A new luxury hotel has been approved for the centre of Cardiff despite councillors saying the plans were "offensive".
The listed County Court and Post Office buildings near the Principality Stadium will be transformed into a four star, 175-bed hotel operated by the Celtic Manor Resort.
Under the plans, the historic Westgate Street buildings would be refurbished and a six-storey extension would be built at the back.
Cardiff council's planning committee voted seven to one in favour of approving the plans on August 14.
But some members of the committee criticised the design of the extensions, which would be taller than the existing buildings.
Cllr Lyn Hudson said: "I don't think it's in-keeping with the area. It's not glamorous. It's not an addition that would be enhancing the area.
"It's a square box. We get tourists coming into that part of Cardiff and I don't want them to see a box on a beautiful street full of lovely facades.
"It's very unfortunate that this has been stuck on the end of this terrace of beautiful facades."
Developer Rightacres and the Welsh Rugby Union say the new Westgate Hotel would have a "prestigious" entrance hall, a function room with space for 350 guests, a bar and 120-seater restaurant facing Westgate Street and a leisure spa with views across the city.
The existing spiral staircase of the post office is set to be replaced to provide more space in the building.
Cllr Susan Goddard said she "regrets" that the staircase is going and that the collanade at the top of the building is "offensive".
"I think it's just hideous," she told the committee.
But some at the meeting stuck up for the design of the hotel.
Planning officer Lawrence Dowdall told the committee the plans would "bring into use a fantastic listed building" and the extension would not detract from the historic facades of the current building.
"This benefits a part of Westgate Street which has become a bit run down," he said.
Committee member Cllr Mike Jones-Pritchard said the plans were "excellent" and said the new extensions allow the current buildings to stand out.
"It doesn't detract from the detail or quality of the existing listed buildings.
"If you are copying (the existing buildings) that would be wrong.
"I think they have done an excellent job."
