| check-in time: 3:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. there's a gourmet restaurant with a seasonal menu, a terrace and a kitchen garden, plus a more informal, dog-friendly bar serving light bites. some upgraded quarters add 4-poster beds, free-standing baths and/or river views. the 11 cosy, individually decorated rooms and suites come with flat-screen tvs, and freebies such as wi-fi, tea, coffee and snacks. set in a 17th-century coaching inn, across the road from the river monnow, this elegant hotel is a 2-minute walk from skenfrith castle. cooked breakfast is included, as is parking
Birmingham Airport 1 hr 27
Raglan Castle (27 min)
15th-century fortress with a grand gate, mullioned windows and visitor centre showing a Tudor panel. White Castle (14 min)
History tours of round-towered, 12th-century Norman castle, with picnic tables and gift shop. Perrygrove Railway (32 min)
Park for children's steam train and footplate rides, treetop and indoor play, plus woodland walks. The aMazing Hedge Puzzle (18 min) Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo (18 min)
Kept at tropical temperatures, this indoor attraction lets visitors get close to exotic butterflies. Sugar Loaf, Monmouthshire (33 min)
Expansive views mark the summit of this accessible mountain with a variety of trails to the top. Beechenhurst - Forestry England (33 min)
Opening for breakfast at 8.30am each morning, this simple forestry cafe serves local produce. Abergavenny Museum (22 min)
Local history museum in former hunting lodge in grounds of ruined Norman fortress and gatehouse. Goodrich Castle (21 min)
Norman castle ruins with well-preserved Medieval domestic buildings and visitor centre exhibition. Puzzlewood (32 min)
Natural woodland with raised walkways and family entertainments. Clearwell Caves (33 min)
In the miners' footsteps in an underground museum with passageways and 4,500-year-old galleries. Skenfrith Castle (2 min)
Preserved ruins of a 13th-century castle next to the River Monnow with benches & picnic spots. Forest of Dean (28 min)
Outdoor recreation, art, camping, history, and nature Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail (34 min)
Tranquil woodland art trail open since 1986 with 16 discreet, nature-inspired sculptures. Ysgyryd Fawr (24 min)
Hiking spot featuring some steep inclines through forest to a mountain peak offering scenic views. | 
