UNMISSABLE on Cardiff's Newport Road is the 4-star Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel and Spa.

I can still remember when the building was a towering office block. Then, dull finance and insurance were chewed over on its many floors. Now it has been given over to serving fine food and providing luxurious rooms, not to mention top notch spa pampering. In short, it has become one of the city's most stylish hotels.

With 165 bedrooms it is a grand an imposing sight. From its address on Newport Road, not far from the pedestrianised Queen Street, all of the sights and attractions of Cardiff, Millennium Stadium and Cardiff Castle, are within walking distance.

After checking in, my wife and I made full use of the hotel's sumptuous health spa. I went for a back and neck massage, while my wife, something of a connoisseur of these things, went for a hot stone massage. Mine was aimed more at easing my aching runner's limbs and really did the trick. My wife pronounced hers as 'divine' which is pretty high praise.

Having been pummelled, we both had a dip in the heated swimming pool and finished with a soothing soak in the jacuzzi.

Rather than venture out into the wintery Cardiff night, we opted to have a drink in the hotel’s classy bar. The open design gives an airy spacious feel, yet there are more secluded areas for an intimate drink.

We chose to eat in the hotel’s Hodges Restaurant ‘urban bar and kitchen’ where dishes are cooked in the modish open-plan kitchen. Gazing hungrily as your food is prepared is a must.

All of the choices on the menu promised subtle blends of east and west. And they lived up to this and.

My wife opted for the king prawns wrapped in pancetta served with chargrilled walnut bread which were stunning. I had the Pembrokeshire crab spring roll with a roasted peanut sauce. These too were delicate and beautifully done.

I had the Welsh rib eye with triple cooked chips. My wife chose the five spiced duck breast cassoulet. Both were good choices, but of course I preferred mine – pink inside and juicily perfect. To finish she had the white chocolate & chilli creme brulee while I went for the sticky toffee pudding.

Our maitre d’hotel, a Newport man, made sure ours and everyone else’s evening went swimmingly. Nothing was too much trouble for him and his guests. He cheerfully bid us goodnight and was there again in the morning overseeing the sumptuous buffet breakfast laid out for us.

The usual options were there – all the components of the full English – for instance, but all beautifully done. All was done stylishly, with bowls and jugs eye-catchingly smart.

Our 14th floor room looked out over the east and south of Cardiff and the spectacular sight of the city’s lights spread out before us made our special stay that much more special.