November 2000 - North Wales Weekly News:
"Yet another landmark hotel is to disappear from the Colwyn Bay area. The 32-room Rhos Abbey Hotel which has stood in its commanding position on the sea front at Rhos-on-Sea since 1898 is being demolished and the site turned into 30 apartments.
Conwy county council had refused planning permission for the development but the National Assembly Inspectorate over-turned the decision upon appeal, despite much local opposition to the loss of the famous hotel. As the N.Wales resort is supposed to be undergoing re-generation and the government is concerned about the country's tourism industry many folk consider this is retrogade step.
But the hotel's owner considered the area is finished as a tourist spot. The building is listed in Edward Hubbard's "Buildings of Clwyd" as one of only two buildings on Rhos seafront being worthy of mention. The other is Rhos Ffynach."
Rhos Abbey Hotel in the 1950s
Rhos Abbey Hotel in 1906
Rhos Abbey Hotel in 1906
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10 comments:
I remember the Rhos Abbey Hotel well from the 1970s; at the time it used to overlook the open-air swimming pool at the rear. I have never been a great one for hotels, but I stopped there with my parents, and I do recall that the cuisine there was very good.
I remember going back about 1990-1, and it was pretty rundown by then, and my Mum and I, who called there for coffee, called it the Rhos Shabby Hotel. Still very sad to see it demolished.
Very many thanks for posting this - some memories of my youth have been sparked by it!!
More please!!
TL
Glad you liked it! I only wish I had some more memories to add, not to mention some photos of the interior. Hopefully, some will turn up at some point and I can add them in. If anyone has any, please feel free to get in touch!
I remember. "The Galleon" which if memory serves, used to be located in what could be described as the cellar of the Abbey Hotel.
I used to go there some weekends in the late 70's.
Any pictures of it would be welcome!
Yes, I'd like to see any photos of the interior. I believe there was a large stained glass window in the staircase - what happened to that?
How sad to hear this..I remember the Rhos Abbey as the first holiday break my hubby and I had way back in 1984. We spent a long weekend there after not being able to book up last minute in Blackpool....how glad were we we never got Blackpool!!!
The views over the water from our bedroom were superb, food was lovely and service was great....we had nothing to compare it to but we loved every second there...We were only 25 yrs old and parents of 3 kids but it was the first time we had got away together without the kids!!! :-)) We never had a honeymoon (it was the Thatcher Era!!) so this was our "4 yr belated honeymoon".
Ahh well at least we have fond memories.
i remember the Galleon - we used to get down there a fair bit whilst we were at Llandrillo Tech in the 70s. Can remember the dancefloor was so sprung it made you fell sick (maybe that was the 'Skol' really!. Also got a vague memory of some mates nicking a flagpole from outside... - not me - honest!!
Graham Mattok
Wakefield
Didn't it used to have it's own entrance into the open air pool? I seem to remeber some sort of walkway coming out of the back of their first floor.
Remember the hotel well. Went there for lunch with my now wife when we were courting in 1954. Had the most unforgettable fillet steak with chips and all the trimmings. The beer was good too !! Afterwards went to the tiny chapel on the beach. Very fond memories of wonderful holidays in Rhos.
The Galleon Pub in the basement of the Rhos Abbey was a great meeting place for young people from Colwyn Bay in the late sixties and early eighties. Can remember Sunday evenings before they changed the Sunday drinking laws and lots over people coming over from Llandudno (which was dry) for drinks. Lots of happy memories.
I used to drink there with the other boat skippers. I also have the Time gentlmen please bell that was presented to me on the last day of opening.
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