Castle Hotel, Conwy

I made two exploratory visits here, on different days at different times, and on both occasions found no one behind the bar. There were some hand pumps with one pump clip (Conwy Clogwyn Gold) half hidden behind something else on the bar. After hanging around for a bit, and observing no other drinkers, but quite a few people sitting at tables, I concluded that this is not so much a bar as a restaurant. (I'm quite happy to be proved wrong by someone with more patience.)

This was my final scheduled stop in Conwy and proved to be substantially different to other pubs and bars in the town. As Aqualung has stated, this is a much more upmarket establishment. I was greeted by a young receptionist and whilst many pubs have the suffix "Hotel", you could tell straight away that this was more hotel than pub/restaurant. The usual "have you booked" was followed by much deliberation about where to seat me. I was encouraged to sit outside, but with the sun having gone down and with a slight chill in the air, I stated my preference to sit inside. After much deliberation, I was led to a table in the bar area, which is still used primarily for dining. "Somebody will be along in a moment to take the order", I was told, as it became clear that table service was still de rigeur. Clogwyn Gold & Welsh Pride is the choice. I chose the former. There is no longer a real cider. Customers did mainly seem to be English. One slightly more underdressed couple arrived shortly after me, but soon walked out when they saw the price of food on the menu. The surroundings in the bar are certainly impressive and are probably the main reason to visit, unless you're after quality food and are happy to pay for it.

As noted below this isn't really a pub but a poncy hotel bar open to non-residents. It was full of braying English visitors on my Friday evening visit. The bar has five hand pumps which had a cider and Conwy Dawson's Dark, Welsh Pride, Clogwyn Gold & Honey Fayre. I went for the Dawson's Dark (£3.30) which was in good nick. It's not my sort of place but deserves credit for stocking four beers from the local brewer.

As usual for "upmarket" read "expensive". But that's not to say its notvworth going in.