Lambs gambolling around Bodysgallen’s 200 acres were wearing blue mackintoshes to keep them dry... Our beds were turned with a polite note reminding us about the clocks going forward. These random observations give a flavour of the attention to detail at Wales’ top hotel.

The clocks could have gone backwards, forwards or upside down – time seemed irrelevant in this enchanting place on the edge of Snowdonia. Everyone seemed captivated. While we were staying fellow guests included a family of seven ranging through three generations. All seemed to enjoy it so much that, when leaving, a boy asked one of the adults, "why do we have to leave?"

Views from seventeenth century house give no hint of anything much after the thirteenth century although there’s masses of 21st century stuff to do, including kite skating a couple of miles away. Trees frame Snowden’s snowy peak above Conway Castle which inspired the first building of Bodysgallen – a thirteenth century watchtower, now part of the hotel.

The walled gardens - with a herb-filled parterre, cornus hedging, a romantic dell, a crab apple alley, lily pool, rose garden and voluptuous vegetable garden enclosed by espaliers - make the National Trust’s renowned garden at Bodnant, 15 minutes away, look dull.

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The house towers above the gardens, it’s stern façade giving no clue to the luxury inside. Like everything at Bodysgallen the luxury is understated. The first floor drawing room, an exquisite panelled room (log fire, squashy sofas and writing niches) is left for guests to discover along with a Jacobean staircase, fancy plasterwork and coats of arms painted onto the panelling.

This is so restful compared to the National Trust’s urge to label and cordon off every artefact and picture whatever their merits.

Instead, Bodysgallen conjures up the atmosphere of a grand country house party just as intended by Richard Broyd the publicity-shy founder of Historic House Hotels. The company began in 1979 to transform historically important houses into country house hotels (Hartwell House and Middlethorpe Hall are others). Bodysgallen, which opened in 1982, was his first project and still his favourite – Broyd lives there some of the time.

Girlfriend Sue and I never met him but stayed in a pretty, comfortable suite with views across the garden. We watched the Oxford v Cambridge boat race in our drawing room, torn between the teams because Sue had friends in both boats.

A stiff drink beside the entrance hall’s log fire helped steady post-race nerves and gave us a change to chat to other guests including one of the many local people who eat and stay at the hotel, and an elegant Portuguese woman from London.

Today Bodysgallen is booked up most of the year round which is hardly surprising given the quality of the hotel and the diversity of things to do and see in the area. Attractions include Snowdonia, a stunning coastline (kite skaters were air jumping when we drove the couple of miles to West Beach); Conway Castle, Telford’s 1826 suspension bridge; surfing at Llandudno; Caernarfon Castle and Bodysgallen’s own park and gardens to say nothing of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, the railway station with the longest name in the world.

Food at Bodysgallen was good. Sue had the lobster and sweetbread starter which sounds odd but was outstanding. The lobster was wrapped in chicken liver mouse with an outer layer of spinach. Flavours sparkled throughout the meal and my only criticism was the low vegetable count.

It is a nothing niggle, really, in the midst of excellence. I suppose that the easiest way to describe staying at Bodysgallen is to say that it’s like the best of all Bertie Wooster’s house parties complete with Jeeves-like service (intelligent, attentive and unobtrusive) but without the mania.

Tripadvisor users gave the hotel 4 out of 5, which puts it as the ninth most popular hotel in Llandudno out of the 70 listed on the site.

Bottom Line: Rooms cost from £140 to £405 per night in the main house or £145 to £390 in one of the cottages. All tariffs include early morning tea, continental breakfast, use of the spa, service and VAT. Children over six years old are welcome and children over eight years old are allowed to swim in the spa at specified times.

Best thing: the place. And the service.

Worst thing: I thought it would be the journey from Oxford. I was wrong. The journey took three and a half hours through such beautiful countryside that we enjoyed the travelling. Trains from London can just under three hours. The hotel is a few minutes away and will arrange for guests to be collected.

Access all areas: the hotel is wheelchair accessible although guests in wheelchairs will probably find one of the freestanding cottages in the ground easier to access than rooms in the main house. Guests in wheelchairs need to be driven to the hotel entrance where a ramp can be arranged over the single step.

Need to know: Bodysgallen Hall Hotel, Restaurant and Spa, Llandudno, North Wales LL30 1RS; www.bodysgallen.com; tel. 01492 584466

Food: 8 out of 10

Service: 10 out of 10

Room: 9 out of 10

Value: 9 out of 10

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