The Old Vicarage

In the rolling mid-Wales countryside, Tim and Helen Withers’ Victorian red brick vicarage is a welcoming base from which to explore a ‘wonderful but little-visited part of the world’. The bedrooms are pleasingly styled, with contemporary fabrics and furnishings. Teme has a king-size bed and a roll-top bath with hand-held shower, views over the front lawn to sheep-grazed hills. The Severn Suite, with two doubles, is ideal for a family. Mule (‘the local river, not the animal’) has a very comfortable five-foot bed, ‘nice bedside lights … plenty of space to put things’. You can relax in the residents’ lounge, with afternoon tea and quince-and-almond tart on request. At night, by arrangement, a tapas plate brings ‘restaurant-standard’ house slaw, Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, a Welsh Cheddar soufflé, hake brandade, freshly baked sourdough baguette, and more. ‘There is a short wine list which is much appreciated.’ Breakfast, ‘topped off with toast and home-made quince jelly’, is similarly imaginative. ‘My wife raved about the omelette with laver bread.’ In all, ‘we really enjoyed our stay and certainly plan to stay again’. (A and MK)