Spring is coming…that means get out more! Destress and unwind in our beautiful area!
Fun activities for the children this Easter break!
"Taking a break can lead to breakthroughs"
Since the start of COVID 19 our mental health is now just as important as ever. Everyone needs a break whether that is a night away or as simple as a meal and a glass of wine. We all need time to relax and look after ourselves. A recent study found that 29% of UK workers think working from home has been worse for their health and wellbeing.
Luckily as our hotel is in the heart of Barry there is an incredible amount of activities to keep your mind busy. These include some scenic walks and days out at Barry Island, Barry Harbour, Porthkerry Country Park, Jackson’s Bay to get some fresh air and a lovely long walk. These are all within a close proximity to our hotel at either a short drive or if you are feeling adventurous a lengthy but worthwhile walk away.
Get in touch on 01446370145 and book some well deserved time out you need.
Reasons you should visit Wales in 2021
It’s been a long 12 months of lockdowns and uncertainty but the end looks finally to be in sight!
Over our years of operating - we have welcomed guests from all around the world and have been able to showcase what beautiful Wales has to offer.
We have always been proud to be based in such as wonderful place as Barry, and we love sharing this with guests too! Our reception team are always on hand to give out local tips and even point you in the direction of all things Gavin and Stacey!
Here is what we love most about our beautiful country:
The Scenery
Wales is a breathtaking country. From the majestic mountains to the Jurassic coast, you are never short of spectacular scenery.The History
Wales is rich in history and you don’t have to go far to see this either. Cardiff Castle is just 20 minutes from our location, boasting medieval tales and heritage.Barry Island
Within walking distance of Mount Rooms Hotel sits Barry Island. A beautiful beach which makes a fantastic coastal walk. What’s more - Barry Island is for everyone! From the popular fairground for the kids to the cafes and bars for the adults - you will never be bored!Cardiff
As far as cities go, Cardiff has it all. A vibrant centre for shopping, sight-seeing and nightlife -Cardiff is just 20 minutes away from Mount Rooms Hotel meaning you have the best of both worlds on our doorstep.Rugby
Normally a big event for us to hold at Mount Rooms Hotel, but the patriotism of the Welsh is second to none! We love nothing more than our hotel being filled with fans cheering on the players!Convenience
Well connected, Wales really does have it all. You are never far from the coast or countryside which is something we relish.
Explore Wales this year and book to stay with us - pay no deposit!
Rooms from just £32 a night! 01446 370 145
Autumn Nations Cup
We are showing the Autumn Nations Cup here at Mount Rooms Hotel in Barry!
GAME DEALS:
Pint £3
Pizza & a pint £10
Pre-book your slot today and please adhere to government guidelines when visiting.
01446 370 145
Autumn Nations Cup fixtures
Round 1
Ireland v Wales - Friday 13th November - KO 7pm
Italy v Scotland - Saturday 14th November - KO 12:45pm
England v Georgia - Saturday 14th November - KO 3pm
France v Fiji - Sunday 15th November - KO TBC
Round 2
Italy v Fiji - Saturday 21st November - KO 12:45pm
England v Ireland - Saturday 21st November - KO 3pm
Wales v Georgia - Saturday 21st November - KO 5:15pm
Scotland v France - Sunday 22nd November - KO 3pm
Round 3
Scotland v Fiji - Saturday 28th November - KO 1:45pm
Wales v England - Saturday 28th November - KO 4pm
France v Italy - Saturday 28th November - KO 8pm
Ireland v Georgia - Sunday 29th November - KO 2pm
Finals Weekend
Georgia v TBC - Saturday 5th December - KO 12pm
Ireland v TBC - Saturday 5th December - KO 2:15pm
Wales v TBC - Saturday 5th December - KO 4:45pm
England v TBC - Sunday 6th December - KO 2pm
All kick-off times are in UK time and may be subject to change.
Reasons we love the Vale of Glamorgan!
Despite 2020 being a year of lockdowns, restrictions, and challenges – we call ourselves lucky to be based in such a stunning location. From sandy beaches to stunning coastal walks and tight-knit communities, we would not have it any other way.
