Stunning garden and cafe out near the airport well worth the drive…read more The Victorian gardens were discovered underneath brambles and restored, but still retain that air of mystery and vintage elegance. They are now filled with fruit and veg used in the kitchens for the cafe. The cafe does breakfast to late lunches, and a lovely afternoon tea. It is all organic and preferably from their own garden and small livestock. Their cakes are particularly good. It is quite expensive but the quality shows, and by the time you have taken in the country views and pretty garden you will take time sitting in the sun room to enjoy your tea. They also have a gallery here with resident artists - I haven't actually seen this, I must have had eyes only for cake that day. If you live locally these studios hold pottery classes. In September the grounds host a maize maze, which is a lot of fun. Bring a torch and go round in the dusk! They have BBQs on which makes it a nice evening event. The maze is harvested for the local cows once it is ready. The site also houses Eco Angus - wood burning boilers - by appointment only. These are summer times openings above - call to check winter openings.

Sultans Shisa Garden is one of a few Shisha smoking places on the City Road. Some of the others…read morealso offer outdoor smoking areas, but I know of at least one that allows the smoking of hookah pipes, with their scented tobacco, flavoured with all manner of fruits and other flavourings, to be done indoors. I'm none too clear on the technical aspects of the smoking ban, but I would imagine that, although entirely inoffensive, and nothing like the nasty smell of cigarette smoke, (and that's from a smoker!), the smoking of hookah pipes is also prohibited by law, as they use a tobacco based product. In reality of course, the smell is not too dissimilar to incense, which I believe is permitted... I guess that it's the carcinogenic properties of secondary smoke that the law aims to protect people from. Writing this has got me wondering... does the law prohibit smoking in Gentlemen's Clubs and Private Membership establishments too? I wouldn't be at all surprised if they hadn't created a loop hole specifically for these kinds of establishments... I'm cynical to the last! Sultans Shisa Garden restricts the shisha practice to the outside, but provides ample cover against the elements, which, I'm sure you will agree, is entirely necessary in Wales! It's a thriving little emporium style place, that's very pleasant and relaxed.

As much as it hurts me to bash a business such as this, I have to share a number of thoughts about…read morethis place, not many of them good I'm afraid. First of all, this place is NOT accessible for buggies, wheelchairs or anything of the sort - they even have steps down into the information centre. The garden has extremely narrow paths and a lot of steps. Not a huge problem you may think, but it does advertise itself as wheelchair friendly...good luck with that. Secondly, the price, it is 5.50 a person. Not bad you may think? No, not at all bad for a garden of a 'Manor'....but in all honestly, the gardens are actually smaller than my London garden and it takes about 10 minutes to see everything...very poor value for money. What makes the price worse is that you can actually go through to the plant nursery for free, from where you can actually see the whole garden, in its entirety, for free. Talking of the nursery, the plants are decent but again they are very over-priced. Having been very disappointed with the whole things so far, we went to the cafe to warm up and grab a cake. You have a table of cakes and a small kitchen in the corner. The weird bit is that you have to serve yourself, including pouring out warm water from a flask for tea and your own coffee from pre-prepared filter coffee pots. Again, not a massive issue in itself, but you still have to pay premium prices for campsite services! A real, real disappointment, and other people who were in the garden at the same time as us agreed. A thoroughly disappointing and miserable experience.