Our latest inspection confirmed that standards were being well maintained in Fairyhill, a quiet and utterly civilized retreat situated in the heart of the Gower Peninsula and only about 25 minutes from the M4, since the current owners took over in late 1993.

  Set in 24 acres of grounds - with walled garden, orchard, trout stream and lake, and much of it still semi-wild - the three-storey Georgian building has a series of spacious, attractively furnished public rooms on the ground floor, leading to the dining room.

  Paul Davies, one of the proprietors, is executive chef, with the kitchen under the guidance of Jim Hamilton. They enjoy producing seasonal menus and make excellent use of traditional local specialities such as Gower lobster and crab, Penclawdd cockles, Welsh lamb and laverbread. The extensive wine list, cellared in the old vaults of the house, includes wines from Wales. Most bedrooms overlook the large park and woodland, and are comfortable and well-equipped - they even have CD players, on which to play your choices from Fairyhill's large and catholic collection of disks.