St Brides Spa Hotel Pembrokeshire, Wales

9 out of 10 Telegraph expert rating

On a headland with spirit-lifting coastal views in Saundersfoot, this multiple award-winning spa hotel is a class act. The region-driven menus in the harbour-facing restaurant, the slick art-slung interiors and the spa with its raft of luscious marine treatments are an ode to the sea.

Location

10 / 10

From its headland perch, St Brides takes in the full sweep of Carmarthen Bay, gazing out across the harbour to the beach at Saundersfoot and cliff-backed coastline beyond. It’s tucked into the southeastern fringes of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, with the cheerful Georgian seaside resort of Tenby as its closest neighbour. Some cracking beaches are just a few miles distant. It’s 25-minute drive west to the dune-flanked golden sands of Freshwater East and not much further to the gorgeous crescent of Barafundle Bay (reached from the National Trust Stackpole Estate). In summer, the walk from Bosherton’s lily ponds to the remote bay of Broad Haven South is a beauty. Saundersfoot is just off the A477 that links up to the main A40 heading east.

Style and Character

9 / 10

Once a traditional seaside hotel, St Brides has undergone a series of makeovers and expansions over recent years to become one of the most striking coastal escapes in Wales. The clean, contemporary aesthetic is like a gulp of fresh sea air, with floor-to-ceiling windows, open-plan spaces and a palette of whites and blues from aquamarine to deepest sapphire. Outside there’s the crash of sea and screech of gulls; inside the glass walls hold up a mirror to the changing tides and lights. The maritime flavour prevails in the rotating collection of local artworks, driftwood sculptures and vases filled with shells.

Service and Facilities

9 / 10

The staff are welcoming and very much on the ball, especially in the spa, which consistently ranks as one of Wales’ best. It certainly has the wow factor, with a hydrotherapy infinity pool where you can gaze out across the bay and the boats bobbing below while being gently pummelled by jets and fountains. After a spell in the thermal suite’s salt infusion and aroma steam rooms or herbal rock sauna, the wide-open sea views from the relaxation area come as a refreshing tonic. Here you can grab a lounger, help yourself to teas, coffees and fruit, and test out the spa’s signature products, including Irish seaweed-enriched VOYA and vinotherapy-based Caudalie.

Guests get free access to the thermal suite for 90 minutes. The fitness suite is open 24 hours. The expertly administered treatments swing from detoxifying seaweed wraps to luscious salt scrubs, algae-based facials and warming lava shell massages. There’s a nice inclusive focus on oncology and pregnancy treatments, too.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Laundry
• Room service
• Pool
• Sauna
• Spa
• Wi-Fi
• Fitness centre

Rooms

9 / 10

The coastal theme follows through into the light, modern rooms, with pale walls, painted wainscoting and nods to the briny blue in striped linens and seascapes. Furnishings and fabrics have a luxurious feel, and there are many pleasing little touches such as robes and slippers, tea and coffee and VOYA cosmetics in the bathrooms, which (in the most basic Good category) come with combined shower and tub. It’s well worth upgrading to a room with a balcony and sea view. Best category rooms are true to their name, with lots of space, separate living areas with sofabeds, and rolltop tubs and walk-in showers in their stylish, mosaic-tiled floor bathrooms. For families, the self-catering apartments work well.

Food and Drink

9 / 10

The lounge bar is a mellow spot for a post-dinner G&T, with a fire crackling during colder months. With wraparound glass walls and views out across the bay and harbour, the Cliff Restaurant ramps up the romance after dark with soft lighting and bistro seating. The chef makes the most of the excellent local seafood in dishes like monkfish curry with puffed rice and micro coriander, Saundersfoot crab and tarragon scotch egg, and bass with braised fennel, orange, cockles and laverbread. In terms of meaty mains, the dry-aged fillet of beef with artichoke purée, oxtail, Roscoff onion and blue cheese stands out.

Breakfast is served against the same panoramic backdrop, and is a satisfying spread of pastries, yogurts, fresh fruits and cereals, with cooked options such as smoked haddock with poached eggs or a toasted muffin topped with sautéed mushrooms and laverbread. St Brides also oversee two more casual beachside ventures: The Marina (for fish and chips) and the Beachside Barbecue (for pulled pork, sticky ribs, brisket and the like).

Value for Money

9 / 10

Double rooms from £190, year-round. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi.

Access for guests with disabilities?

There is one fully accessible room with a lower bed and a walk-in wet room. Stair lifts and ramps connect to the spa.

Family-Friendly?

Yes, families are very welcome. Some rooms come with foldout sofa beds, and travel cots and extra beds cost £15 and £25 per night. Additionally, there are self-catering apartments for families and the Cliff Restaurant serves a children’s menu before 7pm. The spa is only accessible to guests aged 16 and over