Fate was definitely a key player in entrepreneurs Anthony and Donna Cooper-Barney becoming the new owners of one of Wales’ top country house hotels.
The couple had their sights set on buying a country hotel by a loch in the Scottish Highlands and had booked a flight the next day, when Anthony switched on his on his laptop and found Palé Hall at Llandderfel, near Bala for sale.
They viewed all the photographs of the hall and its 50 acres of grounds and decided immediately to book a room for the night and drive to the heart of Wales to check out the property.
To cut a long story short, they fell in love with Palé Hall instantly but discovered to their horror that an offer had already been accepted by the owners. Their initial disappointment turned to elation when, a few days later, they were given a chance to bid and a deal was clinched via a video call with the owners.
The sale was concluded in April and Anthony and Donna have since been busy making further investments for the Palé Estate and in the nearby tourist hotspot of Bala, set on the edge southern edge of the Snowdonia (Eryri) National Park.
Palé Hall is an AA Five Red Star hotel, with an acclaimed AA three-rosette and Michelin Green Star fine dining restaurant. The hotel, which has just been awarded a Michelin Key, signifying a “special place to stay”, is a member of sales and marketing consortium Relais & Chateaux, Pride of Britain Hotels and Celebrated Experiences.
Anthony and Donna had been searching for their ideal country house hotel for two years. “We were looking for a historical building with beautiful architecture and gardens, in the right location, where we could enjoy walking, hiking and sailing,” explained Donna. “We wanted somewhere that was out of the way and a bit of a lifestyle change.
“When we visited Palé Hall, I said to Tony: ‘You have got to get this hotel; it’s exactly what we are looking for!’ We went for a drive around the local area and I kept seeing amazing things and the views were incredible.”
The couple, who are luxury car enthusiasts, generated most of their wealth through Countrywide Park Homes, a premier operator in the UK’s residential and lodge park sector. They have also rescued and brought back to life stately homes, utilising Donna’s interior design expertise.
They are passionate about their businesses, especially Palé Hall and this beautiful, unspoilt part of Wales where they are making multi-million pound investments.
“We are committed to becoming the best Relais & Chateaux hotel in the UK and we need the community onboard with us for the exciting journey,” said Anthony.
“We are going to be a destination, a focal point for everybody’s journey, as we bring more people to Bala. We never knew there was so much to see and do in this beautiful part of Wales.”
The couple have made a point of visiting and introducing themselves to all their neighbours and others living in the wider community. One of those neighbours is talented artist Philippa Jacobs whose paintings impressed Anthony and Donna so much that they purchased many of them and are exhibiting others for sale in the hotel.
“Everybody we have met has been so welcoming and friendly,” said Donna. “It definitely feels like we have come home.”
Anthony has actually come home to Wales, as he lived in Hawarden and Queensferry before his family moved to the Midlands.
He and Donna have hired vastly experienced hotel director, Calum Milne, to develop and implement their vision for Palé Hall. All three are keen to employ local people and to offer apprenticeships to develop hospitality skills.
Calum is also keen to hear from artisan producers of quality local food, drink, arts and crafts, as the hotel seeks to support the local community in any way it can. A gallery of Welsh art is also being established at the hotel.
One of Donna’s first projects at Palé Hall is enhancing the already impressive 30-acre gardens. She has hired noted New Zealand-born landscape designer Anthony Paul to a redesign the gardens, incorporating a destination sculpture trail.
