Well last Saturday (16th) we stayed at the Drawing Room again. We have been visiting now for five years I think, either staying overnight, or over the last 2 years since they re-opened just having dinner as we have moved close enough to warrant one of us not drinking for the evening to sample Colin's excellent food. The food and service were top notch as ever with the usual warm welcome, wonderful food (if you are a vegetarian please tell Melanie when you book because Colin really does have some specials up his sleeve, but it does help if they know in advance) and some very reasonably priced champagne. What we would mention is that as well as changing the dining room round (very nice it is too) the Cwmbach bypass has now been completed so it is now much quieter. We stayed in Oliver (as usual) and we couldn't believe the difference it has made. This made the visit even better than before, it really is a treat to have such a lovely place to escape to!

We stayed one night - do so wish it had been more. We could not have had a better start to our holiday. Warmly welcomed by Melanie in the lovely sitting room. Our dinner was sublime and the breakfast next morning truly excellent. Really beautifully thought-out menus, first class, fresh ingredients cooked with skill and subtlety and presented with calm modesty. Loved it all. Slept like logs in 'Oliver', enjoyed the luxury of the bathroom and the peaceful ambiance of this very special place. Go there. Stay there. Feel restored and revived.

Four of us took a weekend trip to Wales and stayed at The Drawing Room. The house itself is lovely and the rooms are beautifully decorated - we had Otis and Eva. Do not be put off by the complaints some reviewers have made about Otis. The bed is full length, although the large pillows may give the impression of a shorter bed if you do not rearrange them. It is snug, but there is sufficient room for a couple and luggage can be stacked on top of the wardrobe. We did not feel cramped.
The bathrooms are large and very nicely finished. They are also scrupulously clean, as is the whole house. I have rarely stayed anywhere with this level of cleanliness - let alone a small independent place like this.
I also feel I should comment on the hostess, Melanie, who I found both friendly and accommodating. I understand why some of the reviewers have commented as they have, but I can only say that I felt she struck the perfect balance between being pleasant without being intrusive. I personally do not want someone to impose themselves on me and I tend to avoid smaller guesthouses for just that reason. Melanie was always available when we needed her and very happy to explain some of the nearby attractions and talk us through them at length. But conversation was very much at our instigation - exactly as it should be.
I should also mention the cooking, which was excellent. Breakfast was perfectly done and very tasty. We only managed one dinner due to the distance we had to drive to get there, but that was great. Starters, mains and puddings were all fantastic. The sole criticism was that my companions felt their seafood ragout lacked a certain zing, but it was a minor matter of personal taste that could probably have been solved with a squeeze of lemon or dash of chilli. I'm also sure this would have been addressed had we raised it!
Portion sizes were generous so make sure you save some room for dessert. My sticky toffee pudding was so nice I could not have stopped eating it all if I'd tried.
Do look carefully into the location. It made a great place for us to drive off in various directions into Wales, but it may not suit those who have a more sedentary visit planned.

Traveller, be aware that this restaurant with rooms closes at 11 and reopens at 4 - even for multiple night guests. I totally respect Colin and Melanie or this decision and remaining true to their vision, however. We had super food (the Welsh beef was spectacular) and the room (Phoebe) was bijou but flawlessly presented (bed was a bit hard for us, but we are notoriously picky with beds and therefore hard to please). We cut short our stay because we were really looking for a small boutique hotel and Melanie was extremely understanding about this even to the point of not charging a late cancellation fee.

So, in summary, a lovely place to stay if you're going to be out and about during the day anyway, and wonderful to come back to with truly remarkable food. Just don't expect this to be a small boutique hotel - it isn't, doesn't want to be, and I think would have some of it's charm removed by turning into it. Just be aware of the 11-4 closing, and decide if this matters to you. If it doesn't, I heartily recommend a stay and meal here. If it does matter to you, traveller go elsewhere, but go elsewhere with regret and the intention to return to this small hidden Welsh gem.