• Welsh coastal path – stunning walks right along Jurassic cliffs with beautiful sandy beaches.
• Barry Island – what’s not to love?!
• Community spirit – shown more in lockdown than ever, but the friendliness of residents and local businesses never goes unmissed.
• Parks – Being minutes from country parks such as Porthkerry Park means we can have the best of both worlds and connect with nature.
• Stunning neighbouring seaside towns such as Penarth, Sully & Llantwit Major.
• City life – Wherever you are situated in the Vale, you’re never too far from Cardiff. We love the vibrant city buzz!
• Local businesses – whether it is shops or delicious eateries, the local businesses around the Vale spoil us with diversity!
Don’t forget, if you are a resident of the Vale of Glamorgan – we are open to you! Stay with us for 2 nights for just £60 in October & November*!
01446 370 145
info@themountrooms.co.uk
Wedding Trends 2021
Despite current uncertainty, we want to look ahead and carry on excitement for your big day!
Trends and themes define a wedding and how it runs. We are predicting that 2021 trends will be somewhat different to consistent themes we see in other years. We know Coronavirus is going to be something people will want to forget, but themes of kindness are expected to be displayed throughout the big day.
Due to some weddings being postponed, we are also expecting to see an increase in guest numbers, extravagant ceremonies and British themes of solidarity. Below we have listed some themes we expect to see over the coming months.
Thank you themed favours
The meaning of weddings will change after the global pandemic. Friends and Family will mean more and there will be more gratitude for the health and well being of those involved. As many people will not have seen others for months, your big day will act as a reunion. We are expecting to see small thank you gestures and small gifts for guests.Extravagant dresses
After being home for a prolonged period of time, brides are going to be ditching the lounge suits and jumping into glamorous gowns . We are predicting lots of lace, bold colours, long veils and showstopping head wear.Creative favours
What could be better than passing the time designing your own favours?! With more time on peoples hands at the moment, we are predicting couples buying in the PVA glue in bulk!Rise of entertainment
Magicians, Bands, Photo booths - we’ve seen it all. However, entertainment is set to become more extravagant in 2021 as couples look to maximise fun on their day after months of being home.Nature
Nature has become a form of escapism, especially on daily walks during lockdown. It has provided us all with calm, and this isn’t set to change for weddings. We will expect to be seeing a rise in floral displays, trailing bouquets, blossom centre pieces, corsages and indoor trees.Party, party, party!
Celebrations to mark the end of the pandemic are going to be huge regardless, but 2021 weddings are going to be the staple of this. We expect to see high rises in DJ’s, champagne on arrival, confetti cannons and floor fillers until the early morning!No set days
If couples are forced to postpone weddings, we are expecting to see a rise of 2021 weekday weddings as well as full weekends of weddings.
For weddings in Autumn/Winter 2020, get married with us for just £2999 + VAT.
Current deal: £99 deposit when you book any event including weddings with us!
Easter activities for the kids
We're gutted our planned Easter activities can't go ahead this week, but we look forward to hosting more seasonal events soon!
For now, we realise that you want to make the best of Easter, here are some tips for keeping the kids entertained below! 🐰
- Try Easter baking
- Make an Easter egg hunt around the house
- Create Easter cards
- Use your time to make Easter crafts such as Easter bonnets
- Watch a Live church service
- Video call with family
For enquiries about events/hire for when we reopen:
events@themountrooms.co.uk
Top tips for finding your perfect wedding venue
Are you newly engaged? Congratulations!
Here are our top 5 tips on finding your perfect venue:
Have a location in mind
Tradition has it that a bride gets married in her home town, but this isn’t always the case anymore. Choose a location that reflects you and your partner, one you will never forget!Create a budget and (try to) stick to it!
We know, wedding’s are expensive - however, by creating a budget, helps you narrow down venues you may have in mind. It may help to start a budget spreadsheet!Book an appointment to view the venue
Pictures are great, but there is nothing like the real thing! Touring the venue will give you and your partner a real feel for how it will be on your day and allow you to size up for any decor you may want.Meet with the wedding coordinator
They’re going to be planning your day! It’s important you ask them any burning questions you may have about the process.Know your guest list!
