Gardens and grounds
From your two acres of rolling Welsh countryside, Great Alder House gives you 360-degree panoramic views of the Vale of Clwyd. Sit out and chat on the sunken patio or around the firepit, wander the walled garden, eat and drink in the covered outdoor dining area and bar.
Stock up on goodies from local grocer and butchers John Jones of Ruthin, fresh eggs from Clyttir Egg Farm and Ice Cream from Chilly Cow Farm. Fill the clear air with the scent of bangers and burgers sizzling over the coal barbecue. Non-chefs can crack on with croquet, cricket and badminton while they wait.
Living spaces
All is set for an indulgent escape, amid the squashy sofas and burning fires of Great Alder House’s sociable spaces. You’ve several to pick from. Pop your togs in the cloakroom, drop your muddy boots in the boot room and explore the snug, garden room, games room and sitting room.
Great Alder House comes peppered with books, games and DVDs to fill in time convivially in between yomping the hills. Enjoy them in the snug, watching the BT package on the smart TV in front of the burning logs or chatting in the garden room on the cane sofas with the toe-warming underfloor heating and the valley views.
There’s table-tennis in the games room for the energetic. Music over the Bose speaker. Or evenings to spend in the panelled sitting rooms, catching up with friends and family, playing cards or charades, or simply watching the sun dip over the spectacular Vale of Clwyd. Keep up with the world (if you really want to) on the BT Infinity Superfast Wi-Fi.
Cooking and dining
Cook on the electric Aga in the handmade kitchen with goodies from Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, wines from Tanner’s, meat from John Jones and all sorts of delicious deli stuff from the Mold Farmers’ Market on twice a week. Or down tools for a one-off celebration or fully catered break and call up Wild Garlic Catering. Order up an extra bottle of wine.
Takeaways? Why not? Call Nant y Felin local restaurant produce a varied menu, Ruthin Tandoori for traditional North Indian curries, Carlito’s for wood-fired pizza with free delivery or the Happy House Chinese Takeaway. Eat around the huge kitchen table, in the imposing dining room beneath the chandelier, or out in the sunshine in the covered outdoor diner and bar.
If you’re eating out and want to build up an appetite, the walkable White Horse offers stylish cuisine and outstanding service just 1.4 miles away, while The Golden Lion is good for toasting your toes in front of the fire while you choose from a selection of beers. Just a mile away, this traditional inn could give you additional accommodation.
Head to The Griffin Inn for pork tenderloin, Welsh beef patties or a range of steaks. Enjoy far-reaching views at The Dinorben Arms and pick from braised shoulder of lamb or smoked haddock, or head to The Sugar Plum Tearoom for lighter bites and amazing cakes washed down with a pot of afternoon tea.
Bedrooms
With a silent blanket of two acres of North Wales countryside wrapping around the house and the Vale of Clwyd stretching out for 360 degrees in every direction, you won’t struggle for sleep. You’ll also enjoy panoramic views from every direction. Great Alder House sleeps 12 comfortably on 400-thread-count sheets in six bedrooms.
The four-postered master bedroom comes with a large dressing room and en-suite with freestanding bath, while bedroom two is a French bedroom with a kingsize rattan bed, triple armoire and chaise longue. Bedroom three is a double shower en-suite with orthopaedic sprung mattress.
Bedroom four provides a double with memory-foam mattress close to the main bathroom, while bedroom five offers a kingsize iron bed, memory-foam mattress and great views. Bedroom six is a large twin with two adult four-poster beds that could sleep four children.
Children welcome
There are few things kids enjoy more on holiday than a big house to explore, and Great Alder House comes with six big bedrooms, a games room, garden room, dining room, snug and sitting room. It’s also good for up to 14 guests, meaning children prone to homesickness can bring home with them.
Great Alder House is instantly good for hide-and-seek, especially when you include the two-acre walled garden. But there’s plenty more to amuse kids here. As well as big, tiring walks from the doorstep, they’ll play table tennis in the games room, watch log-lit family movies in the snug and catch up with the world on the BT superfast Wi-Fi.
In the Great Outdoors, there are barbies to be had on the sunken patio in the covered bar and dining area, chats to be enjoyed around the firepit, and croquet, cricket and badminton on the lawn. Play games, read books, watch DVDs. Sleep in big, beautiful bedrooms with plenty of family flexibility.
What people say
Shoot, shop and zip
Sharpen your shooting skills at Clay Pigeon Events. Shop The Rows in Chester or big-name brands at Cheshire Oaks. Taste the wines at Vale Vineyard. Or book massages and manicures at Bodysgallen Hall Spa. Brave the world’s fastest zip wire at Zip World or be wowed by the views from the Great Orme tramway.
