The Giltar Hotel is located in a Victorian building on a sea-facing street within walking distance of the center of Tenby. The vanilla-hued building has a certain faded grandeur, with white trim, wrought-iron balconies, and scuffed or peeling paint. Inside, the crown molding and globe light fixtures hint at the building's history. But the overall look is one of easy, unsophisticated comfort with plush sofas and armchairs in the lounge and loud red carpeting running up the stairs. The hotel is popular with tourist groups of senior citizens, vacationing families, and hikers and cyclists who come to explore the historic Welsh towns in this area, and the nearby Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. It's also a popular venue for weddings and other events, and for this reason can be noisy on weekends.

The Giltar Hotel is well located on a sea-facing street overlooking the harbor and the beach, which can be reached via the stairs and footpaths just across the street. The town center of the historic walled town of Tenby is a short eight-minute walk away, and the train station is 10 minutes away on foot. There are also many shops, restaurants, and pubs within easy walking distance from the hotel. The island of Caldey, which is visible from the beach just a few miles away, can be reached by ferry in about 20 minutes. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is a 47-minute drive away from here, and the historic Pembroke castle is 21 minutes away by road. Cardiff Airport is about two hours away by car.

The Giltar Hotel has been undergoing a continuous renovation program since 2008 on a phased basis so as to limit disruption to guests. The result is that the quality and size of guest rooms can vary widely. Some of the rooms have been completely renovated to a high standard, but those which have yet to be refurbished can be significantly less comfortable. The fully renovated Deluxe Rooms are the best choice as they're generally bright and spacious, with tall ceilings, teal or gray armchairs, dark wood furniture, chandeliers, and sea views. They also have luxurious bathrooms with separate soaking tubs. In contrast, the cheaper Standard Rooms show lots of signs of wear and tear like worn carpets, mildew in the showers, sloping floors, and old furniture. Also, some of these can be cramped. Renovated Premier Rooms are a step up, as they feature sea views and an airy, contemporary design, though their bathrooms are a much tighter fit compared to Deluxe ones, with shower stalled tucked into corners by the toilet. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and hairdryers.

The Giltar Hotel has few extra amenities apart from an on-site restaurant with a large dining room overlooking the sea that serves regional Pembrokeshire dishes; it's open for lunch and dinner. A free full English breakfast is included in the room rate and can be delivered to rooms for an additional fee. The Cwtch Lounge & Bar has comfortable armchairs and sofas, and it's a pleasant place to have a drink, lunch, or afternoon tea. Wi-Fi is free and available throughout the hotel. There’s a large event room with an attached bar, which is often rented out for weddings and other events. There’s also a games room with a billiards table.