A Warm Welcome at Peterstone Court Hotel

You’ll enjoy a warm welcome and relaxing stay when you visit the elegant Peterstone Court Hotel in South Wales.

Behind this classic Georgian red door, you’ll find a luxury hotel which effortlessly combines period elegance with a relaxed atmosphere.

Peterstone Court is a Georgian manor house, set in a stunning location on the edge of the Brecon Beacons. It’s perfect for a romantic weekend, a relaxing spa break, or as a base for exploring the glorious countryside of South Wales.

And it’s also a dreamy location for a very special wedding!

I was invited to experience a stay at Peterstone Court last December, and it was a wonderful experience.

Staying at Peterstone Court will leave you with fond memories of a friendly welcome, elegant yet comfortable surroundings, and the most delicious food and drink.

How to find Peterstone Court

Peterstone Court Country House and Spa lies around 4 miles east of Brecon, just off the A40.

The hotel is very easy to find using sat nav although if you drive through the Brecon Beacons, you may find coverage is patchy in areas.

If you are travelling from the direction of London, you’ll take the M4 and leave at Junction 24 before driving on A roads for the last 45 minutes of your journey. From the North or Midlands, you’ll take the M5 and M50, and the final 45 minutes of your journey will be on A roads.

If you’re travelling to Peterstone Court by train, the nearest station is Abergavenny which is 18 miles away. The hotel will be able to recommend a local taxi firm for this part of your journey.

I took the scenic route, driving to the hotel through the Shropshire hills and Brecon Beacons.

After lunch in Brecon, I drove over to the hotel mid-afternoon, and was greeted as I drove up the long driveway by the sheep you see above.

Once I’d taken my luggage into the hotel, I was taken up to my room.

Sleep in Comfort and Luxury at Peterstone Court

Peterstone Court has 12 rooms – eight within the manor house itself, and four in coverted loft spaces in The Stables. Each of the bedrooms is decorated beautifully and individually, with antique furniture and modern touches.

These range from the spacious and characterful Good Rooms, through to the impressive Master Suite with its lavish sleigh bed and views out over the Brecon Beacons and River Usk.

I was staying in one of the larger Deluxe rooms, and was impressed by the size, comfort and luxurious feel of the room.

Every room at Peterstone Court has comfortable beds with high quality bed-linen, a flat screen TV and DVD player and free WiFi.

And I loved the blend of antique furniture and modern touches like the vase which stood on the fireplace.

My room also had a comfy sofa and window seats where you can sit and gaze out over the surrounding countryside.

Every room at Peterstone Court is provided with a hospitality tray, with a selection of tea, coffee and hot chocolate. And delicious home-made biscuits are delivered to your room every day.

The chocolate chip cookies were amazingly good – rich and crumbly with a hint of vanilla. I was seriously tempted to ask for the recipe before I left Peterstone to go home!

And complimentary bottles of sparkly mineral water are also provided in every room at Peterstone Court.

A Deluxe En-suite Bathroom

Every room at Peterstone Court has a decent sized ensuite bathroom, and Deluxe bathrooms are a little larger than those found in the Good Rooms.

Fluffy towels, robes and slippers are provided, along with a selection of luxury Welsh toiletries.

After I’d made myself comfortable in my room, I went downstairs to take a look around.

Take a Look around the Hotel

The Entrance Hall

The elegance and style of Peterstone Court is apparent as soon as you step through that beautiful red front door into the grand entrance hall

When I visited, the hotel was all decked out in its Christmas finery. But even without the festive flourishes, the period features in this house make it a spectacular place to stay.

High ceilings, coving and cornices can be seen throughout the hotel, and just look at that beautiful wood floor!

Georgian interior decor is known for its muted colour pallette. The current owners of Peterstone Court have taken care to ensure that the hotel’s design is in keeping with the building’s heritage.

The Library

Walking into the Library at Peterstone Court made me feel like I had stepped into an old-fashioned Christmas card!

