. Large groups of up to 39 can stay at the Craflwyn estate in the Hall and the smaller cottages.