Planning a trip to the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) and not sure where to base yourself? You’re not alone. The park is bigger than people think, the roads are slower than the sat nav suggests, and it really does make a difference where you stay – especially if you want to squeeze a couple of good walks into a weekend.
In this guide I’ll walk you through the best areas to stay, the types of places that work well for walkers, and a hand-picked selection of hotels, B&Bs and cabins that make great bases for exploring the Beacons.
Quick note: some of the accommodation links below are affiliate links. They don’t cost you anything extra, but they do help support Welsh Man Walking and the time that goes into the guides I create – so diolch/thank you if you use them.
Below are a few ideas for day tours around the Brecon Beacons / Black Mountains area. GetYourGuide makes it easy to book + see more here.
Best Places to Stay in the Brecon Beacons – Quick Picks
If you just want a fast answer, here are some solid options to start with. You can scroll down for more detail on each area and stay.
🏆 Best Overall Stay: The Plough Inn
4-star Boutique Hotel in the Towy Valley at the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, surrounded by castles, country houses and the National Botanical Garden of Wales.
Rating: Superb / 500+ Reviews.
🌄 Best for Walkers: Sleeping Giant Hotel – Pen Y Cae Inn
Good location in Brecon Beacons convenient to good motorways M4 and superb new heads of valley road. Amazing modern property, incredible food and friendly staff.
Rating: Superb / 50+ Reviews.
💰 Best Budget Stay: The Horseshoe Inn in Crickhowell
The Horseshoe Inn in Crickhowell offers family rooms with private bathrooms, tea and coffee makers, work desks, and free toiletries. Each room includes a TV, wardrobe, and carpeted floors.
Rating: Very Good / 500+ Reviews.
🐶 Best Dog Friendly: Pet Friendly Cosy Winter Escape
Guests can enjoy an outdoor seating area, picnic area, and a unique outdoor kitchen equipped with a patio, dining table, and outdoor furniture. The ground-floor unit provides easy access to the outdoor spaces.
Rating: Fabulous / 100+ Reviews.
Where Should You Base Yourself in the Brecon Beacons?
The Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) stretch from Llandeilo in the west to Abergavenny in the east, with very different vibes depending on where you stay. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you choose the right base for your trip.
Brecon Town – Great All-Round Base
Perfect for: first-time visitors, mixed groups, short weekend breaks
Vibe: small market town with pubs, cafés, shops and a bit of everything
Stay here if you want: a central base for Pen y Fan, Tal y Bont reservoirs, and easy driving to most parts of the park.
Brecon is a bustling market town right at the top edge of the glorious Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. It’s known for the famous Brecon Jazz Festival, history, military connections and of course, the magnificent cathedral. Brecon is the perfect base for exploring the national park, watersports and fishing in the local rivers, canal and lakes, plus cycling and mountain biking.
Abergavenny & Crickhowell – Eastern Gateway & Black Mountains
Perfect for: Black Mountains walks, Sugar Loaf, Blorenge, family-friendly trips with good food options
Vibe: buzzy market town (Abergavenny) and pretty small town on the Usk (Crickhowell)
Stay here if you want: good places to eat, easy road/rail access, and a mix of proper hill days and gentler river/countryside walks
The lively market town of Abergavenny, on the edge of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park is famous for the Abergavenny Food Festival in September, and the The Abergavenny Writing Festival in April, but there’s plenty of things to see and do all year round. Crickhowell is a picturesque town nestling in the beautiful Usk Valley and lying to the south of the Black Mountains, offering visitors a blend of historical charm and natural beauty. Known for it’s thriving independent businesses and community spirit.
Hay-on-Wye – Books, Cafés & Big Views
Perfect for: couples, slower-paced weekends, combining walking with mooching around town
Vibe: bookshops, independent shops, cafés, River Wye on the doorstep
Stay here if you want: Black Mountains access plus a lovely town to wander around after your walk
Y Gelli Gandryll (Hay-on-Wye), often called the “Town of Books,” is a charming Welsh market town on the English/Welsh border, famous for its numerous second-hand bookshops, the annual Hay Festival of Literature, and its location within the stunning Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, offering outdoor activities like hiking, biking and canoeing alongside unique shops, antiques, and vibrant markets.
Waterfall Country (close to Ystradfellte)
Perfect for: shorter walks, families, waterfall lovers, people who don’t want huge mountain days
Vibe: quiet valleys, woodland, rivers and some narrow country lanes
Stay here if you want: easy access to the famous waterfall trails and lush green scenery.
Ystradfellte is a village and community in Powys, Wales, about 6 miles north of Hirwaun, with 556 inhabitants. It belongs to the historic county of Brecknockshire and the Fforest Fawr area of the Brecon Beacons National Park, beside the Afon Mellte river.
The Brecon Beacons have always felt like a place where stories linger in the wind. Long before walkers like us laced up boots and followed the ridgelines, ancient people carved out lives here among sheep-grazed hills, Roman roads, and quiet valleys. Castles rose and fell, market towns grew around rivers, and generations learned to read the sky as instinctively as a map. Even today, you feel that sense of history underfoot – the sense that these mountains have seen thousands of lives pass quietly through them, each leaving a whisper behind.
On a good day, the Beacons feel like the friendliest mountains in Britain. Rolling green hills stretch out beneath big open skies, lakes shimmer below craggy summits, and paths wind between forests, ridges and wide open moorland. When the sun breaks through the clouds, the whole landscape seems to glow, calm and welcoming, the sort of place that invites you to wander slowly, breathe deeply and forget the world for a while. It’s easy to fall in love with the place on days like that.
But these mountains also have another side – one that deserves respect. The weather can turn without warning, cloud swallowing the peaks, rain lashing sideways across exposed ridges, and wind roaring through the summits like a living thing. Paths vanish in mist, temperatures drop, and suddenly something that felt gentle becomes wild and serious. That contrast is part of what makes the Brecon Beacons special: a landscape of beauty, history and freedom, but also a reminder that nature is bigger than us, and that awe always comes with a little edge of danger.
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Good to Know Before You Book
How Many Nights Should You Stay?
Do You Need a Car?
Best Time of Year to Visit
Weather & Safety
Brecon Beacons Accommodation FAQ
Where is the best place to stay for first-time visitors?
What’s the best area to stay in for walking?
Is the Brecon Beacons good for families?
Can you visit the Brecon Beacons without a car?
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Final Thoughts
The Bannau Brycheiniog are one of my favourite places to walk, and having the right base really does make the whole trip feel easier and more relaxed. Hopefully this guide has helped narrow things down a bit. If you do end up booking through any of the links above, cheers – it genuinely helps keep Welsh Man Walking going and lets me spend more time out on the hills creating new guides.