I first came across this place when a friend invited me on a hen do that involved staying at the…read moreMecure and enjoying the delights of its Spa facilities. Since they had a great special deal on it turned out to be great value for money. There were 14 different spa treatment rooms offering up the usual sorts of massage and facials, and then there was also a beautiful pool area where we could all get together and spend hours catching up, and a bar not too far away!! The room itself was really spacious and comfy and clean and all the staff seems genuinely happy to offer any help they could. The second time I was there, I was working on a film shoot and we were filming up in the penthouse. The rich really do get all the luck because its an amazing space with 3 bedroom I think and the 360 views over Cardiff. Amazing.

This contemporary, 4-star hotel and spa is central and fairly luxurious, located within a few…read moreminutes' walk of Queen Street's pedestrianised shopping area and other top city centre attractions. I've been to meetings there, and to the spa and pool area, all of which is very modern. The heated indoor swimming pool's ceiling feels quite low, which I felt made it seem a tiny bit claustrophobic - but with sleek lines and the walls painted white, I think they've probably made the best use of the space they had available. The pool and changing areas were very clean, and this seemed to be the same story throughout the hotel's public spaces - all in all this hotel seems to have high standards and good facilities as well as a top location.

Stayed in one of the Hunters Lodges. Pricey but a great place to throw a party with sauna and hot…read moretub and open plan layout. Friendly drivers take you between lodges and main resort. Our family made good use of the pool, gym, golf and children's activities. Dined at Olive Tree restaurant but Deliveroo will deliver takeaway to the lodges as an alternative.

Now when you first enter there is obviously the wow factor and everything looks nice. But I think…read morethe biggest letdown is the Price, I stayed in one of the lodges,(lodge 6 to be exact) and it was over about £1,300 A NIGHT which is outrageous but I mean it is considered a 5 star resort however in the actual lodge it wasn't the best.:very small garden,dead flies on the bed,shower door was broken and filthy and even the power plug Exploded! However room service did come and help us replace it. But if it was a 5 star resort! Then it shouldn't have been broken in the first place! In the lodge and all around the hotel there are shuttles you can order (free of charge) to take you anywhere and I guess that is nice. Because it cost so much a night it won't really be possible to stay a long time which leads to the next problem. Because of all the other people staying there it is really difficult to get into activities because you have to book them a day in advance and the app is quite faulty and buggy to even get a chance to book it and because you can barely stay there long. I came into here expecting to experience the 5 star experience and that I would try do do every activity but the sheer lack of time that you stay there it is incredibly difficult to do 4 activities out of the tens of ones it has to offer! In the evenings you can go for a fancy meal but some of them are outrageously expensive! I came here on a family reunion and for our evening meal we went to a buffet called The Olive Tree. In the buffet section you have a wide variety of foods and if you want chips I would recommend you don't have them unless you want your mouth to be filled with potato that is basically uncooked! They were flopping about and so delicate they were all squished and broken in the actual tub. So as a conclusion I think I have enjoyed staying here but the other factors have brought it down it wasn't as unexpected for a 5 star resort.

The Vale Hotel is found in the quiet countryside just outside Pontyclun…read more If you ever get the chance to visit this hotel, grab that opportunity with both hands because it is a truly superb resort. Everything about the Vale hotel is top notch, from the rooms and the bar to the restaurant and the food itself. With an on-site golf course as well as swimming, tennis and gym facilities, there are enough activities in the Vale grounds to keep you occupied throughout your stay. If you're looking for a more relaxing getaway, there is also a variety of spa facilities open for guests to use. The hotel restaurant is also of the highest standard and the meals on offer will have you swimming in your own drool. The only downside to this great resort is the price, which is predictably costly for a hotel of this calibre. But given the amount and quality of facilities on offer and the price is understandable.

