Growing up in Cardiff, the Angel Hotel was always "the place"--famous for hosting high-profile…read moreguests and touring rugby and football teams. Because of that history, I was genuinely looking forward to staying here, but unfortunately the experience was extremely disappointing. We arrived on time hoping for an early check-in. No rooms were available, which was understandable, but we were told the bar/restaurant would not open until 5:30 pm, so we had to leave the hotel for lunch. When we returned, our room was ready, but we were informed the lift had been out of order since last year. With no assistance available for luggage until later in the afternoon thankfully the porter arrived early and carried our bags up 56 steps. The stairwell had a strong musty smell. The room itself was cold and uninviting, with stained carpets and no heating on. The radiator was completely covered by a heavy blackout curtain, preventing any warmth. We had to rearrange the curtain and use a portable oil-filled heater to make the room comfortable. The en-suite bathroom was in very poor condition: no proper curtain (only netting), no heating, a cracked sink, leaking taps, flaking paint, water stains on the ceiling, and even a cracked windowpane. There was also no fridge in the room. We paid for the breakfast package, but the buffet didn't open until 8:00 am and the food was disappointing--barely warm, dried-out bacon, and eggs sitting in cold fat. Bar hours were listed as 5:30-11:00 pm, yet on two occasions we returned before 10:00 pm hoping for a nightcap, only to find the bar already closed. Housekeeping also knocked on our door at 7:30 am, which felt unnecessarily early. On a positive note, the staff were polite and sympathetic, Given the Angel Hotel's history and reputation, this stay fell far below expectations and sadly felt tired, poorly maintained, and undermanaged.

First, the good. The hotel is very well located in central Cardiff. Right across from the Castle…read moreand 100m from Principality Stadium. Perfect, really. And, the traditional performance by the Cardiff Mens' Choir before the rugby was a pleasant surprise. Second, the bad. The hotel is a mess. A full renovation is required everywhere, and the price does not reflect the level of disrepair. We "upgraded" to a small suite, and the walls were filthy, carpeting burned with an iron and stained, the couch was cheap and ragged, the bed lumpy (and only full sized). The room heating did not really work, shower drain slow, peeling wall paper, and hole repairs which weren't painted. The iron had no steam, and had burnt on crud (from carpet burn), and the lighting electrics were atrocious. The lifts went out on the second day, which means we were trapped when the Choir performed on the stairs before the Italy match. There is no other ingress/egress from the upper floors. If you are coming in for a rugby match, go for it if it is cheap enough. Otherwise, avoid at all cost

We only stopped in for afternoon tea, so this is a review of the restaurant, not of the hotel per…read morese. Afternoon tea was wonderful. There are two options: a traditional tea with a selection of both savory and sweet bites, including delicious Welsh cakes with clotted cream, finger sandwiches, and a good choice of teas. There's also a "gentlemen's tea" with gin and scotch eggs. Service was friendly and prompt. I would recommend reservations on weekends or busy seasons. We were able to get in without a reservation mid-week.

The Park Plaza Hotel is a truly phenomenal hotel! I spent almost a whole  week at this great hotel…read morevisiting friends across the pond. I was  upgraded to a  huge Executive suite and extremely happy with the size of the room and my  extras. The towels and robe was very nice and thick and the toiletries excellent  too.  I appreciated the hand-out Welsh cakes with soft drinks. The Location was  perfect and very central to the beautiful city. I made use of the beautiful spa  and spent time in the beautiful swimming pool. Which at my age, I don't usually  use do but no one was using either and I felt like royalty. Besides the  excellent service and stellar interaction with hotel staff, I ate many meals at  the Cardiff Plaza restaurant and every meal was perfect. Nothing where I live  compares to  this hotel and the city close-by where I live is supposed to have  the best stateside. Compared to the Park Plaza it's a joke. I put up many  visitors at the cream of the crop locally and was disappointed when I saw their  rooms. The Cardiff Park Plaza Hotel was also priced very good compared to the  same quality hotels stateside. I hopefully will live long enough to return to  the Park Plaza Hotel! If for any reason you find yourself  traveling within Cardiff 'Dinas a Sir Caerdydd' Wales, do yourself a great  treatment and let the mainly Welch staff and stay at this beautiful hotel! I can't say enough praise of the Park Plaza Hotel/Cardiff.