The room is dominated by the dramatic fireplace. When the fire is lit, you can snuggle up in front of it on sumptuous leather sofas.

The library has wood panelling throughout, and a painting of Peterstone Court’s former owners hangs on one of the walls.

The opulent Christmas decorations made this room feel extra special in December. But this would be a wonderful place to relax with drink and a good book at any time of the year!

The Bar

Through a door in the Library, you pass into Peterstone Court’s chilled out bar and lounge area.

Unlike the traditional feel in the Library, the bar’s decor has an eclectic mix of period decor and modern furnishings.

The muted colours on the wall and dramatic period fireplace contrast against the modern furniture. It gives this room an relaxed and convivial atmosphere.

This is the room to relax in with a drink after a walk in the Brecon Beacons. It’s also ideal for perusing the dinner menu with an aperitif – more of that later!

Other Facilities at Peterstone Court

Peterstone Court has its own gym, jacuzzi, heated outdoor swimming pool and sauna. Guests are free to use all of these at no extra charge.

If you fancy a little extra pampering, the hotel has its own spa situated downstairs in the cellar. You can book treatments using Dermalogica and Circaroma products, and there’s even a Moroccan styled relaxation room!

And if you think that Peterstone Court looks like the ideal setting for a wedding, you’d be absolutely right!

The hotel is a popular venue for weddings, click here for more information about the services available.

A Beautiful Rural Setting

After exploring the hotel, I headed out onto Peterstone Court’s terrace. It looks out over Pen y Fan and the River Usk, and would be a lovely place to sit in the warmer months.

And I also took a short walk in the hotel’s extensive gardens, which looked beautiful even in winter.

By now, the sun was setting over the Brecon Beacons. So I headed back into the hotel to relax in my room before dinner.

Dining at Peterstone Court

At Peterstone Court, the emphasis is on modern British food with big flavours, served in a relaxed and informal setting.

The hotel offers breakfast, lunch and dinner in the restasurant. And you can also take afternoon tea in the bar or outdoors on the terrace in warmer weather.

Dinner

I started my evening in the hotel’s bar, while I made my selection from the restaurant’s dinner menu.

There’s something very relaxing about choosing your food over a drink, then only moving through to your table when your food is ready to eat!

Like the rest of the house, the dining room was bedecked with Christmas decorations. And a fire roared in the grate, making me feel utterly relaxed.

For my first course, I picked the Mac and Cheese. It seemed like an unusual dish to serve as a starter, but was exactly what I felt like eating on that chilly December day!

Other starters on the menu included a winter vegetable tagine, scorched mackerel, and a savoury panna cotta.

My starter was topped with wild mushrooms and crunchy shallots, while crisp, salty pieces of bacon cut through the richness of the three cheese sauce.

I did feel that the portion size was a little large for a starter, but it was comforting and incredibly moreish. With a crisp green salad, this would have made an excellent main dish!

As it was, I had a delicious selection of main courses to choose from. This included slow cooked pork belly, a savoury risotto cake, and a festive paupiette of turkey. The accompanying dishes all looked both varied and inventive, and my decision was not an easy one.

In the end, my chosen main course was a delicious roast pheasant breast, served with a braised leg of pheasant stuffing. The meat was cooked well, and full of flavour, and I loved the rich stuffing.

Alongside there was a crisp-topped Pommes Anna, and a glossy port sauce. A sharp tangle of choucroute served as excellent contrast to the richness of the other elements of the dish.

I ordered a side dish of kale and tenderstem broccoli to go with my main course, and everything on the plate was beautifully cooked.

After all of that, I felt quite full, but I was determined to try out one of the scrumptious desserts on offer. I was very tempted by the Welsh cheese board, and the Chocolate Orange Truffle Torte with Grand Marnier oranges sounded fabulously festive.

But after some deliberation, I eventually settled on the Apple Tarte Tatin with calvados icecream.

