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Once an award-winning holiday site on Anglesey , Llanfair Hall near Dwyran is now receiving harsh reviews, with one recent visitor labelling it a "hovel". The site, which has glamping pods, log cabins, a converted barn, bell tents and a geodome, all complemented by numerous hot tubs, was developed by John and Lucy Miller. It was crowned the UK's AA glamping site of the year for 2019-2020 and then Glampitect's best glamping site in the UK in 2021 due to glowing customer feedback. However, after being sold and now managed by Chris Dutton, the accommodation has been attracting a slew of brutal reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor and Google. One recent guest described her stay in a "luxurious" pod with her son as a nightmare, calling it a "hovel of a place". Beth Roberts from Llangoed reported that the pod reeked of toilet and drain odours, forcing them to sleep with duvets over their heads. The latest TripAdvisor review labelled it a "shocking place", criticising it for being "dirty and run down". A recent Google reviewer described their stay as an "upsetting experience", citing the site as "dirty" and "unwelcoming", reports North Wales Live . When contacted, Chris Dutton acknowledged the issues with the reviews over the past three years. He admitted his background in self-catering holidays hadn't prepared him for the transition to glamping and the increased need for round-the-clock staffing and support. He said these issues had been tackled and significant investment had been put into the holiday site to enhance what's on offer, with every property now featuring a wood-fired hot tub and cinema screen. He added that reviews on platforms such as Tripadvisor didn't accurately represent the overwhelmingly positive feedback from guests who book via the sites they utilise, like Booking.com. The site currently holds a 2.2 rating (out of five) on Tripadvisor, classified as "poor". Sixty-three of its 114 reviews describe it as "terrible". One guest, Laura J, visited with her family to stay in a log cabin. She said: "In all our years of traveling, this is the first time we've ever felt compelled to cut our holiday short and leave early." She detailed numerous problems, ranging from "unpleasant smells" and "appalling cleanliness" to insufficient privacy and inadequate communication. She added: "The conditions were so bad that we decided to leave after only one night, out of the three we had booked." Whilst there are also critical reviews on Google, the site does achieve a higher 3.8 rating there. One guest, Eleanor, described how "all tents were filthy and one of the most unhygienic things I've ever witnessed". She added: "The owner of the property then told us to stay in the hut further along. She then also told another family that had turned up to stay in the same hut. Due to being absolutely no accommodation for us now at the property, we were forced to leave and go home." Another visitor commented: "This was one of the most upsetting experiences I've ever had while travelling. The pod was in a very poor state: water was leaking into the hot tub, there were leaves floating in it, and the whole place smelled strongly of smoke. It was dirty and completely unwelcoming." Beth Roberts said she had "saved for a while to go away somewhere" and was "so upset" her break had turned into a nightmare. She is now attempting to secure a full refund. She explained: "Arrived at the pod to find it in a really run down, filthy state. Hair in the fridge and cutlery drawer. "The tiny bathroom which was situated right next to the bed absolutely stank of a blocked drainage system." The hot tub was the only positive aspect of her stay, she noted. A member of staff attended to address the odour issue, and guests were given a bottle of Prosecco and a pack of Matchmakers as compensation. However, she continued: "Then later got back into the pod to find the smell in the toilet had returned only ten times worse. It literally made Ollie vomit during the night when he woke for a wee, then had to wee outside because he couldn't bear to be stood in the toilet. We had to sleep with the duvet over our faces. "As soon as I woke at 6:30am we decided to leave because we couldn't bear the smell much longer." She referred to it as a "hovel". Despite this, there are also positive reviews. Natalie B commented on Tripadvisor: "I must admit, I was nervous about our stay here having read an overwhelming amount of negative reviews, but thankfully we had a really enjoyable stay." She rated it 5 out of 5. Another reviewer on the same site wrote: "Brilliant family stay, had everything we needed and very clean. The kids had a great time and the hot tub was great. Will definitely be returning." On Airbnb, Lauren posted: "There is a few reviews on here which are unfair. I stayed in the barn at Llanfair hall and it was lovely. There is ample cutlery, bowls, glasses etc The rooms are nicer than the pictures show too, it is a lovely home inside. Overall I would 100% recommend this home to stay." On Google, Joanne remarked: "Lovely little find and very friendly and helpful staff. Lovely hot tub to relax in under a shelter with a TV and seating area. Loved the outdoor shower which was clean and powerful to use . Really enjoyed our stay." On Booking.com, where the site has a 6.4 out of 10 rating, Samantha commented: "Lovely location, reasonably private, hot tub was great, bed was comfy". However, guest feedback has been varied, with some visitors being highly critical of their experience. Owner Chris Dutton responded: "I want to acknowledge the issues with our reviews over the past three years. Over the last year, we've made significant investments and learned a great deal. My background is in traditional self-catering holidays, and I didn't anticipate that the glamping side would require round-the-clock staffing, even for shorter stays. We've now put that in place." He added: "We've also upgraded the site: every property now has a wood‐fired hot tub and a cinema screen so guests can watch their favourite films from the tub. We're fully pet-friendly now too, which wasn't the case before. If you look at our listings on the booking platforms we use, you'll see our reviews are strong." Mr Dutton continued: "We don't use TripAdvisor, so what appears there unfortunately will only be people who weren't satisfied from the approach of the on line travel agent and certainly doesn't reflect the positive experiences our guests are sharing elsewhere." He concluded: "We've evolved from a lifestyle business into a fully commercial operation and learned a lot along the way. I'm confident we now deliver the great guest experience we set out to achieve, and I'm proud of what we've built."