This particular hotel benefits from an atmosphere of peaceful relaxation. Each room seems to…read moreprovide a view of the surrounding countryside. The view from our room of the 18th hole of one of the site's two golf courses was very much appreciated, in addition to the view of the River Severn and the Severn Bridge. The room was spacious and quiet. In addition to the comfortable double bed we were provided with ample lighting, a large desk, a chest of drawers, side table (unfortunately found to be quite dusty), comfortable armchair placed to take advantage of the view (which I took full advantage of, relaxing with a book and a coffee first thing in the morning after my swim), several large and clean mirrors, and a bedside table each. The wardrobe with sliding doors contained several hangars, instructions on how to obtain dry cleaning services, an iron and board, a large electric fan, and a good-quality hairdryer. Above the chest of drawers and facing the bed was the large flat screen television, upon which a range of options were available (including the opportunity to purchase recently-released films). We were provided with a selection of tea and coffee in our room, along with a small but clean kettle. At one portion of each item per-guest we felt that we could have been spared having to contact reception in order obtain more. The bathroom provided high-quality facilities above the level of essential. So many hotels no longer have bathtubs, so the opportunity to enjoy a soak was very much appreciated. However, I cannot help but mention that a used bottle of complimentary body lotion was found behind the shower curtain. As neither of us are accustomed to feather pillows and prefer the support of a foam pillow. A quick call to reception and we had a couple of decent foam pillows sent up. The soft and spacious double bed, the comfortable temperature of the room, and the tranquillity of the surroundings made for a wholly restful night. The pool, although relatively small, was perfectly adequate for a few laps before breakfast. Both the sauna and steam room were clean and spacious. Although I didn't pay it a visit, the gym appeared to have plenty of modern equipment on offer in a pleasant atmosphere. The changing rooms were clean and provided secure digital lock mechanisms on spacious lockers, hairdryers, ample space in which to change and private facilities, and complementary toiletries. The breakfast buffet was fantastic in terms of the availability and quality of items. There is something to suit a great many tastes here and the staff seem only too happy to accommodate any special requests. I made the mistake of leaving behind a treasured jacket and was very pleased to find the facilities team had located it and dispatched it in the post to my home address.

Out of all of the hotels I stayed at on my recent UK trip, this was the best place. The hotel is an…read moreold castle, said to at one time housed the Crown Jewels. The front desk hostess was brilliant and remembered my name the entire time I was there. Anything I wanted, she made happen. I would definitely stay there again.

Wilton is lovely small town/village outside Salisbury and if staying in the area I heartily…read morerecommend staying at the Pembroke. The bed, in the charming nightingale room, was extremely comfortable and the service we got was top quality from everyone we encountered between our arrival and our departure. The whole place is great! We decided to eat in the pub, which was a great decision. I enjoyed a chickpea, tomato and spinach curry which i followed with my favourite, the cheese plate. Boondoggle is not my favourite beer, its ok...and this was the best pint of Boondoggle i have ever had, so they clearly keep their ale well.

Our last stay in the UK before heading to Heathrow. A really nice classic pub and B&B in the…read moreenglish countryside. Great food, nice people, just what we search for in our travels. The kids liked it, especially the nice room.

40 minutes from the center of downtown Cardiff, is a modern, luxury hotel called St David's Hotel…read moreand Spa. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. The rooms were clean, spacious, and comfy. The views from our room's patio was a perfect mix of water and skyline. The restaurant downstairs is an all encompassing eatery with delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and late night drinks and snacks. The modern décor gives off a funky, museum vibe and the reception and staff do not disappoint. Taxi's into town cost 7 to 10 pounds, depending upon traffic. If you'd like to stay close to the hotel and explore; you simply walk down the water walk pathway and choose from numerous eateries ranging from high end to "average joe" hang-outs. This hotel has a spa and my friends said they were thoroughly pleased with their experience.

St David's has everything you'd expect from a 5 star at hotel. The brilliant Tides restaurant, the…read moreamazing spa that Conde Neste has voted one of the top in the UK and of course amazing view out over the bay. Obviously that all comes at a price and its probably the most expensive in town too. A basic room will set you back £200 and thats without breakfast. The suits cost over £500. Whilst it is a fantastic place its not the most amazing 5 star place i've seen or been in. Sometimes I find the staff to be a little bit lax and its starting to a look a bit tired and so maybe they rely too much on its past reputation that getting in perfect every time. Still i'd thoroughly recommend the spa breaks here, wonderful setting, brilliant service.

