Holme Lacy House Hotel, Holme Lacy, Hereford HR2 6LP. Tel: 01432 870 870 website: www.warnerleisurehotels.co.uk

H olme Lacy House is a Warner Leisure Hotel that is billed as "exclusively for adults". Grade I-listed, it's set in beautiful parkland about 20 minutes from the pretty riverside town of Ross- on-Wye, Herefordshire.

There are plenty of lovely Georgian reception rooms to sit and relax in, a range of leisure activities such as croquet, boules and freshwater fishing, three restaurants and a coffee shop, a fully equipped leisure club with gym and indoor swimming pool and a health and beauty spa.

How do you get there? From Bristol, you can avoid the Severn toll by heading north on the M5 to Gloucester, then across country on the A40 and B4224 via Ross-on-Wye to Holme Lacy village. This route takes a little longer than going over the Severn on the M4 and north towards Hereford on the A40/A49.

First impressions: The setting is stunning, but once you get beyond the glorious frontage there are some rather clunky modern extensions creating an incredibly vast complex – we had to keep referring to maps to find our way around. And the average age of the "adults only" guests seemed to be about 70 on the weekend we visited, which was a little unnerving for us 30-somethings.

What are the rooms like? We stayed in a mid-range Signature room in the modern part of the hotel, with bright fuchsia oriental panelling, a modern en suite, big TV, mini-bar and sitting area.

What else can you do? The hotel has a resident entertainment team and every evening there is either a live band or disco in the purpose-built cabaret suite. We also had a choice of quizzes, bridge, archery and guided walks. And there are experience weekends throughout the year ranging from fungi foraging to digital photography and Spanish instruction.

What's on the menu? The formal Orchard restaurant recently opened in one of the grand Georgian reception rooms. The Orchard and the more relaxed Bistro are also open to non-residents. Both charge a small additional supplement for weekend guests (an extra £12.50 for the Orchard and £7.50 for the Bistro). But if you are staying in one of the Historic rooms, guests can choose either restaurant to eat in at no extra cost. Guests staying in Signature rooms can book one night in the Orchard and one in the Bistro at no extra cost. We ate in the Orchard and enjoyed a lovely meal of seared scallops, foie gras parfait, Indonesian spiced lamb and a fillet of beef. A typical menu in the Bremner Scott restaurant on an Ambassador room weekend rate includes soup or pate, roast beef or cod and bread and butter pudding or cheese and biscuits.

What else is there to see and do in the area? The hotel organises day trips to nearby Ross-on-Wye, Hay-on-Wye and Hereford. For the more adventurous, there are some lovely walks or kayaking in the Wye Valley.

Any gripes? A few guests complained about the volume in the cabaret suite – it wasn't possible to enjoy the (good) live music and have a conversation at the same time.

How much does it cost? A full English breakfast and a three-course evening meal in the Bremner Scott dining room is included in the price of £289 per person for three nights in Ambassador accommodation in the modern part of the hotel. Add £45 a night for a Signature room or £50 for an Historic room in the Georgian part of the building (pictured above).

The verdict: If you want your days filled with things to do and good food in a beautiful setting, then Holme Lacy House Hotel offers a perfect weekend away.

RACHAEL SUGDEN