James Sommerin Hotel

The Esplanade, Penarth

Penarth in Wales’ Vale of Glamorgan is how seaside towns used to be. Victorian pleasure gardens boasting sub-tropical plants run down to the esplanade, there’s a wooden pier with an art deco pavilion and a sandy beach. Thankfully, the food offering is far superior to fish and chips. James Sommerin held a Michelin star for seven years at The Crown, Whitebrook, and his waterfront restaurant is an ode to creative, seasonal cooking.

The nine-course surprise menu is well worth the £80 price tag. Dishes change every night but all look like works of art and showcase the best of local ingredients. Expect flavours such as roast partridge with rich wild mushroom and locally dived scallops dusted with fennel seeds. We particularly enjoyed a delicate lobster ravioli with sprigs of salty samphire, followed by a sophisticated treacle tart with rosemary and olive oil.

Nine airy bedrooms are new this summer. Ask for one of the five that have balconies and wake up to the sound of seabirds and views of the Severn.