Your guest list will depend on what size venue you need. You’ll need to have a rough idea of this before you start touring.We have highly affordable packages available at Mount Rooms Hotel, with a large function room and a ceremony suite within our beautiful boutique hotel, places minutes from the stunningly popular, Barry Island.
Contact us today on:weddings@themountrooms.co.uk
What to expect in your first wedding meeting...
You’ve said yes, now it’s time to plan! We sat down with our Wedding Coordinator, Chloe and ran through the first meeting process…
“The first meeting is a very important one, as it establishes the beginning of the planning process.
This first step is the gateway into what will be an exciting time ahead for our couples and will start the beginning of a relationship formed between themselves, myself, and our venue!
During the first meeting, we have a briefing of everything, over a cup of tea of course!
It is the fundamental first stepping-stone, where we concisely run through everything from top to bottom; at further meetings, we pick back up on this, and make any changes necessary as time goes on. Of course, the couple are at the beginning stages of planning at this point, and probably haven’t got much done, so it is important to just be a helpful hand and guide them through things. They are usually brimming with questions, not just about the venue itself, but about other aspects of the big day, too, and I am more than happy to help with this. Being a newlywed, I can relate to them.
I also like to take the opportunity to get to know my couples, on a bit of a personal level, too;
asking them where and how they met, what made them decide to get married now, etc. I love a love story, and I think it’s important to be relatable and friendly, whilst still maintaining the professionalism that is expected, and required, to help plan and coordinate such a massive life event!”
Get married with us in 2020 for just £2999 + VAT!
Contact Chloe for prices and availability on: weddings@themountrooms.co.uk
Meet our Wedding Coordinator, Chloe!
Meet our lovely Wedding Coordinator, Chloe!
We sat down with Chloe and she took us through everything from first meeting our newly engaged couples, to her own wedding day!
1. You’ve recently got married yourself. What was important to you when you were planning your own wedding?
The most important thing for me when planning my own wedding, was making sure I had good contact with my venue throughout the whole process. Just making sure we were on the same page with everything, as the bulk of the day is, of course, the reception held at your chosen venue!
I believe great communication is so important, and I like to make sure that I keep in great contact with my brides and grooms from start to finish!
2. What do you love most about your job?
I love the satisfaction that comes with taking a couple from the beginning of their journey to the end. The most rewarding thing for me is seeing the bride and groom towards the end of their night, enjoying their first dance and their party; it really puts a smile on my face, at it is the culmination of a day gone well! I leave work that day feeling very grateful that I get to do this job.
3. What do you do when you first meet a bride/groom?
On first meeting with our couples, I make sure I take the proper time to be as informative as possible. I make sure I let them know about availability, answer any questions they may have, give them any quotes they may need and get to know the couple a little bit too! It’s always nice to hear such lovely stories!
4. What was your favourite part of your big day!
Aside from the actual Ceremony, my favourite part of my Wedding Day was the party in the evening! The photos, meal and speeches were done and dusted, and now it was time to start celebrating with our nearest and dearest! It is a long day though, so by midnight I was ready for bed! I also loved taking a few moments out with my new husband, just to reflect on the day, which was so important; I always make sure to tell our couples to do the same on their big day!
5. How did you get into Wedding Coordinating?
I started off as a front desk receptionist at the hotel. I’ve worked in customer service, including some event coordination for 9 years now! Alongside reception duties, I began to coordinate small events within the hotel, as events was always the real passion of mine.
Just as my own wedding was rolling around, an opportunity came up to progress onto wedding coordination at the hotel, and here I am now, with a good few weddings under my belt!
Starting off the back of planning my own wedding, I feel well equipped with fresh ideas and hints and tips for brides and grooms!
To book an appointment to meet with Chloe and to view our stunning venue, email: weddings@themountrooms.co.uk
Our Wonderful Wedding Fayre!
On Sunday 10th March, the spring sun rose over Barry, and our wonderful team began setting up their first Wedding Fayre.
