Mr & Mrs Smith

We visited for our pearl wedding anniversary, so booked one of the suites. Amazing views of the channel and with beautifully warm November weather we were able to take coffee on the balcony whilst topping up our tans. Really friendly staff that were attentive without being obtrusive. We at times felt slightly embarrassed ringing down for things but they never batted an eye and bent over backwards to meet our demands. Definitely worth a visit.

The room hotel and staff all exceptional, be sure to try out the hydrotherapy pool. We ate in the hotel, excellent, and also at the Olive Tree in central Penarth, which we would highly recommend, especially if you've been out walking and been chased through a field by two dozen bullocks.

Holm House is one of those places where you are made to feel like you own the place. The food is a must for anyone. Dinner was fantastic (with lots of little extras) and the homemade scones at afternoon tea were some of the best I have ever had. It is also worth going to The Olive Tree restaurant. The food is nice although it does feel like you have gone back in time with dated decor and menu. Penarth is a lovely little town, although it certainly does not have a huge amount going on. For people looking for more action, Cardiff is actually only walking distance away across the locks of Cardiff Bay. Very invigorating after all the excess in the dining room.

Loch Fyne in Cowbridge is a must-do seafood restaurant. The food was fresh and very tasty. The town of Cowbridge is also very pretty and well worth a walk around.

Penarth was very quaint, and the pier nearby was worth a walk – only five minutes away. There were a few restaurants to chose from. We had dinner in the Fig Tree, situated on the esplanade overlooking the bay – what a lovely view. The restaurant building was a beautifully restored Victorian beach shelter. The menu is focussed, interesting and reasonably priced, and service is great. The mussels tasted fantastic, and the roast cod was cooked to perfection – very well executed food. There was also a decent range of reasonably priced wines. We enjoyed a really nice, relaxed dinner and highly recommend this restaurant, especially as it was within walking distance of the hotel. A little gem!

We were very lazy whilst away however we did manage a stroll to the pier and enjoyed a nostalgic jaunt along the boards, taking in the unspoilt architecture of the time. They sell traditional cod and chips (real cod and not some horrible bit of fish mascarading as) at a very reasonable price. The smell was enticing despite having just finished a delicious Welsh breakfast in the hotel. Would recommend sitting on one of the wooden benches, looking out to sea enjoying salty air and chips....contemplating dinner later!

We enjoyed a road trip to Southerndowns, where you can see the steep cliffs and go for a short walk to see ruins from an old castle. On the way back to the hotel we stopped for a fish and chips lunch in a pub in Cowbridge, a charming village in the area. In Cowbridge, we also found a great shop for furniture - No 81 Interiors.

Foxy's Deli was so good we went back twice! The hot sandwich fillings were really inventive and delicious, mainly based around the specialist cheeses they sell behind the counter. We also bought a couple of slices of cake to take away - when we opened them it was more like half a cake each! Absolutely yummy chocolate fudge cake and carrot cake and really decent value for money. I would definitely recommend a visit (or two!).

The food here was incredible and we only ate out once. We were guests over Christmas, and lunch on Christmas Day was a spectacular seven-course feast. They have a charming homely approach – dinner that night was left-over sandwiches and a cold buffet – just like home.

It's very hard to leave this hotel, as the service is superb and you soon feel wonderfully at home here. However, if you do choose to venture, outside the coastal walks are stunning. Walk down the alley to the left just behind the hotel, turn right and you will come to the route. We also had a delightfully silly pitch 'n' putt game of golf: one gets to the course just before the start of the coastal route.

Holm House is a great small hotel. We loved it ! Both the public rooms & bedrooms are beautifully decorated, the staff attentive & the food great. I even tried the spa and couldnt fault my treatment. We shall certainly be going back