FAQ -- Frequently Asked Questions about Portmeirion What is Portmeirion? Portmeirion is a private resort located in North Wales. It was built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925-1976. The architecture is primarily known as Italianate, with some buildings designed by the architect and others are rescued follies from other locations. It is open to day visitors and also to hotel or self-catering guests for daily/weekly accommodation. Where is Portmeirion? It is located on peninsula between Porthmadog and Penrhyndeudraeth. It is approximately 5 and a half hours by train from London. Is Portmeirion Pottery made at Portmeirion? No, the pottery is named after Portmeirion because its company was created by Susan Williams-Ellis, the architect's daughter. The pottery is actually manufactured at their factory in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. Where can I get a brochure? Contact them at Portmeirion Hotel, Gwynedd, LL48 6ET, Wales, UK Phone: 01766-770000 Fax: 01766-771331 Email: hotel@portmeirion-village.com There are also some pdf files of a few brochures available at this link. Can I use your pictures? Not without permission first. Contact me to get particulars. Journalists wanting to use photos or info are welcome, but contact me as I can provide better resolution photos for print purposes. Students and scholars, please also contact me, as I might be able to provide you with better photos/text that are more suited to exactly what you need. I don't charge for photos, but I do take a dim view of my photos being ripped off. Is there access for the disabled at Portmeirion? There is some limited access for wheelchair-bound. Contact the Hotel directly for any specifics. What kind of shopping is available at Portmeirion? See our shopping page for particulars. What kind of dining facilities are available? See our dining page for particulars. Where can I find journalistic resources about Portmeirion? See our bibliography page for a selected number of references. If you need more, please contact us directly. Where can I find a map of Portmeirion? See our maps page, or our brochures page for a pdf map you can download. What are directions for getting there? See our directions page. What connection does Portmeirion have with the sixties television show "The Prisoner"? "The Prisoner" television series starring Patrick McGoohan was filmed at Portmeirion in 1966. Few film sets are still available for fans to walk through and enjoy. See our Prisoner Tour for examples of some of the shooting locations there.

What and where is Plas Brondanw? Plas Brondanw is the family home of Clough Williams-Ellis, located near Garreg, six miles from Portmeirion. See our Plas Brondanw section or one of the brochures. Are dogs allowed? Dogs are not allowed in with day visitors (except for guide dogs, of course). There are three cottages which allow one dog at a time for self-catering guests at an extra expense. Can I use my laptop? Yes. I have been using my laptop successfully at Portmeirion for several years with no problem. Just be sure to bring the appropriate adapters for phone and power. What is there for children to do? See our Children's Tour for ideas. Will the Pantheon Dome ever be green again? The original dome was made from wood, but the weather took its toll on it over the years, and so Portmeirion Ltd. decided to to replace the wooden painted dome with a real copper dome in the early nineties. The copper will naturally start to verdigris after about fifteen years, so eventually it will be green again. Does anyone live in the cottages year round? No, over time Portmeirion staff have been moved into houses outside Portmeirion and they no longer live on the grounds. Why is it called "the home for fallen buildings"? The Bristol Colonnade and Hercules Hall were reconstructed from buildings located elsewhere. There are salvaged bits and pieces of other architectural follies scattered around the village as well. When was it built? It was built during two phases.The first was between 1925-1939 when the most distinctive buildings were put in place. The second world war imposed a moratorium on building because of the scarcity of supplies, and so the second phase of building did not start until 1954, when it continued until 1976. The second phase is noteworthy for his style shift to Palladian and classical architectural forms. Why was it built? Clough Williams-Ellis wanted to prove that a site could be created and exploited carefully and still be in harmony with the landscape. What does it cost to stay there? See the tariffs for self-catering or the tariffs for hotel guests. You may also contact Portmeirion directly at the address and phone numbers given above. What activities are available? See the activities page. Can I link to your web site? Yes, you may. We ask that you not link to any of our pictures and cause our server to be overstressed. Banners and buttons for linking are located here.