The Castle Hotel (JD Wetherspoon), Ruthin

I don't think this place would exist as a JDW if it weren't for the fact it's a hotel as well as a pub. I stayed here so saw it on a Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning and it seemed quiet on both occasions. As mentioned below it's very plush for a JDW with old beams, various rooms or areas and the bar roughly in the middle. A room at the back can be booked as a function room and on the Wednesday evening had been taken over by a group of watch enthusiasts although it seemed strange that the Rotary Club decided to dress up to the nines to talk about such a mundane subject. The bar has two sets of five hand pumps which had a very poor selection with one unused, the JDW Trio Of Doom & Hafod H:E doubled up and Weetwood Cheshire Cat. I tried the H:E and it was pretty poor but the Cheshire Cat was better. Later in the evening I thought I would have a go at the "craft" cans of Bengali Tiger but they didn't have any! It's not a great place for a beer but is a nice building and the food tried was up to scratch JDW fare.

The Castle is an old coaching inn that is located on St Peter's Square in an excellent position in a town that apparently has more listed buildings than any other market town in North Wales. Certainly one of Wetherspoons finer conversions (One of smartest I have visited) where just enough has been achieved without losing the Hotel's character and charm.On entering there is an opened up room either side of the hallway with leather seating and fine furnishings,and further along from this, after descending a few steps is the bar on your right hand side, with to the left seating areas.Further right past the bar area is a larger room that seems to be the main dining area,and beyond this the outside area and although on the small side does give pleasant views over Clwydian hills. Customers and Barstaff alike were a bit thin on the ground on my Wednesday morning visit,but did like this one and although not quite as many cask beers on show as some JDW pubs the choice was good.