The hotel selection was picked by our tour group EF Go ahead tours, Beautiful hotel. Not in a…read morefantastic spot for walking close to the major spots. We rode a bus in so parking was never an issue. Friendly staff that came on our bus and greeted us and had our room key card ready waiting on us. Clean and very well maintained. Only 2 lifts at the hotel so a line was formed due to 23 of us trying to go up at once. The breakfast had a lot to offer from a variety of juices, cereals, and pastries. Two coffee machines which I wish some hotels served just plain coffee without all the added stuff in it. The usual selection of hot breakfast foods. Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, and mushrooms. Not a fan of any hotel that doesn't offer air conditioning. Only a heater inside. If we lived in Iceland that would be a different story. I had to open the balcony door to get cool air into the room and the covers made me hot so I didn't sleep well for 2 nights even though the bed and pillows were comfortable. Definitely a European thing. Thankfully they had an oscillating fan in the room. All the staff we met were very polite and thoughtful. If I slept well I would have rated it higher, but I got very little sleep due to being hot.

I stayed as an American business traveler for one night. The hotel is conveniently located within…read morewalking distance from the train station and City Center. It is a modern business traveler oriented hotel. The rooms are good sized and set up well for this purpose. There are ice stations on each floor, but no buckets in the rooms. There is a gym which I checked but did not use. The staff was helpful, attentive and efficient. The restaurant was very good. Dinner of a rump steak and fries was tasty and well plated. Price was reasonable. The breakfast buffet was pretty much standard UK fare and the fruit selection was good. There was no grill station so you had to ask for anything but scrambled eggs. The room rates are high for a tourist but are comparable to other similarly located business hotels.

The good: Location. Near the train station and at the heart of the city. The staff is helpful and…read morefriendly. Bar and Browns restaurant are both pretty good. Reasonably good equipped, modern workout room (can't call it a gym). Room was on the old side, but it still was very clean. Now the bad: Breakfast was unsatisfactory: there was a very limited selection of fresh vegetables or fruits. Also every time I took a shower, the bathroom pretty much flooded. I had to jury rig barriers every time to reduce the amount of water rushing out of the shower. And yes, the hotel definitely needs a refresh. The carpet was clean but there were stains- possibly from 1994

The hotel satisfies basic needs. It's clean, it is at a prime location, and has a car park. Hotel…read morestaff is pleasant except for the bell boy. On our way out, trying to get to the car park, we tried to get the door open, but it was somehow not working. He was on the other side of the gate and just stood there. My boyfriend said, "maybe this guy can help us," and the bell boy said, "I know what to do," with the underlying tone of "don't tell me what to do." He hits the button to open the gate and then says, "push. You know how to push?" When we got through the door, we held it open for him to get his rack through. He says, "fuck you very much. Enjoy your stay." I don't want to dock too many stars from the hotel review just because of the bell boy, but what an unprofessional attitude, and poor representation of the hotel. What a horrible way to leave hotel guests of the impression of the hotel.

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.

They used to say head for the hills in the Western movies. And that's easy in this part of the…read moreWorld. When it's not getting a share of its 80 of annual rain, the Cilfynydd mountain is a nice place to be, and Llechwen Hall Hotel sits atop it. Set in six glorious acres of hill top gardens with panoramic views, Llechwen Hall is a privately owned, historic, country house hotel with 20 bedrooms, all with individual designs and including some spacious deluxe four posters, for those special occasions that some lucky people have. Whilst I haven't dined there recently, the restaurant offers fine cuisine and excellent wines, served either in the charming panelled heart of the 17th Century oak-beamed long house, or the light and airy Victorian Dining Room with superb views across the valley. The hotel is licensed for civil ceremonies; the package is completed by a good function room, perfect for wedding receptions, parties, or Corporate events; and an outdoor Marquee which will hold 200 guests. They told me today that they are almost fully booked at weekends for weddings until the end of 2009. You can just drop in for a drink, sit on the terrace, and dream of 'How Green Was My Valley' as you look across the Taff and Cynon Valleys. I've attached some views Iechyd da!

The Llechwen hall is conveniently located for easy access to Merthyr and the Brecon Beacons as well…read moreas Cardiff. It is a charming hotel full of character. I have attended wedding receptions here and they are always done very well. Staying in the hotel is also a pleasureable experience as rooms as well furnished and always clean. Its a nice place to call in for a drink and some food on a summers night.

