In the hotel publicity it says that 'the names of the various suites and rooms are designed to illustrate the history of England and particularly Herefordshire during the past four centuries'. My mother and I were given the David Garrick suite - 'the great English actor... born at the Angel Inn in 1717'. We tried not to let this sort of stuff prejudice our view, but our first impression was of a room that was too mannered and formal, making heavy weather of dark wood furniture and materials that frilled and flounced.

But it also turned out to be warm, cosy and more or less perfectly comfortable. Just as well - endless rain forced us to lounge around our suite rather more than we'd expected.

I was also very taken with the bathroom. I've got a thing about hotel bathrooms which are often floodlit and sauna-like - but this one was cool and airy with natural light and lots of Escada Sport toiletries.

Dinner in the restaurant that evening was a formal affair - not a place to go dressed down. My main course of seared wild bass, risotto of crab and cockles, crab and vanilla fishcake and crab foam didn't seem to be the sum of its many small and painfully presented parts. Mum fared better with a less fussy hot smoked Hereford beef fillet. During dessert we pondered the smartly suited diners and wondered who they might be. 'Rich people,' a waiter offered. (Our bill came to £90.60 for three courses, wine and aperitifs.)

Special mention should be made of the staff who, to a man and woman, were unusually warm, friendly and helpful.

The Castle also has beautiful grounds, which must make it lovely in summer. It is only about 100 yards from Hereford cathedral, and not far from a swanky new development called the Left Bank Village, which came highly recommended. However, I can't really comment on it as when we arrived the River Wye had 'peaked', burst its banks and flooded, making everywhere in Hereford more or less inaccessible.

Ah well. Back in the David Garrick suite the pillows passed the 'watching TV in bed' test.

· Castle House Hotel, Hereford, Herefordshire (01432 356321) £165 to £210, continental breakfast included.