Ty Mawr

Unpretentious, rustic, homey, this small country hotel sits peacefully on the edge of the Brechfa forest. Annabel and Stephen Thomas are the ‘hospitable’ owners (who also extend a warm welcome to visiting dogs). Charm is in the beams, fireplaces and thick stone walls of the 16th-century farmhouse; the walls are hung with works (many for sale) by local Carmarthenshire artists. Simply decorated, the ‘comfortable’, ‘immaculate’ bedrooms have ‘all the amenities you might expect’. Drop off your bags, then head outside – forest walks await (watch out for woodpeckers); the country paths are made for leisurely rambles. Feeling lazy? In fine weather, take afternoon tea on the patio, or play croquet in the ‘manicured’ garden leading down to the river. Build up an appetite: come dinnertime, Stephen Thomas’s ‘super-local food’ uses plenty of produce in season. His wholesome dishes might include slow-roasted shoulder of Welsh lamb, wild garlic, cavolo nero; saffron- and honey-poached pear, home-made honeycomb ice cream. In the morning, wake to a buffet of fresh fruit salad, cereals, local yogurts; hot dishes cooked to order. (GC, and others)