Our Story
The Oxwich Bay Hotel has a fascinating history. A former rectory, the hotel now welcomes guests 364 days of the year, as well as hosting weddings, functions and seasonal events.
Chapter 1: The Rectory
The building of the rectory started in 1786 and took two years, with workers walking from Swansea each day to complete it! It was finished in 1788, and this date can be seen at the top our striking fireplace in the Chestnut Room, to mark the occasion.
The rectory was large for its size, and the original structure remains, now housing many of our ground floor areas including Reception, the Chestnut Lounge, and the “Snug” area (going through into our bar and Sea View Restaurant).
The rectory was large for its size, and the original structure remains, now housing many of our ground floor areas including Reception, the Chestnut Lounge, and the “Snug” area (going through into our bar and Sea View Restaurant).
Chapter 2: Cliffside
In 1959, owner Ian Williams’ parents bought the old rectory from the church in Wales and ran it as a B&B known as Cliffside.
In 1966, they converted it into a hotel called Cliffside Hotel, which at that time also had a small restaurant for residents only.
In 1975, the name was changed to The Oxwich Bay Hotel. The hotel was only open from April to September, mainly for weekly or fortnightly stays and ‘meals-in-the-basket’-type food. Ian’s parents did almost all the work themselves, employing only a dozen or so seasonal workers through the summer months. Ian says they worked for 6 months of the year, then slept for the other 6 months!
The ultimate aim was to expand the hotel’s offerings by opening it to the public for drinks and weddings. However, as it was a former rectory, there was a covenant in the deeds preventing this. Ian’s parents had tried throughout the 1970s to change the license, but with no success. Any alcohol sold had to be accompanied by a meal, and so to get around this, they would sell a sausage roll or pasty with a pint of beer. Ian believes they had the highest sales of sausage rolls and pasties on the whole of Gower!
The ultimate aim was to expand the hotel’s offerings by opening it to the public for drinks and weddings. However, as it was a former rectory, there was a covenant in the deeds preventing this. Ian’s parents had tried throughout the 1970s to change the license, but with no success. Any alcohol sold had to be accompanied by a meal, and so to get around this, they would sell a sausage roll or pasty with a pint of beer. Ian believes they had the highest sales of sausage rolls and pasties on the whole of Gower!
The 1980s saw a particular boom in package holidays to Spain, against which the Oxwich Bay Hotel just couldn’t compete, and so in 1980, the business was put on the market. The hotel was closed for 18 months while buyers haggled with one another, but due to the recession, they all dropped out, and it failed to sell.
Chapter 3: New Ideas
Ian worked in the hotel with his sister Sally Ann from the age of nine, helping his parents out wherever he could, and so for him, it was something he didn’t want to let slip away. He was extremely upset by the idea that it might be sold and so eventually convinced his parents to let him have a go at running it.
Two years later, when Ian was just 17, the hotel re-opened. At that time, there were just 6 rooms available to let. Ian ran the bar and restaurant and took bookings, while his parents ran the kitchen and did the housekeeping.
However, Ian knew that the key to encouraging guests to visit all year round was in changing the license to allow them to serve drinks as a pub and host weddings. As a result, Ian visited every single house in the parish, got to know the residents and talked to them about his plans. Pubs were, and often still are, associated with rowdiness and bad behaviour, and can be extremely detrimental to small villages.
Two years later, when Ian was just 17, the hotel re-opened. At that time, there were just 6 rooms available to let. Ian ran the bar and restaurant and took bookings, while his parents ran the kitchen and did the housekeeping.
However, Ian knew that the key to encouraging guests to visit all year round was in changing the license to allow them to serve drinks as a pub and host weddings. As a result, Ian visited every single house in the parish, got to know the residents and talked to them about his plans. Pubs were, and often still are, associated with rowdiness and bad behaviour, and can be extremely detrimental to small villages.
Ian is, as he was back then, dedicated to making sure that the hotel brings positive things to the local community, and so, finally, in 1984, the covenant was released and a year later he was able to open the front end of the business as a public house attached to the hotel. The hotel then moved to opening all year round and hosting weddings as well, and this was the start of the Oxwich Bay Hotel becoming the business it is today.
Chapter 4: Onwards & Upwards
The business steadily expanded based on satisfying customer needs, from obtaining its first five acres of land in 1990 and the first marquee in 1992 to the large car park in 1997.
Static Homes & Cottage Rooms
In 2004, Beach Walk Parc was taken under the hotel’s umbrella and Ivy Cottage.
The Chestnut Room
Our breath-taking Chestnut Room was completed in 2013, with several striking features including the central fireplace, which is set into the trunk of a real chestnut tree which was brought in from Frampton Court Estate in Gloucestershire to form this stunning feature. The large tree that runs across the room is a poplar tree which was felled from our own estate, and all 3 large pieces (the side pieces and the cross beam) are from the same very large tree.
This room is very popular venue for private functions and wedding civil ceremonies.
This room is very popular venue for private functions and wedding civil ceremonies.
The Secret Garden
In 2017, our unique and innovative Secret Garden was built – it houses 6 pods, each sleeping two people, and featuring their own ensuite bathroom, fold-down bed and enclosed patio.
The Oxwich Bay Hotel
Today, the hotel welcomes visitors throughout the seasons, from weekend stopovers to weekly stays.
As of 2019, the hotel celebrates its 60th year of business, and has won a number of prestigious awards, from Best Hotel Restaurant at the Food Awards Wales to Best Wedding Venue and Best Wedding Coordinators at the Welsh National Wedding Awards. The hotel continues to go from strength to strength, providing a warm Welsh welcome and excellence in customer service, alongside a stunning beachside location that can’t be beaten.
Everyone is welcome at the Oxwich Bay Hotel and we hope to see you soon!
As of 2019, the hotel celebrates its 60th year of business, and has won a number of prestigious awards, from Best Hotel Restaurant at the Food Awards Wales to Best Wedding Venue and Best Wedding Coordinators at the Welsh National Wedding Awards. The hotel continues to go from strength to strength, providing a warm Welsh welcome and excellence in customer service, alongside a stunning beachside location that can’t be beaten.
Everyone is welcome at the Oxwich Bay Hotel and we hope to see you soon!
