Tel: 01982 560400.

Website: hafodygarreg.co.uk

First impressions: At the end of a long track surrounded by fields, hills and woods, and far from the sound of traffic is the oldest still-occupied house in Wales. B&Bs aren't supposed to be like this. It belongs to a friendly couple, who in a former existence worked in London as art and furniture restorers and have decorated the house with 20 years worth of their favourite objects. It's a bit like a smaller, more restrained version of the Portobello in London or Helga's Folly in Kandy, Sri Lanka, but it costs a fraction of the price.

What are the rooms like? One double and a family suite sleeping four, with lots of ancient beams and beautiful furniture and fabrics. A good place for a wild night with the rain beating against the window.

The bed test: Large and comfortable with down pillows and duvets.

The bathroom: Both bedrooms have en suite bathrooms. The double has a very English Patient roll-top bath.

The restaurant: There's a lean-to conservatory for breakfast and a dining room for dinner. Three courses of good gastropub food costs £12. Bring your own wine or borrow a bottle or two and replace before you leave, with no charge for corkage. Large breakfasts with eggs from the chickens you narrowly avoided running over when you drove into the farmyard.

What is there to do nearby? Plenty of good walking, on the doorstep and in the Brecon Beacons; canoeing and fishing on what is probably the prettiest stretch of the Wye; pony trekking and cycling. The bookshops of Hay-on-Wye are eight miles away; and the Felin Fach Griffin, one of the best restaurants in Wales, is a 10-minute drive. Or you could lie in the long grass in the garden with a glass of wine.

How much a night? £48 B&B for the double room, £60 for the family suite.