This is a lovely country house hotel hidden away. They are…read moreopen for stays and afternoon teas, lunch, dinner, etc. The best place for a wedding or even a romantic break. This hotel is maintained to the highest standars and is spotlessly clean. The owner is eccentric but lovely and could't make you feel more welcome. Nothing is too much trouble. This truly is a hidden gem!

I agree with 'mollie1771'. I was born and bred in Porthkerry in the 1950's and used to know the…read morehotel in its former days when it was the Old Rectory. Wonderful place to stay - food delicious and very good service. Makes a super romantic place and so handy for the airport too. Try it - you'll enjoy!

This is a beautiful hotel, it's like you have been transported back in time. That being said the…read moreamenities may be leaking in some areas. We visited with my uncle and this has 2 rooms. They were spacious and beautiful. The main issue we had were the showers. My uncle actually had to have them come up and explain how his worked in order to get the hot water, and he is a plumber. In our room you were given a choice, hot water or water pressure. If you wanted hot water you had a trickle of water but if you wanted a good steam of water, well then you had a bracing flow of very cold water. That being said despite the minor inconveniences, we loved our stay. It truly was beautiful off the beaten path, the staff was friendly and helpful. It was a chance to travel back in time to get a minor taste of what being a guest a hundred years ago may have felt like. So no it's not a 5 star luxury hotel. It is an old manor house with charm and quirks. We loved it.

Went here with a girlfriend and just enjoyed the grounds & atmosphere as it's such a beautiful…read moresetting. Food was good but it's worth going just to enjoy the gardens & atmosphere if you love old stately homes. & gardens. I'll def be back

Although it doesn't look that impressive from the outside this is a great place to stay. The rooms…read moreare nice and the beds comfortable and everything in the room is immaculately clean. They do serve a full breakfast from 0700 to 0900 and have their own on site pub that is everything you expect of a traditional pub. The drinks are reasonably priced and the atmosphere is quite jovial. There's even a inflated jump house out back for the children plus picnic tables if you want to drink, smoke, or just enjoy the fresh air. The television is a bit small but you do get SKY television channels so that's a plus but the most impressive thing is the staff. They are always polite, courteous, and cheerful and always checking to make sure you have everything you need.

I was in Cardiff for a conference and chose Riverhouse Backpackers as my choice...plus it was cheap…read morefor three days it was £60. It is run by a friendly brother and sister team. When they told me what room I was going in and it was all male....I was like nah! The were prompt to change and gave me an all female room. The did say keep bedrooms clean, so you knew you wasn't going to get a cleaner every day to change your bedding hence why I saw long stringy hair in my bunk bed that I had to pick off. I enjoyed the breakfast especially a paticular Peanut Butter I was raving to the owner about. It was from Costco! Obviously you get all sort of people- but mainly a young crowd. The have a cute small living room with plenty of choice if you wanted to watch a DVD! Also coming into the entrance of Riverhouse their are lots of information on what to do in Cardiff and the rest of Wales. I love the fact Riverhouse is near the River Taff and really close to the city centre . It was a pleasent stay overall.

Great price, clean, amazing location, free coffee, free breakfast. This place is great. Make sure…read moreyou thank Charlie when he checks you in, he's the coolest.

Welcome to the Castle Hotel at Taunton. This historic Norman fortress has witnessed over 9…read morecenturies of turbulent history. In 1685 the Duke of Monmouth's officers gathered here on the eve of the Battle of Sedgemoor, where they were defeated by the forces of King James II. The infamous Judge Jeffries held his Bloody Assize in the Great Hall of the castle shortly afterwards. Over 200 rebels from the Monmouth Rebellion were tried, convicted and then hanged, drawn and quartered. A further 800 were transported to the West Indies to work on the sugar plantations. The building we see today is a Grade II listed, 18th century reconstruction of the original Norman castle, but does incorporate the original east gate, Castle Bow, which boasts 13th century features.