I LOVE this hotel! You may think weird, she ain't blind but loves this hotel?! Well chilllax and…read morelet me explain. My dad is registered blind and my auntie lives only 10mins from the hotel, it's also on the promenade so get a cracking view of the Grand Pier and sea. It's the ideal hotel for us especially for my dad. They are so accomodating and have great members of staff. You mostly find that the regulars are blind guests and stay normally for 1 to 2 weeks at a time. Although the hotel is becoming more popular with them non blind folk, so find that some guests just stay a couple of nights. This therefore made it more accomodating for Ian and I. I had been serveral times before and knew he would have no problems with it. They also do good deals and send my dad discounts for certain times of the year. One came up for March and I hadn't been down in 2 years as I couldn't fly due to my lung. Boo! And the last family gathering was a sad occassion so I thought why not throw me a birthday party so that's exactly what we did. Hey,why not?! It wasn't a special birthday but I thought let's invite all the family, majority are from the South West anyway. The hotel organised a section of the restaurant, let us decorate it, put some tunes on and provided a mighty tasty buffet, oh and delicious birthday cake just for me oh and my guests of course. Hehe! It was such a brilliant day and my family felt it was the perfect venue. The hotel does have a lounge area but it's a long corridor shape so we would have been quite spread out. The lounge has a wee bar and you ding the bell to be served. It also serves teas and coffees. The hotel are also obliging by letting visitors in. We had quite a few family members pop in during our stay. They love it when the Scots decend you see. The hotel is also dog friendly, there are guide dogs everywhere. It is awesome! They are usually off duty in the hotel so you can give them a wee sneaky clap on the head. They normally sit under the table, half the time you don't realise they are there, especially in the restaurant. There was also some non guide dogs too, I guess as long as your dog is well behaved they are welcome. Some rooms come with doggy baskets and there's also a doggy garden out the back. They always have full bowls of water for the dogs too. Between great service, good food and options, being so accomodating and having a laid back atmosphere it made it a fantastic holiday, birthday and stay. There was also options of day outs the hotel organise but we had plenty going on already. For an alternative and affordable stay I would go here as long you don't mind adorable dogs. I can't wait to go back!

A delightful B&B located about a 20 minute walk from the centre of Bath…read more The staff were warm, welcoming and helpful. They provide a map arrival and are happy to book taxi's (about £8 ride into town), restaurants and tours. Each room has different features so take a look online before booking. I stayed in one of the rooms on the top level which was spacious and relatively quiet. There is a room that sits next to reception and the breakfast room which I imagine might be too loud unless you are up early catching worms and the like :)

Wonderful stay here! Delicious breakfast, with cooked to order options and specials that were…read moredelicious, as well as fruit, yogurt, pastry, cereals, juices, coffee tea etc. The bed was quite comfortable. We were in a family suite downstairs that was very quiet with a good queen bed and a twin in a separate room. A door opened to the backyard with seating areas. There was tea, coffee, mini bar and a lovely bathroom. The inn also has a full honesty bar upstairs for any extra drink you may want before or after dinner. It's a 35 min walk into town, with options of taxi or bus. A 10-15 min to a couple restaurants that are on the river nearby. Also there is a lovely path along the river, great for a morning walk, not too far away. Cheers!

I had my wedding reception in Penny Square Barn. What an amazing venue this was for a wedding…read morereception. The barn is owned by the fabulous farmer Bruno and Gill, such wonderful people! I stayed with Bruno and Gill for B&B and one of my fondest memories is having a bottle of vino and a gas with Gill in the kitchen. Honestly Batcombe is just a fantastic place with some amazing friendly, interesting people. Bruno had just put in toilets when we got married here which was fantastic and the barn had not been used all winter so we had a lot of cleaning up to do. Its no frills but it makes it for economic sense as a wedding venue if you have the vision and want to get married in a glorious location. The main barn itself is gorgeously rustic, just put some dichroic floods as a backdrop and it becomes wonderfully atmospheric. We had a friend climb around like a monkey and do an amazing job on lighting and hung long swathes of black fabric over the not so pretty metal door entrance to the barn. In the smaller barn annex we also hung fabric to disguise the galvanised roof. We were able to have a fire going outside and allowed to have fireworks (before 10pm of course) and a flamethrowing fire engine. The villagers were just fantastic and welcoming and Bruno was an absolute star! Not only was he a bell-ringer, but he ran the bar at the village hall and made sure we had enough fuel to run the genny for the weekend. Barn does get cold at night so its worth renting a couple of space heaters. We got a TENS from Mendip council and ran our own bar which was fab. This is a beautiful quiet village so its not the spot to pound music late into the night as noise does carry but its a perfect venue for an event such as a wedding in the summer.