Taking over two historic buildings — the old post office and county court — Parkgate has already staked a claim as Cardiff’s best hotel. It brings sophisticated, grown-up design to the city, with high-end fabrics, leather and wood in the bedrooms, and brasserie styling in the restaurant.

In a city where so much is made of proximity to the water, it makes sense that someone has devised accommodation that floats on the stuff.

Hotel Indigo is a terrific value option in Cardiff city centre. It’s a playful place that celebrates Welsh design and heritage in little touches; there are sheepskin footstools and headboards made out of Welsh blankets in the rooms, and prints featuring corgis and Dame Shirley Bassey in the social spaces.

The bed and breakfast once known as Cathedral 73 was reborn as No 73 by CoffiCo in 2021. The rooms and suites occupy a handsome Victorian townhouse in an area of the city where there are delis, coffee shops and gastropubs.

You can’t miss this striking five-star hotel on Cardiff Bay, with its sail-shaped roof and ground-to-roof glass atrium.

A central location within a drop kick of the Principality Stadium (formerly the Millennium Stadium) is a big draw for this old stalwart.

Owned by the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the hotel overlooks the waters of Cardiff Bay. Each suite has a full kitchen; move up the price bracket from standard to get a balcony and living space, too.

Just a five-minute walk from city-centre attractions including the National Museum Cardiff, the Park Plaza hotel and spa is an excellent choice for a weekend break. Rooms are spacious, with large, comfortable beds and decent showers.

Occupying a 19th-century building once used by merchants and traders to buy and sell coal, this is now a relaxed, cheerful place to stay, with individually designed rooms and suites.

The seven cosy studios at 62 Plantagenet north of the city centre bring something a little different to Cardiff’s hotel scene, with styling that draws influences from the Sixties and Seventies.