Where to begin! Staying here was a highlight of my recent, and first trip to England. I was coming…read moreto do some family history work at the archives in Taunton, as well as visit Glastonbury Tor. When I read this was an actual castle with medieval beginnings, I was immediately drawn in. Then I visited their website and read a few reviews and I booked it! It's a unique experience to say the least. Coming through the front, revolving door had an old world charm that was very welcoming (even though I snagged my luggage). The front desk staff were all super friendly, accommodating, and professional. The room was huge! I don't know how I ended up with a suite but I certainly did not book it nor pay extra so, the only conclusion is they upgraded me because it was available? No matter, I was in awe! I cannot recommend this place enough, it's a castle! Unforgettable.

Amazing place!!…read more We chose to hold our wedding and reception here in April this year. The owners, Mr and Mrs Christopher and the staff, especially Jo, gave us a wedding to remember. In the lead up to the wedding and on the day itself, nothing was too much trouble. Everything was taken care of, even some of our slightly different requests, without question. In the run up to the wedding, my husband and I stayed her for their New Year's Eve celebration as well as coming for Sunday Lunch with friends. Both times, the food was absolutely excellent. I would highly recommend the West House to anyone.

From the owner: West House Country Hotel dates back to the 16th century and is a friendly, privately owned and run…read morehotel in the historic quarter of Llantwit Major, 25 minutes from Cardiff. The hotel is set in restful countryside and is renowned for its intimate, warm and cozy atmosphere. Heritage restaurant offers fine dining and fine Welsh produce. All rooms have private bathrooms and the hotel offers free Wi-Fi. Cardiff Airport and St Donat's Castle are both a short ride away.

After just looking up the contact details of this hotel on the net, I was surprised and saddened to…read morefind that there are a number of poor reviews. This hotel is far superior to all of the comments that have been made on other sites (including some of the good comments). Please read this and don't be blinded by others! This hotel is excellently positioned in Penarth, 4 miles outside of Cardiff. This is perfect for a stay in Cardiff because it's quieter and in an extremely nice area. With the train station literally just outside the front door, access into the city is a regular 15 minute journey at cheap fares. The hotel itself enjoys views from the upper floors that look out over the Bristol Channel, Flat Holm Island and Somerset. That's what I can a view! Penarth seafront is a 5 minute walk through a park away, and shops and restaurants are the same. It has been commented that this hotel seems tired in terms of its decor, but I really don't see this myself. While remaining traditional and retaining many features, this hotel has rooms which are dressed very smartly, and they're surprisingly modern and sophisticated. You only have to have a peep at the accommodation section on their website to see what I'm talking about. This has been a location for the Torchwood series in the past, if you're in any way sci-fi inclined. With an Italian restaurant (Villa Napoli) at the front, you'll be very well catered for in the Glendale Hotel.

A very reasonably priced family run italian restaurant. Never had a bad meal. We have always been…read morewith friends, but I've noticed it is also popular for a romantic evening. It is also a hotel, but I don't know anyone who has stayed here. Never had a problem parking. This is one of my favourite places to eat around Cardiff.

Ah, Ashwick House. What a delight…read more I hadn't been to Exmoor before, and so was very excited as we weaved our way through its treasure trove of villages, bound for Dulverton. Then we took a turn on to the moor, across a cattle grid, down a single track road, and past the Exmoor Pony Centre. In a wooded Coombe lay Ashwick House, an old shooting lodge tastefully refurbished into a very comfortable country house hotel. The first good point about this hotel became evident immediately - the host came out to meet and greet us with an easy, relaxed air. Staying at Ashwick House feels more like staying with some friends for the weekend, but in luxurious comfort. The host and hostess are very friendly, but also allow you enough privacy to enjoy your weekend. The balance is perfect. When you enter the house you'll encounter the main hall - very much the central room. A grand hall for a grand house, but still cosy enough to enjoy your evening drink in. It also has a very good collection of oriental furniture which manages to blend perfectly with the age and atmosphere of the house. We were then shown to our room. Nicely decorated and a newly refurbished bathroom. I was particularly pleased to see that there was a small fridge in the corner meaning we had been given fresh milk in a jug. (I can't stand those horrible plastic pots of milk.) You have the option to dine in at Ashwick house, and I would strongly recommend trying this at once during your stay. The 5 (or is it 6) course menu is excellent, with a good selection each evening. The price is at the higher end of the scale, but I was perfectly happy to pay for the quality of the food. The chef is also happy to be adaptable, as proved when I asked for plain pasta pre-marathon! The breakfast was also very good. Homemade fruit compote and yoghurt, a selection of cereals and then the delicious full english. I've never seen a full english presented so well, and boy did it taste good! Slightly sad to see the absence of beans, but I think that's more my fault for not asking for them. Ashwick House made me realise the value of a weekend in a country house hotel. Not something I've done that much, but I have now made a mental note to indulge myself in the future. I think I'll definitely be returning to enjoy this magnificent area of the West Country. (I haven't mentioned any of the history of the house, as I'll let you enjoy discovering this when you stay!)

