I stayed at one of the most luxurious apartments in Wales with the best sea view
A hidden gem in the heart of one of Wales' most wonderful coastal towns that's the best I've ever seen - pop inside and have a look
Mesmerising - the sea view from the French doors, not me
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
There's a hidden gem in one of Wales' most popular places to stay that is so breathtaking not just in its location but with the luxury that it offers that when we turned up to stay we really did not want to leave.
If you tell people you're going to spend a night away in Pembrokeshire they usually visualise a pretty little cottage, a character-packed hotel, or a historic property but our place to spend a night was none of these and, in my opinion, it was better.
Think Tenby and you probably think of the painted predominantly Georgian houses that line the clifftop roads. But our place to call home was an apartment that has gone from dated and drab to the most luxurious apartment I have ever experienced with incredible views from all the main windows but also a range of tech to keep the teenagers happy and clever, inspiring, and beautiful interiors to keep me enthralled. For more property stories sent to your inbox twice a week sign up to the property newsletter here.
READ MORE: Incredible transformation of dated Tenby flat in a clifftop building into a luxury apartment with the best sea views
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Gunfort Mansion above Tenby's South Beach that's hiding a gem of a property inside
(Image: Item 2 Ltd )
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Well, of course, every frontline property in Tenby has a magnificent view but at Min Y Mor the owners who spent years creating this wonderful apartment have maximised its position above South Beach with window seats, a Juliet balcony, and a designer chair nestled within the bay of one of the two bedrooms that has a direct and uninterrupted view of St Catherine's Island and fort.
The kitchen diner continues the contemporary design but with a coastal influence via the bespoke boardwalk-style units
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
But before we opened the apartment's front door and the air was filled with a chorus of excitement we had to find it. On the second floor of the Victorian Grade II-listed Gunfort Mansion the front door of the building was tucked away to the side of the property.
Once inside a climb to the second floor was totally worth it as Min Y Mor is waiting to mesmerise you. Step inside and the apartment welcomed us with a whitewashed and contemporary interior design.
The bay window in the lounge and principal bedroom both have window seats to enjoy the view over Tenby's South Beach
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
But this is not some cold and clinical interior design – there's texture and use of a range of natural materials to ensure the spaces are visually inviting yet keeping the décor neutral perfectly frames the multiple views out of the bay windows and French doors of the stunning blue ocean and nature's own artwork of wispy clouds dancing across the huge sky.
Look in the other direction to admire St Catherine's Island
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
The day was a hot one so we opened the French doors and the sound of the waves became the backdrop of our stay and the window seats were all utilised for gazing out across this landmark coastal landscape.
The apartment has a way of helping you to quickly relax as you're a five-minute walk from the centre of Tenby and the steps down to South Beach are literally opposite the front door. But being this high up from the throng of people below and so connected to the views at each window you feel like you are in the view, in the water, floating through the sky.
Two rooms have been made one broken-plan space with the most of the dividing wall gone
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
There are many clever features to discover in this amazing apartment – the copper bath lit from below, the circular bookshelf embedded into the wall, the bunkbeds also hiding within a wall that includes a secret door up to a mezzanine. But it was the cinema screen and access to multiple streaming channels including Disney+ and Amazon Prime that mesmerised the younger generation (and yes okay, me too). There was good free wifi too which made everyone happy.
The cinema screen TV and all the streaming services were a big hit
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
Cleverly hidden behind a piece of wall art that slowly slides open, the screen impressed everyone and Peaky Blinders and The Mandalorian looked even more incredible in this mini home cinema while relaxing on the oversized curved sofa.
At some point I wandered off to the second bedroom with a glass of wine and sat in the designer 'saddle' chair with footstool in the bay window and watched the tide slowly meander up the beach and people strolling around St Catherine's Island. The welcome basket of local produce left by the owners came with me and was a delightful companion.
The designer chair in the bay of bedroom two has an amazing view of Castle Beach and St Catherine's Island
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
When I surfaced from my surprise kip in the chair, the result of an afternoon glass of wine, the surround sound system had been discovered and Dua Lipa was serenading us from every angle while we made plans to go out to get a fish and chip takeaway dinner.
The kitchen is well-equipped but with only 24 hours to enjoy our trip to Tenby it felt almost like the law that we had to try out the town's fish and chips, eating it at the dining table.