The Fayre started with a bang, at 11am excited couples flooded through the doors, and greeted with a glass of Bucks Fizz. Our 2 function suites were both beautifully set up, Function suite 1 was filled with 10 local wedding suppliers with their showstopping stalls ready to welcome and showcase what they had to offer. There was a diverse range between them all, from Photographers to Jewellers, Florists, DJ’s and travel companies! NJB Events also supplied LOVE letters and MR (Mount Rooms) letters for couples to view as they arrived, capturing current wedding trends.
Outside the hotel sat a beautiful vintage Wedding Car, supplied by Ebony & Ivory Wedding Cars. Throughout was a live band - Sessions Music, who provided guests with their talent, singing their way through the Fayre, adding a fantastic atmosphere.
Function Suite 2 was dressed in Blush Pink and White tones courtesy of Chair Covers and Bows. The room added a huge wow factor with its blossom trees and 4 chandeliers, with couples having a glimpse of how their ceremony could look.
A huge thank you to everyone that attended as well as the following companies:
-NJB Events
- Chair Covers and Bows
- Props N Pics
- Budding Designs
- Berren Rees Photography
- Tailor Made Travel (Barry)
- Paul Gentile Jewellers
- Ebony & Ivory Wedding Cars
- Sessions Music Band
- Dr Bob Balloons
Missed out on this Wedding Fayre? Our Wedding Showcase is on Thursday 9th May 2019!
FREE Tickets available here: www.themountrooms.co.uk/tickets
*Our exclusive offer of £2,999 + VAT is still on for remaining dates in 2019
Top Wedding Trends 2019
2018 saw two Royal Weddings, Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth (finally) tie the knot and a 75 ft veil from the stunning Priyanika Chopra.
Wedding trends for 2019 have never been more diverse - and if you are getting married this year - we have your back.
The power of simplicity
Simplicity is BACK! Both Princess Eugenie and Meghan Markle wowed the audiences of millions with their gowns, and proved that simplicity is stunning. Paired with the most striking of accessories (Don’t most of us wish we could wear a real tiara?) the dresses were the most spoken about since Kate Middleton stunned the world with her classic lace gown in 2011.
Slice of heaven
Cakes have always been an iconic symbol of all celebrations, but particularly weddings. Cake trends are always changing, and the traditional fruit cake is being swapped with something very different. Wedding doughnut towers are now a thing.. and for all of you that love doughnuts as much as Homer Simpson, this is incredible news. The stunning 4 tiers comes stacked high with doughnuts of any flavour, that guests can easily eat. The good news is, you can still have your cutting of the cake picture, with a quirky spin.
Bloomin’ Lovely
More of us are choosing to move the outdoors in, as nature plays a huge part in weddings, and this is set to continue. The flower wall dominated 2018 with it becoming one of the must have features of a wedding. Flower arches, as well as flower ‘frames’ for those cheeky Instagram snapshots are expected to dominate 2019.
Be our guest!
We all know the golden rule about wearing white to a wedding, so brides everywhere can let out a sigh of relief - because this years colour trend is coral and pastels. Hats are also making a serious comeback, so make your statement bold - Ascot style!
First impressions count!
Invitations are important as they reflect your wedding and give guests the first glimpse into your theme. 2019’s trend is calligraphy style fonts with a marble and palm background…#Goals
Head Space
The veil has long been a traditional symbol of a bride but it appears that 2019 is bringing us plenty of alternatives. Bridal hair chains are hot on trend with diamonds and floral designs.
Music to your ears
When considering entertainment there are endless possibilities! Due to the previously mentioned Royal Wedding affect, quartets and harps are becoming increasingly popular. These classical touches reflect the elegance of a wedding day to remember.
Now you are up to date, you are ready to plan your wedding! Still haven’t found a venue? Save money for these extras with our £2,999 + VAT deal!
Want to know more? Contact us: events@themountrooms.co.uk
Booking your perfect Honeymoon
Your wedding is booked and the planning has commenced, but so many couples are so busy with this, they forget to research or even book their perfect honeymoon in good time.