Follow the river,cross the cattle grid : where were we going as we followed the directions across…read moreExmoor to Ashwick House ? It turned out the directions were as well thought out and attentive to detail as Ashwick House itself. The house,beautiful in its individuality and graceful in its decor was at the same time comfortable and welcoming. A nice touch: the host came out to greet us as we arrived and later showed us around some of the private rooms. The food was excellent;the menu varied and we particularly enjoyed sitting in the hall before the wood burning stove savouring the first drink of the evening whilst hearing from our host and hostess about the history of the house. We did not see the red deer this time but we'll be back to this special place

In town for the Cheese festival, the Travelodge website gave me a solid deal for two nights but…read moreonly because I planned 8 weeks in advance. If you're looking for a last minute cheap room, you're not going to find it here. Their prices only go up and up and up. Internet is not free, but my WWAN dongle had a full 3G signal. It's a very new property. So new that the most recent Google image still shows dirt as I write this in July 2011. There is a Lidl next door and the shopping centre ("center" in American) across the roundabout has a nice pub, a chippie, a Chinese take-away and a Tesco Express. It's about a one mile walk to the Festival grounds down Nantgarw Road, which takes you just past Aber Rail station. I wouldn't want to walk it at night, but in the daytime it was fine. There are about 50 rooms in the hotel on three floors. My room was on the top floor (the penthouse - wa-hey!) and at the end of the corridor. Even still, there was the occasional slammed door from one of the other rooms. No other hallway noise or neighbor could be heard. The bed was a little on the soft side, but still comfortable. The duvet was similarly comfortable and I was glad for the three pillows. Quite lacking in other accoutrements. The only other things not nailed down was the chair and the bin. A small coffee and tea service was most welcome. The work desk area was large and there was a small closet area with hangars and two small shelves. It was a good room and if I come back to Caerphilly, I would stay here again.

Good comfortable inn on the edge of a small village in the eastern part of the National Park,…read moreconvenient for both the Black Mountains and the main peaks of the Brecon Beacons. The hotel has 10 ensuite bedrooms. We found the rooms clean, comfortable and reasonably spacious but perhaps in need of a little updating. There is not T.V. lounge or rooms solely for the use of hotel guests. However, this is perhaps compensated by a large and comfortable lounge bar. A large T.V. is at one end but this area is seperated off and thus is unobtrusive to those located in the main area. Rev. James and Hancocks H.B. on draft are the pick of the beers. Choice of lagers, wines etc also available. There is also a garden at the back of the hotel for warm and sunny weather. We booked in at the hotel on a half board basis for a whole week and during that time never had a disappointing meal. Good choice of food ranging from local sausages, salmon, half roast duck, crevettes and various steaks. Portions are generous to the point that you may wish to consider a 2 course meal instead of the normal three courses. The fixed price lunchtime menu is excellent value. If available, try the salmon with saffron sauce and Bacardi and Blueberry cheesecake. The website has sample menus. We found the staff friendly and efficient and would happily recommend this inn/hotel to others seeking a reasonably priced establishment in one of the most attractive parts of Wales.