Short-term letting in Conwy: Llandudno, Conwy and Betws-y-Coed

Victorian resort, walled town and mountain village

Conwy county stretches from the seafront hotels of Llandudno to the forested valleys of Betws-y-Coed. Llandudno, with the Great Orme, the pier and a busy events and conference calendar, is the largest resort in North Wales. Conwy itself offers a medieval castle and town walls; Colwyn Bay and Rhos-on-Sea serve families; and inland, Betws-y-Coed and the Conwy Valley are gateways to Eryri's adventure and walking. Seafront apartments, townhouses and mountain cottages each call for a different approach.

One county, two planning regimes

Part of the county lies inside Eryri National Park, where the park authority is the planning authority. There, an Article 4 direction has applied since 1 June 2025: changing a main home into a second home or a short-term holiday let, or moving between those two uses, requires planning permission. The coastal towns, including Llandudno, Conwy and Colwyn Bay, fall under Conwy County Borough Council, which according to the park authority had not confirmed any intention to introduce a similar direction. Check which side of the boundary your property stands on before anything else.

The national framework

The Welsh visitor accommodation register opened on 1 October 2026; any provider offering stays of 31 nights or less must register by 31 March 2027. It costs nothing, and ignoring it can bring penalties per premises. A licensing system for self-catering accommodation, created by an Act of April 2026, is due by default to start in March 2030. Conwy's councillors deferred a visitor levy in September 2026, preferring to wait for evidence from Cardiff, which will charge one from April 2027.

Council tax premium and rates

Conwy's working group recommended keeping the second-home premium at 150% for 2026/27 and 2027/28. Welsh self-catering properties qualify for business rates only if available for 252 days and let for 182 days a year; a consultation closing on 23 October 2026 proposes a modest easing.

Our advice

In Llandudno, work the conference and events calendar and check flat leases carefully. In the valley, factor in the Eryri planning position and the higher cost of reaching remote cottages. Tell us about the property: we study every request and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.

Trams, gardens and an inland surf lagoon

Llandudno's Great Orme can be climbed on foot, by the Victorian tramway or by cable car, and each option brings a different visitor. Venue Cymru on the promenade, the town's theatre and conference centre, sustains midweek demand outside summer. The Victorian Extravaganza on the early May bank holiday fills the town with costumes and fairground rides.

Conwy town itself adds the quay, with what is claimed to be the smallest house in Great Britain, the marina and the Honey Fair held every September. Bodnant Garden, in the lower Conwy Valley, is one of the most visited gardens in Wales and draws older couples through spring and autumn. Colwyn Bay has the Welsh Mountain Zoo and the Porth Eirias watersports centre.

Inland, adventure tourism has changed the calendar:

• Adventure Parc Snowdonia at Dolgarrog, with its artificial surf lagoon, attracts surfers far from any coast.
• Zip World's forest site near Betws-y-Coed brings families and groups.
• Swallow Falls and Llanrwst's market streets give quieter days.

The A55 expressway carries most traffic along the coast, while the Conwy Valley line links Llandudno Junction with Betws-y-Coed and Blaenau Ffestiniog. A cottage near a station is easier to sell to guests without a car. Inside Conwy's walls, streets are narrow and parking is limited: set expectations before arrival.