SHE'S catered for superstars and travelled the world but home's where the heart is for Gwent hotelier Angela Barbara.

Her career in catering has seen her rub shoulders with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross, Peter Ustinov, Dolly Parton and Lionel Ritchie, working in hotels in London, Canada, India, Las Vegas, and Atlantic City.

Despite clocking more air miles than Alan Wicker, the 57-year-old hotel expert says she is now glad to be back in Wales; running The Crown at Whitebrook situated in an idyllic part of Monmouthshire.

"I like it here because it is very beautiful country and I think it is very hard to beat for scenery," said Angela.

"I think we could do with a bit more sunshine in Wales but apart from that I love it here and it is where my family live."

She first entered the hotel business more than 30 years ago as part of the opening team at the first Sheraton hotel located at Heathrow airport.

Her job then took her to Toronto in Canada where after six years of service, she was recruited to work at The Golden Nugget hotel in Atlantic City as director of catering and special events.

The year was 1980 and the biggest names in show-business at the time were flocking to the hotel for special events and their birthday parties.

So who was her favourite? "It has to be Lionel Ritchie - he was absolutely out of this world. Dolly Parton was an absolutely terrific person. Frank Sinatra was very charming but he did command the people around him."

After working in Atlantic City for seven years, she headed to Las Vegas for more than a year - and then relocated to India to run an old Raj hotel high up in the Himalayas. "This was a different kettle of fish - it only had 40 rooms, had absolutely beautiful surroundings and was very spiritual."

Now Merthyr Tydfil-born Angela has a workplace closer to home - The Crown at Whitebrook.

In the three years since she bought the hotel, it has entered the Good Food guide and won Regional Restaurant of the Year and the Best Wine List in Wales awards from the prestigious Les Routiers organisation.

Angela said: "A lot of credit has to go to Mark Turton, our head chef." "I really love it because it is much more personal and you get to know the guests."