The red kites that soar above the Cothi valley have a bird’s-eye view of Brechfa Forest – perfect for hiking and biking – and of this rustic 16th-century country house hotel on its margin, with the River Marlais running by.

On the banks of the River Monnow lies this characterful boutique retreat fashioned from a 300-year-old coaching inn, all flagstone floors and beams.

Few guest houses have as magnificent a mise en scène as this one in Snowdonia, set among pretty lawned gardens, with views across sheep-filled pastures to Tal-y-llyn lake and Cader Idris.

It’s easier being green when you stay with environmentally aware hosts Beverley and David Harrison-Wood in their 19th-century mansion a short drive from Cardigan Bay.

Drawn back for a sixth visit to the annual Baroque Music Festival in this market and minster town, trusted readers found everything ‘as good as before’ at Kayt and Hugh Cooper’s eco-aware B&B.

In a woodland garden that stretches to the River Dee, this historic Victorian manor is today a sumptuous hotel rich in antiques and fine original features.

Mock Tudor meets the Tyrol with a colonial twist at Jean-Pierre Mifsud’s former hunting and fishing lodge in wooded grounds overlooking a trout lake, with 9-hole golf course, and the River Irfon running through.

Ideally situated for exploring Powis Castle or foodie Ludlow, this red brick Victorian vicarage stands back from the winding A484 in the Welsh Marches, looking over rolling pastures to the Shropshire hills.

‘Excellent, informative hosts’ Julia and Stuart Adams run their tranquil B&B in a forested valley, with easy access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and the beach.