Catching Up with Zoe Kedward: From Grove of Narbeth’s Beginnings to the Beauty of Wales

The first few years running Grove of Narberth were challenging, but so much fun. Back then, we had to be everything and do everything. It really did start with just Neil, me, and a local part time housekeeper, but I loved it.  Meeting guests every day made me believe in people again after years of corporate life. I loved the variety, the practical side of the job, the thinking on your feet, the constant problem solving, and the challenge of always improving the experience. I felt driven and excited while the guests loved what we were doing and encouraged us to do more…. so we did.

Running a hotel while renovating it is always an adventure. You can’t pause bookings and wait until everything is finished. No matter how well you plan, there are always unforeseen challenges. Thankfully, we’ve always had incredible local contractors by our side who’ve helped get us through some ambitious projects within extraordinary timescales.  My husband and I love projects and our teams truly embrace the venue and us to make it all happen – we form tight knit teams.  I love looking at a space and imagining how it could work better, and how it could feel better. I do the same in my garden, thinking with a cup of tea in hand about how I can make it better.

As a team, Neil and I dovetail perfectly. He’s amazing at all the bits I’m not so good at. We’ve always pushed forward, made decisions and never beaten ourselves up when we’ve got one wrong. The job is different now, but in many ways, still the same. We’re still problem-solving, but now we have incredible teams to do this alongside us. I see them as an extension of us, so my role is more about encouraging the to always deliver the best experience for our guests.

It always surprises me when a famous guest walks through the door. William Hurt was the most memorable. He was a charming Buddhist with a fold-out bike which he took everywhere.  He embraced us and the local town with an open heart, even popping down to the local chip and putt for a bowl of Welsh Cawl.  It's lovely to see the impact these visits have on the community. When William left he gave every member of the team a thoughtful present. Neil and I received a picture of the Grove that he’d sketched himself.

Welsh hospitality is defined by a genuine warmth, a desire to make everyone really feel at home, with zero pretence or formality. Maybe that’s why the Welsh have the word “cwtch,” which means a cuddle or embrace, with a sense of offering warmth and safety and most importantly, belonging. I love our home in Wales, and I do belong here.

There’s so much to do in Pembrokeshire and to really appreciate it you need at least three days. But if you only have 24 hours, here my itinerary to make every moment count:

I’d start with a trip to the Stackpole estate and Barafundle beach.  Wander alongside the lakes and over grassy bridges, possibly spotting an otter or two, before heading through an old wood to emerge on to the sand dunes at the back of Barafundle beach. Once you reach the top of these golden sands the whole beach stretches out in front of you and it’s truly breathtaking. You can walk on to Broadhaven South beach and see the striking Church Rock rise out of the sea.

For lunch, The Stackpole Inn does a delicious Cawl, a traditional Welsh lamb stew which always reminds me of my Irish roots, although in Wales it’s served with cheese. On the way back, take the scenic route through Pembroke and Carew, which are both home to stunning castles perched on the edge of mill ponds. Then it’s finally time to sink into a deep, hot bath back at Grove, settling down in one of our beautiful lounges with a drink in hand, before an intimate dinner in the Fernery - the perfect way to end a short Pembrokeshire adventure.

While Pembrokeshire’s stunning beaches and the 186 miles of Coastal walk usually steal the show, I like to head inland to the Cleddau Estuary. There’s a wonderful calmness there and I love the way the glassy water meets the rugged edges of this rolling countryside. It’s only five minutes’ drive from Grove, or you can cycle through Canaston Woods to get there. We recently added e-bikes to the offering at Grove as these are the perfect way to get out and exploring the incredible local area.  Hidden within the woods is a derelict mansion, which took me a couple of years to find, along with a cleared glade which must hold ancient secrets from the druids. You can also cycle up to Llawhaden Castle, perched overlooking the rolling Narberth hills, and imagine how they once lived within these now ruined walls.

We’ve recently been discovering the region around Eryri (Snowdonia), since taking on our second hotel, Penmaenuchaf. I always thought of Eryri as just a mountain range, but there’s so much more to the area such as stunning estuaries, dramatic escarpments, beautiful woodland walks with stunning views emerging through the trees at every glance.

One of my favourite places to escape to is Cregennan Lakes, sitting high on a rocky outcrop with an incredible 360 degree view. The shimmering lake sits beneath the Cader Idris escarpment and stretches behind you until the vista meets the sea in the distance. Meanwhile, the Mawddach Estuary meanders up in front of you, with its mossy woodland with ancient Welsh oaks. It’s my heaven!

Whether walking or driving, there are so many magical spots in this region. There’s something truly ethereal when you stand on this land, it’s very grounding – almost like Mother Nature herself is happy here, radiating that sense of calm and connection.  You don’t have to be a mountaineer to access that feeling of untouched beauty, it simply all around you.