The Bear Hotel – Crickhowell, Powys

The Bear and Crickhowell go hand in hand, like Welsh cakes and bara brith: hardly surprising when you know that the former coaching inn has been offering hospitality to the people of the delightful Brecon Beacons town and weary travellers alike since 1432. The Bear brims with character: low beams, antiques, roaring log fires and, most of all, bonhomie – you could not ask for more. Outside, the attractive white and black beamed building drips with hanging baskets, with a cobbled forecourt and archway into the inner courtyard. In the bar, a 19th-century stagecoach timetable is still on display. The oak-beamed bedrooms in the main house are charming, comfortable and a step back in time, while there are larger, more modern rooms in the converted stables and coach house. Best of all is the highly regarded food. An eclectic mix of modern British comfort food, gastro pub and international dishes guaranteed to delight. ‘Eat at the Bear and leave satisfied, that’s our aim,’ they say. And you will.

Doubles from £129

+44 (0)1873 810408; bearhotel.co.uk