The view from the open French doors in the kitchen diner was special too
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
The kitchen diner area is another thoughtful use of space and design. The kitchen is bespoke and handmade and not sleek and shiny but more in keeping with the apartment's location. It's made from wood that has been whitewashed to give it a slightly sun-kissed and weathered look it blends into the overall design and yet stands its ground as a point of interest.
Fish and chips takeaway dinner with a duet of views as a welcome guest
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
Dining chairs can take up a lot of space so to combat this two seats out of the size were built into the end of the kitchen units and work surface – genius. It's hard to describe just how relaxing and memorable it was eating as a family with the French doors open and the sound of the waves and the view of the ocean a welcome extra guest at the table as the sunlight began to fade into night.
Clever way to share light between two internal spaces and yet keep privacy
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
More genius ideas to make a smaller space work well was found in the shower room – with space tight in the room that used to be a corridor the shower was a Jack and Jill shower in the middle of the room, with extra light brought into the space by high-level slatted internal windows in the dividing wall with the principal bedroom.
Maybe the feature, other than the magnificent dual-aspect views and the mega TV, that impressed the most was the copper bath, lit from below and the main statement piece in the principal bedroom en suite. For more property, renovation, and interior design stories join our Amazing Welsh Homes Facebook group here.
The bath was a thing of beauty
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
Both bathroom facilities were fascinatingly-designed spaces – dark colours, a mix of functional and also mood lighting, and key tactile features such as exposed brick walls, which was such a visual contrast to the white and contemporary living and sleeping areas.
Lighting is always key to a successful interior design and as the evening crept in it was obvious that the family had thought about the ambience of the apartment during the dark hours when renovating this property.
Fluffy cloud statement light in the lounge became very atmospheric at night
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
Hidden LED lighting and spots highlighted artwork and sculptures and statement ceiling pendants in the kitchen and bedrooms added pools of soft light. The statement overhead light in the living room was a thing of beauty – like a cloud floating below the ceiling in the day, concealing bulbs within its fluffy folds, and glowing like a dusky sunset in the night.
Integrated into the wall, the bookcase was an inventive feature
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
One inventive design idea that I am definitely pinching and taking home with me is placing a mirrored coffee table under an expensive statement light – you get then two statement lights and don't have to look up to admire it.
Principal bedroom had sliding doors to save space but frosted as the genius way to keep privacy but share light into the darker en suite behind it
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
So bedtime was upon us and the very comfortable beds, crisp white sheets, and soft pillows made drifting off to sleep an absolute dream.
The apartment hasn't always looked like this slice of luxury – although much-loved when the owners inherited it the flat was a maze of smaller rooms with dated décor. The kitchen and living room have been connected via the open archway to create the broken-plan kitchen lounge diner which also means both spaces can enjoy a triple view of the sea, sky, and beach.
All the beds were super-comfortable and the white cotton linen made them feel very luxurious
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
The bedrooms and bathrooms are unrecognisable and the clever use of space has added the extra shower room and an extra bedroom with bunkbeds – find out the renovation story and see the before and after renovation transformation photos here.
The family had a vision of how they wanted to do a high-end, carefully considered full renovation of the flat, with the sea views at the core of the plan, to produce the designer apartment of their dreams and I would say they have definitely achieved that.
Ship cabin-style bunkbeds built into the wall next to the kitchen would be a child's dream sleeping space
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
It is so obvious that this makeover into a luxury apartment has taken time, thought, and a significant budget but to create a contemporary space (and one that is mainly white which was a worry at the beginning of our stay because I am so clumsy) and make it welcoming too is a talent and Min Y Mor is a masterclass of remodelling and interior ideas that can inspire anyone who comes to stay – if they can ever take their eyes of the amazing sea views.
To fit an extra shower room inside the space that used to be a corridor it was designed with a Jack and Jill shower in the middle and two entrances
(Image: Alex Ridout, Media Wales )
Outside Gunfort Mansion looks drab next to its colourful neighbours having not been lavished with a standout shade that Tenby has become known for – it still wears its coat of grey rendering. However the owners of Min Y Mor say the building, of which the family's flat is leasehold, is soon to get an upgrade on its external and community areas such as stairs and corridors.
Min Y Mor can be booked via Puffin Cottage Holidays so you can try it out yourself and one thing is for sure – I will be going back to stay again and will count the days until I do.
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