Choosing Where to Stay
Llandudno's accommodation scene is genuinely distinctive — not just good for Wales, but exceptional by any British measure. The town was designed as a Victorian resort from scratch, which means its accommodation geography is unusually coherent: a long curve of promenade hotels facing the North Shore bay, a network of Victorian terraced streets immediately behind them packed with quality guest houses, and then — for those who want something completely different — Bodysgallen Hall sitting in its own 200 acres of parkland a short drive from town.
The fundamental choice is where along that spectrum you want to be. On the promenade, you wake to bay views, step out directly onto one of the great Victorian seafronts in Britain, and are two minutes from the pier. In the streets behind — Church Walks, St David's Road — you are a short level walk from everything but in a slightly quieter, more residential setting. At Bodysgallen, you are in a 17th-century National Trust manor with views to Snowdonia, which is a fundamentally different experience and not what most people mean when they say they are going to Llandudno. All of these are valid choices; they just suit different travellers.
West Shore, on the other side of the Great Orme headland, offers a quieter and more residential alternative. Fewer hotels and B&Bs operate there, but those that do offer a less busy atmosphere and some of the loveliest views on the peninsula — across the Conwy estuary to the mountains rather than out to open sea.
Llandudno's North Shore promenade — two miles of Victorian seafront backed by hotels and guest houses. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Hotels: From Grand Seafront to Boutique
The hotel scene spans considerable range. At the top of the seafront hierarchy, The Imperial Hotel on Vaughan Street is the largest four-star hotel in Llandudno, with 98 en-suite rooms, many with bay views, a 45ft swimming pool in the Mint Condition health centre, and a Two AA Rosette restaurant. It is the classic large Victorian resort hotel done well. St George's Hotel, also on the North Shore promenade, is another grand Victorian seafront property — 76 rooms, sea-view balconies, a rooftop terrace, and the kind of position that makes you feel the full drama of the bay.
The Empire Hotel & Spa on Church Walks takes a different approach: family-run for three generations, 54 rooms, indoor pool, sauna, spa treatments, gym, and the Watkins restaurant on site. It sits just steps from the Great Orme Tramway lower terminus, making it the natural base for those planning to make the headland the centre of their visit. Starting from around £114 per night, it represents good value for a four-star spa property.
At the boutique end of the scale, The Elm Tree opposite Llandudno Pier offers 13 rooms, 9 of which face the bay directly, with suites featuring ceiling-to-floor windows and a residents' terrace overlooking the promenade. Hotel No5, also on the promenade, takes the boutique concept further: just 8 rooms, adults-only, with four rooms facing the bay and four with panoramic views of the Great Orme and Little Orme. It is a genuinely exceptional small hotel.
For a full comparison, see the hotels guide. Specific long-tail guides cover hotels with sea views and hotels with pools and spa facilities.
B&Bs and Guest Houses: Some of Britain's Best
This is where Llandudno's accommodation story gets genuinely remarkable. In TripAdvisor's 2025 rankings of UK B&Bs, four Llandudno properties placed in the national top 15: Burleigh House at number 3 (and number 11 in the world), The Rosedene at number 8, The Cliffbury at number 10, and Between The Bays at number 15. This is not a coincidence of a single fluke year — it reflects a deep culture of quality hospitality in a town that has been hosting visitors for 170 years.
Burleigh House at 74 Church Walks, run by Steve and Julie, has 8 rooms and sits a short walk from the Great Orme Tramway. The Cliffbury on St David's Road is adults-only, 4-star Visit Wales rated, Gold Star Award winner, with private off-road parking. The Rosedene takes an unusual and refreshing approach: room-only with late checkout, directing guests to local cafes — 10 individually designed rooms on a quiet Victorian avenue. Between The Bays is number 15 in the UK. Min Y Don on the seafront is adults-only with sea views and free parking. The Annan on Abbey Road (TripAdvisor #3 Hotel in Llandudno, #8 Best Value UK) offers guaranteed free parking per room and no single or peak season supplements. Lansdowne House is 5-star gold award, adults-only, sheltering on the Great Orme’s lower slopes with a large guaranteed car park. The Shelbourne on the promenade is adults-only with panoramic dining room views of the bay.
The full guide to Llandudno's guest houses and B&Bs covers all properties in detail. A dedicated guide covers adults-only accommodation across both hotels and B&Bs.
The Adults-Only Scene
Llandudno has a surprisingly strong adults-only accommodation sector — stronger than you would expect for a traditional family seaside resort. Several of the town's most highly rated properties operate an adults-only policy, and it works well here: the Victorian resort atmosphere, the promenade walks, the Great Orme, and the excellent restaurant scene all suit a quiet, couples-focused break rather more naturally than they suit a weekend with small children in tow.
Adults-only hotels and boutique properties include Hotel No5 (8 rooms, boutique, panoramic bay views), The Elm Tree (opposite the pier, 9 of 14 rooms facing the bay, direct bookings only), and The Shelbourne (promenade, panoramic dining room). Adults-only B&Bs include Min Y Don (seafront, sea views), The Cliffbury (private parking, Gold Star Award), The Rosedene (late checkout, 10 rooms), Between The Bays, and Lansdowne House (18+, 5-star gold, Great Orme setting). The full guide covers Llandudno's adults-only accommodation options in detail.
Out of Town: Bodysgallen Hall
Bodysgallen Hall & Spa on Pentywyn Road is in a category of its own. A National Trust historic house hotel — all profits donated to the National Trust — it is a 17th-century manor set in 200 acres of wooded parkland with views to Conwy Castle and the Snowdonia mountains. The 15 rooms in the main house and 16 cottage suites in the grounds offer a fundamentally different experience from any promenade hotel: formal, peaceful, rural, and historically remarkable. It is the most prestigious stay in the Llandudno area, and the most expensive. For the right traveller, it is incomparable. Book direct at bodysgallen.com — Tel: 01492 584466.
Near the Great Orme Tramway
If riding the Great Orme Tramway is a priority — and it should be — the closest accommodation to the lower terminus is on Church Walks. Burleigh House (74 Church Walks) and the Empire Hotel (73 Church Walks) are literally next door to each other and within steps of the tram. The Cliffbury on St David's Road is a short walk away. The dedicated guide to accommodation near the Great Orme covers this in more detail.
When to Book
Llandudno fills up. The town receives over two million visitors a year and has a substantially smaller permanent population. For the Victorian Extravaganza bank holiday weekend in May — which draws around 200,000 visitors to a town of 20,000 — accommodation should be booked months in advance; the best B&Bs go within days of the previous year's event. Summer school holidays require at least two to three months' advance notice for the better properties. The Christmas period is increasingly popular and books up well ahead too.
Outside peak periods, midweek autumn and spring visits are often possible with shorter notice. The off-season is increasingly busy as Llandudno's food and walking scene attracts year-round visitors. The Great Orme Tramway runs from Easter to October, so spring and autumn are popular for walkers and those who want the full resort experience without the school-holiday crowds.
For all the properties listed on this page, the first move should be to contact them direct. The B&Bs in particular operate primarily through their own websites and by telephone; several of the best ones — The Elm Tree especially — do not list on Booking.com at all. Direct booking gives you better rates, better communication, and keeps more of the revenue with the property. Booking.com is useful as a secondary tool for comparing availability across hotels, or when flexible free cancellation is specifically important to you.
Compare Availability
For hotels only — most top B&Bs book direct. Also check individual property websites listed in the B&Bs guide.
Compare Llandudno Accommodation on Booking.com →For hotels only — most top B&Bs book direct. Check individual property websites listed in the guides above.
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