We've eaten here, twice, but never stayed as guests so this review will major on food and related…read moreservices. On both occassions the food we had was excellent. Combe House Hotel is rated (in 2009) by both Sawday's guide, The Michelin Guide and now Qype! Two years ago we went for a birthday lunch. We all had fish which was exquisite; fresh or smoked, crustacean or battered, raw or steamed - the results were flawless and the combinations of flavours and textures superb. Presentation was also a real 'wow'. More recently (New Year's Eve lunch - 31/12/2009) we were there for lunch again. We noted that the hotel had changed hands since we were last there. Service was polished as ever. We were shown to the bar, coats taken and hung up and a fire lit to make us welcome and warm. I opted for a whisky (Talisker) to start whilst others opted for Abbot Ale, a local bitter (light amber in tone and toasty in flavour). Our food orders were taken after due consideration of the menu (there were 6 starters, 6 mains and 6 desserts to choose from). I chose the sirloin steak, medium rare (a test for any competent chef). Two chose a salmon ciabatta, whilst two others opted for the meat platter (venison and boar salami, parma ham and a venison pate), the final member of our party opted for the seafood platter sans crustacea. The order was graciously taken. The order for a seafood platter without shellfish was, after due consultation with the person ordering it, bumped up to include more smoked mackerel than it might ordinarily have had by way of compensation. A nice touch. We were left to bask before the fire for a while and mingle with other guests who were staying at the hotel (none of whom had a bad word to say I might add). The arrival of our food was presaged by our being shown to our table. We had a large dining room with a long table and a 'retreating' area for coffee amply provided for with three plump sofas. The food was ushered in with minimal fuss but maximum effect. I've bever seen lettuce shaped quite like that! The flavours were excellent - my steak was moist and juicy but soft, as it should be! The chips were chunky and freshly cooked hunks of real potato, not refried and ready made chips. Salad was plentiful, fresh and dressed with a light mustard dressing. The salad was a key part of the meal not just a garnish. The meat platters were equally praised, with many 'mmmms' and 'aaaaahs'. The salmon ciabatta too was highly praised for it's quality. The sefood platter initially drew no comment; total silence whilst being consumed. Upon completion the verdict pronounced was a well satisfied 'excellent'. The dessserts were lovely, banana parfait and creme brulee. Each done to a tee and served with a delicious home-made vanilla ice cream (if you can't make good ice cream from the plentiful Somerset dairy herds' milk you're in trouble). It's always said that the mark of a good establishment is knowing what it does well and focusing on that rather than having a menu of 40 dishes done poorly. Combe House Hotel served us very well and proved that adage true. Access to all the main areas is on one floor with ramped access to the bar. The hotel is a long, trailing amalgam of buildings of many ages from the 16th through to 20th centuries and clings to a descending, wooded valley (or Combe) in the Quantock hills. There is some excellent walking country about these parts, Combe House Hotel would make for an excellent starting or finishing point. The guests we spoke too lauded the rooms and service (though we didn't stay, hence the focus on food which we did eat). Other services like loos, lounges and gardens were faultless.

I have stayed here several times with my parents as a stop off between Cornwall and Chester. The…read morequality of food is very good-which is just as well, as there's not much else within walking distance. The beds are always really comfortable and rooms warm. Noise does vary from room to room. I have found the decor very pleasing too, even in the single bed rooms. However, on this occasion, as there was a wedding on and the hotel full, my room wasn't as great-the enamel/coating of the bath has come away and I was afraid if I ran a bath it would leak through to my parents room below! I would suggest that if it doesn't matter when you go, check to see how busy it is, as most rooms are lovely, but if this had been my first visit I wouldn't have been that happy.

This was the first pavlova I have ever experienced and it was absolutely delicious. The meringue…read morehad perfect crunch and a consistent texture and the fruit tasted fresh and sweet. 5 stars.

If you're looking for a beautifully stunning location, a cosy atmosphere and great food, Manor Parc…read morehas all three in abundance. It's Orangerie Restaurant is great for a special meal such as an anniversary or birthday and they also put on a top class sunday lunch every week for hotel guests and visitors alike. They're a family run business, which comes across with the friendly atmosphere and great personal service. The Hotel has 21 en-suite rooms and caters for weddings and conferences. Located in the north of Cardiff, near Caerphilly Mountain, means you feel out of the city but are close enough to take a shopping trip into Cardiff's centre. (You can follow the road the Hotel is on all the way to the centre, allow 25 - 35 mins depending on traffic). It was also used as the setting for the wedding between Gavin and Stacy in the hit comedy series "Gavin and Stacy". Which i think is as good a recommendation as any.