Here's a secret for any of you who want an exclusive olde-style 'British' boutique hotel experience - Holm House in Penarth, a short way from Wales' capital city Cardiff.

It's a classic, from its top-quality guest-only restaurant and its 12 individually designed and decorated rooms. And if you're wondering, it really is a house, a 1920s house done up in fine style with modern installations - Bang & Olufsen and WiFi and all the rest.

Go if you're over 30 (in age or attitude) and want a quiet romantic break - it's no good for clubbers and outrageous lovers.
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If you're heading for Wales but are not businessy enough for the St David's Hotel & Spa and too old for the Jolyon's Boutique Hotel, drive half an hour out of the city to the Gliffaes Country House Hotel.

It's right in the heart of the Brecon Beacon's, one of Wales' most beautiful natural parks and a top area for walking, fishing, chilling....it's so quiet you can almost hear what the birds are saying. The perfect place to sit out the Ryder Cup.
]]> femmefatale 2008-02-27T11:04:35-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/2/25/23358/0070 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/jolyon.png" class="imgborder"><p>We're always a bit dubious about hotels that advertise themselves blatantly as a 'Boutique Hotel', as the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Jolyon%27s+Boutique+Hotel/local/1125"><b>Jolyon's Boutique Hotel</b></a> does. We were a bit dubious about this one as we approached and saw the also-advertised 'beer garden', which was a small backyard area with a saggy sofa in one corner looking out onto a building site.<p> <p>But we take it back - the tiny 6-room Jolyon's makes the grade in the fledgling Cardiff hotel scene, partly for its ever-present smiley owner, partly for its cute downstairs bar, and partly for its top location by Cardiff Bay.<p> It's a bit of a stretch to call Jolyon's a 'Boutique Hotel', but we'll let it off. In Cardiff, at femmefatale 2008-02-26T09:46:41-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/2/25/2289/51996 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/stdavidcardiff2.png" class="imgborder"><p>Forget London - the latest British capital city to visit is Cardiff. After decades of drudgery brought on be incessant rain and regular invasions of sheep, the Welsh capital is now hotting up faster than the US election race. <p>A spectacular opera house, a shiny new Parliament building, and the super <a href="http://www.millenniumstadium.com">Millennium rugby stadium</a> are the city's most showy accessories. Depending on your attitude towards cruel sports, Cardiff is either a superb or a revolting place to visit on rugby match weekends, as we did.<p> The hotel scene is hotting up as well, in expectation of the <a href="http://www.rydercupwales2010.com">Ryder Cup 2010</a>, to be held at the <a href="http://www.celtic-manor.com">Celtic Manor Resort</a> near Newport and Cardiff. In the capital, femmefatale 2008-02-25T11:57:17-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/