The pudding itself was beautifully cooked, with rich caramelised apples on a soft, buttery pastry base. Meanwhile the calvados in the icecream gave it a fantastic flavour and a creamy soft consistency.

And a pretty edible flower sat a-top the finished dish!

I savoured every last mouthful, and it was a wonderful end to a totally delicious meal.

Feeling comfortably full, I headed past the twinkling lights on the decorated staircase. I was looking forward to an excellent night’s sleep.

Click here to check prices and availability at Peterstone Court*

Breakfast

Next morning, the house was gently bustling as the new day started. I woke up feeling refreshed, and headed downstairs for breakfast.

Breakfast was being served in the conservatory, overlooking the terrace and garden. It’s a bright, airy, modern space, yet still in keeping with the style of the original house.

A pot of coffee was brought out to me while I chose my hot breakfast. The menu featured Welsh dishes like Welsh rarebit, and laverbread and cockles on sourdough bread, alongside breakfast classics like boiled egg and soldiers, porridge or a bacon sandwich.

After ordering a full Welsh breakfast, I went to take a look at the continental buffet. This included pastries, cereals, cold meat and cheese, and yoghurt with a selection of toppings to choose from.

Glass bottles containing milk and a selection of juices were presented in a large champagne cooler.

My breakfast arrived fairly quickly and it certainly looked good!

Thick slices of crisp, salty bacon sat alongside a meaty local sausage and generous slices of black pudding. My fried egg was cooked perfectly, with a beautifully runny yolk, and the plate was completed with roasted tomatoes and plenty of fried mushrooms.

It was a fantastic way to start the day, and would definitely set you up for a day of walking in the Brecon Beacons.

As it was, I just took a gentle stroll down to say goodbye to the sheep before heading home.

Things to Do in the Local Area

You might choose to spend your time at Peterstone Court just enjoying the facilities and beautiful surroundings. But there’s plenty to do in the surrounding area.

The town of Brecon is 10 minutes down the A40, and has a number of interesting museums to explore. The Regimental Museum of the Royal Welsh is worth checking out, as is the Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery. This is housed in the impressive Shire Hall and Assize Court buildings, and will reopen once a major refurbishment programme has been completed.

And of course the Brecon Beacons themselves are a wonderful location for walking, fishing and cycling holidays.

Further afield, the ‘book town’ of Hay-on-Wye is a 25 minute drive from Gliffaes. As well as a plethora of second hand book shops, there are also plenty of little antique shops to explore. It’s a lovely place to stop for lunch.

The village of Crickhowell lies around 10 miles south-east of Peterstone Court. There you’ll find a ruined castle, picturesque High Street and side roads full of pretty cottages.

The longest stone bridge in Wales crosses over the River Usk at Crickhowell. Crickhowell Bridge is over 300 years old, measures 128m long and is a Grade 1 listed structure.

And if you’re in the area for a few days, it’s worth taking time out to visit Tintern Abbey. It takes about an hour to get there from Peterstone, but if you love exploring historical ruins, this Cistercian Abbey is well worth a visit.

Peterstone Court: My Review

Peterstone Court is a charming hotel, full of Georgian period features and elegant furnishings. Surrounded by lush, green fields and in view of Pen y fan, this is an ideal place to get away from it all.

And the friendly service at the hotel adds another level of enjoyment to your visit. I felt completely at ease and welcome staying at Peterstone Court, it feels almost like you are staying overnight with friends.

Add all of that to delicious, locally sourced foods, and you soon realise that Peterstone Court is a very special place to stay.

I have very fond memories of Peterstone Court, and thoroughly enjoyed my visit.

Click here to check prices and availability at Peterstone Court*

The Details…

Peterstone Court Hotel
Llanhamlach, Brecon, Powys, LD3 7YB

www.peterstonecourt.com
Tel: 01874 665387

Thank you to Peterstone Court Hotel for a truly wonderful visit!