Ynyshir Hall is a Georgian manor house with 14 acres of gardens

Ynyshir Hall, in Eglwysfach, near Machynlleth, was the only restaurant in Wales to achieve a grade eight out of 10 standard for its food.

Only four restaurants in the UK achieved a grade nine, and none was awarded a grade 10.

The couple who own and run the hotel - Rob and Joan Reen - said winning the award was "amazing".

Mr and Mrs Reen have run Ynyshir Hall for 17 years, but they said it was only in the past few years that the restaurant had gained a reputation for fine dining.

"It's quite an achievement for us, it's just been amazing," Mr Reen said.

"These awards don't come easily. It takes time to get there."

"We've always put a great emphasis on quality. It's alright having imagination but if you have not got the quality you won't achieve those things."

I like to do something different. Slightly unusual food with a slight twist to it Head chef Adam Simmonds

Mr Reen said the isolated countryside setting of the hotel did no harm in attracting diners.

"We find the location actually helps. People want to come and relax and enjoy the locality as well," he said.

"They can leave their cars and walk out into the hills. We even get people in from New York now. They are falling in love with Wales.

"There are some excellent chefs in Wales at the moment. It's improved greatly in the last five years."

Head chef Adam Simmonds said he was one of many chefs now leaving London to come to Wales because of the more relaxed lifestyle.

Local ingredients

"The slog is the same wherever you are. I still do the same hours as I was doing in London, if not slightly more. But the pace of life is slower here," he said.

"Here we have windows where you can see out. In London you often don't get that. It's a lot more pleasurable."

He also said it was much easier to find good local ingredients in Wales than in big cities like London.

"When you don't get quality products in the first place, it's difficult. It's a lot nicer to be using fish that is straight out of the sea," he said.

"I like to do something different. Slightly unusual food with a slight twist to it. If it excites people it's more enjoyable."