North Wales in Summer: Why Palé Hall Is the Place to Base Yourself This School Holiday
Mountains, lakes, coast and a Michelin-pedigreed kitchen to come back to - the Dee Valley in summer is worth the journey, and summer dates fill quickly.
The Dee Valley opens up in every direction, the grounds come to life, and the estate settles into the peace that summer brings.
There is something particular about summer at Palé Hall. The estate sits in the Dee Valley at the kind of latitude where June evenings go on long past dinner, and the grounds - mature, quiet, unhurried - come into their own when the light does. We have spent the past few months getting ready for it, and this season feels especially worth arriving for.
The Summer Menu Has Arrived
Luke Selby's summer menu is now live in the Henry Robertson Dining Room. As always, it is grounded in the Dee Valley and the wider Welsh landscape - what is ready, what is exceptional, and who has grown or reared it. Luke has worked with many of these producers throughout his time at Palé Hall, and that continuity shows on the plate. Lunch and dinner are open to residents and non-residents alike.
Use the Estate as Your Base
The best part of a summer evening at Palé Hall is not having to leave. The valley in the long light, the grounds to yourself, a nightcap somewhere quiet - none of that belongs to guests who drove home. For families looking to explore the mountains and trails of Eryri this summer, our Adventure Eryri offer gives 15% off stays of three to seven nights throughout the school holidays. Spend the days out, come back to a room and a kitchen worth returning to.
The Palé Collection: Full Circle
Running throughout the hotel and grounds this summer, sculptor Glen Farrelly RCA's exhibition, The Palé Collection: Full Circle, is one of the more quietly affecting things we have had on the estate. The works were carved from timber that fell here during the storms of 2025 - shaped by hand and returned to the place they came from. Free to visit for all guests. On 27th June, Paul Pigrim joins us for a free Meet the Artist evening, demonstrating his techniques in person. Creative workshops are also available for those who want to work with their hands.
The Wonder of Wales Drivers Club: September Tour
Founded by Palé Hall owners Anthony and Donna Cooper-Barney, the Wonder of Wales Drivers Club exists for classic car enthusiasts who believe the journey matters as much as the destination. The September Tour runs from 27th September to 1st October 2026, taking 20 pre-1995 cars through four days of North Wales: Snowdonia, Anglesey, the Llyn Peninsula. Based at Palé Hall, with an overnight at Chateau Rhianfa, track time at Trac Môn, and a Gala Dinner to close. From £4,250 per car, all inclusive. Places are limited.
Father's Day, 21st June
A Palé Hall gift voucher makes a genuinely useful gift - a night away, dinner in the Henry Robertson, afternoon tea, clay pigeon shooting, or a morning fly fishing the River Dee. Something to look forward to, rather than something to return.