(Brecon, Wales, United Kingdom)
Every once in a while, it’s OK to splurge a little for a unique experience. And that is exactly what we did for our lunch in Brecon, Wales.
The Castle of Brecon was built by the Normans in 1093. It had a turbulent history and started falling into ruin in 1521. However, the ruins were converted into a hotel in 1809 and it has been that way ever since. And food service is very much a part of the hotel today.
There are a couple of options for eating at the Castle. One is to order food from the bar and eat it at one of the nearby tables. The other is to request a table in the ornate dining room and be served as you would be in a conventional upscale restaurant. The menu is the same.
We chose the ornate dining room. With its high ceilings, extensive decor, airy feel, and very professional service, it’s the kind of place we don’t normally choose. The food was also rather traditional: we both opted for fish and chips, although slightly more elegant options were available.
There was also a mandatory service charge of 10%, just for being seated in the dining room. Normally, this makes me run screaming from a restaurant…and the prices were not particularly low to begin with. But the special room and the associated view (we were right beside a huge bay window overlooking the town) were worth it. It felt like we were back in the 19th century.
The fish and chips was well-prepared, as one would hope in such a setting. I enjoyed taking lots of pictures of both the hotel and the surroundings. And it was interesting to see who else was eating there. A very well-dressed family was celebrating a 50th birthday, and more than one customer was fanning themselves with their own handheld fan (we didn’t find it that hot, but apparently they did).
We lingered for longer than usual, given how pleasant it was to be there. We had already covered a lot of ground with our trek to the Brecon Cathedral, so being off our feet for a while was not a bad thing.
We hadn’t planned to go to Brecon until shortly before catching the bus that morning. And we clearly hadn’t intended to have lunch at the Castle. But sometimes it is good to let such things happen. Overplanning can sometimes interfere with enjoying a special experience.
Stay tuned for the last parts of our trip to Wales…and the surprises that await us on the other side of the world!