Wonderfully secluded amongst 17 acres of fine woodland perched over the Vale of Glamorgan, you'll find the Coed-y-Mwstwr Hotel. This is a magical place, a Victorian country house retaining all of its original splendour, with open fireplaces, oak panelling and views across the Vale of Glamorgan.

As a dining experience, the hotel's award-winning Eliot Restaurant is hard to fault. Chef Chico Vidales boasts an innovative à la carte menu which has some pleasant surprises. Traditional Welsh dishes are given the French treatment with exciting results - for starter try salmon and dill rillette with pickled cucumber and avruga caviar, then follow it with a main course of free range supreme of chicken with foie gras mousse. Other starters include seared breast of wood pigeon and spinach and parmesan gratinee.

For vegetarians there is a small but considered menu amongst which you'll find wild mushroom risotto accompanied by courgette fritters. Whatever your preference, be sure to round it off with a fabulous dessert (£5) and a bottle of wine from the thoughtful selection (£13.95 upwards). Lastly, take your coffee in the lounge, order a liqueur and sit near the log fire. Wonderful.

A fixed price menu is also available at £23.95 and £28.95, for two or three courses. Alfresco dining is available in summer.