New House Country Hotel Shortlist*

Magnificent views over Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan lie below this hotel, just north of the city, with the air of a country retreat. A tiered fountain sets the scene in front of the creeper-covered Grade II-listed manor house. Stone steps lead to elegant rooms and high windows that look onto lush greenery. Afternoon tea may be taken in the lounges; at mealtimes, dishes in the restaurant might include wild mushroom and chestnut wellington, or steamed salmon with mash, asparagus and white wine sauce. Colourful and contemporary bedrooms with plush furnishings are supplied with Welsh toiletries. Part of the Town & Country Collective; see also The Bear, Cowbridge.