We all dream of white sands and taking a tip to Bora Bora, right? As much as we want to keep up with the Kardashians, weddings are expensive. It’s so important to set a budget for both the big day and your much needed break after.
Below we will take the hassle out for you and pointing you in the right direction!
Location, Location, Location!
According to BrideBook the most popular honeymoon destinations are Europe (25%) UK (12%) and USA (11%) and with this in mind there are no rules on where to go on honeymoon - it can be anywhere that reflects you as a couple. Lying on a beach, trekking up a mountain or exploring city life - it’s your choice! Your Honeymoon will be something you remember forever, so make it memorable and something you will talk about for years to come.
Save, Save, Save!
The average honeymoon costs £4,000 - so gather those pennies well in advance. Many couples ask guests to contribute to their honeymoon pot (if they can) as a wedding gift. This may bump up your savings - and don’t forget spending money!
Shop around!
The internet is a wonderful thing, but it has been known to catch people out. When booking through sited make sure they are ATOL protected and have a good reputation!
Travel Agents
If you are looking for a specific holiday, there’s no harm in visiting a travel agent to see what they can do for you! They can put in special requests to resorts etc to let them know its your honeymoon! After months of wedding planning - you deserve to be pampered!
Insurance
If you are travelling outside of the UK, insurance is an absolute must. Covering you from cancellations to medical emergencies. Insurance doesn’t have to cost you the earth, shop around or visit your local post office to enquire.
Excursions & Trips
Keep in mind, you are going to a destination of your dreams and therefore you will want to explore. Set aside money for any extra trips or tours - and shop around various tour operators.
Sun, Sun, Sun?
Wherever your travels take you, be sure to check the weather forecast. If you are going to the Caribbean, you will want to avoid monsoon/hurricane season which usually falls between June - November.
If you want hot summer sun in July, you’re better off heading through Europe.
Research is key
Trip Advisor will be your best friend in this stage of planning. Browse through hundreds of reviews and pictures all taken by travellers. Keep in mind that sometimes people only post negative comments on there, and don’t take it all too seriously (unless they are all bad)
YouTube is also a brilliant platform for researching not just resorts but local areas too.
Packing
Most couples jet off the day after their wedding, if this is the case - don’t leave the packing until the morning! Set aside some time in the week leading up to your big day to pack your stuff. That way you won’t risk forgetting any items and won’t be desperately running around seeking a phone charger!
Relax!
Wherever your honeymoon takes you, make sure you relax and take everything in! You’ll never get this time again.. so make sure you enjoy every second as a newly married couple!
How to plan your wedding in just 12 months
Just like that - 2019 is here, and it is an exciting year for many. If you got engaged over the Christmas period – 2019 could be the year to tie the knot, so it’s time to put down the decorations, turn off the Christmas music, and plan your wedding!
According to a recent survey, the average time couples take between their engagement and wedding is 15 months, but if you are eager, this is the blog for you! We will take you through our tips to ensure you get that dream wedding, fast.
Weddings are expensive, right? This is a huge limit to many people. Don’t forget, here at The Mount Rooms you can get married in pure luxury and elegance in a stunning modern hotel just off the welsh coast for an affordable price.
Here are our tips to plan a wedding in 12 months:
- Choose your date (This can be random, or a date that means something special to you)
- Select your budget (Keep in mind prices for deposits that are needed to secure dates)
- Do a draft guest list, so you can inform your venue
- Check your venue has your dates available & book
- Book photographer (Do research first, check out their website and social media!)
- Book in dates for flowers, cars, DJ, hair/make up and any other extras you want
- Purchase wedding rings (Allow time for resizing and personalisation)
- Choose your bridal party
- Get your dress/suits
- Order invites/ Save the dates (Keep in mind printing sites such as Zazzle & Vista Print)
- Look for bridal party dresses/suits
- Plan stag/hen party
- Book your Honeymoon
These are basic steps to apply to your wedding planning, you may require more due to adding extras!
If you would like more information on our packages, don’t be shy! Drop us an email - events@themountrooms.co.uk OR give us a bell on 01446 370145