By Teresa Barnett

Morgans, a 20 bedroom boutique hotel created out of Swansea’s great nautical past sits in the heart of the city. It opened in 2002 with great fanfare; it was awarded four stars by the Wales Tourist Board. Morgans originally housed the Associated British Ports Authority, and is therefore steeped in maritime history.

After a swift check in I am shown to my room, The Zeta. The ceilings are high and my king size bed sits between two very large arched windows with a mirror perched behind it. I learned that the high-windowed bedrooms take the name of ships that were registered or built in Swansea in the last century. The Zeta, used to carry copper from South America to Swansea Docks but other ships sailed to Valparaiso in Chile and Newfoundland.

The décor is earthy with the cream walls and brown furnishings and polished wood floorboards. The bathroom continues with the stunning high ceilings and stone tiles. Continuing the couple theme is a risqué double shower and a dual vanity.

The owners have done a wonderful job in converting this old Harbour Trust Building into a hotel retaining the original staircase and the cathedral like arched windows, wooden flooring, high ceilings and the grand pillars throughout the building have been preserved and give the hotel its elegance.

Each bedroom has its own unique style, all of which feature LCD TV’s, dvd and cd players, wireless internet, mini bars, a safe, trouser presses and hairdryers. The beds are spread with Egyptian cotton and the suede curtains enhance the beautifully proportioned windows. A refurbished regency townhouse is situated opposite the hotel in the heart of the maritime quarter, next to the Dylan Tomas museum and the River Tawe and like the main hotel each room has its own unique styling.

Many of the original art nouveau touches have survived, the light fittings, pillars, wooden floors and stained-glass windows in the cupola above the original staircase depicting points of the compass. I make my way to Morgans bar and the combination of the original architecture and modern fittings carries through the elegance of the rooms. It’s worth lounging in the bar in one of its deep large leather sofas with the daily papers, a cup of tea and a Welsh cake or any cake in fact.

There is also Morgans restaurant which is accessed through the upbeat Champagne Bar, a place to see and be seen with its glass roofed atrium and bespoke champagne tables. We decided to eat in the cafe bar, the menu is full of modern European dishes and after a long day tapas and a glass of red wine went down well.

Somerset Place
SA1 1RR
Swansea
Wales

T: +44 (0)1792 484848
W: morganshotel.co.uk