St Brides Spa Hotel has been picked by The Times and Sunday Times as one of the top 50 hotels in the UK
It’s one of Wales’ best coastal hotel with sweeping views of Carmarthen Bay, a luxurious clifftop spa, cosy, classy rooms and a cracking restaurant.
St Bride’s Hotel and Spa in Saundersfoot has also recently been named as one of the UK’s 50 best places to stay in the UK in The Times and The Sunday Times Best Places to Stay 2026 list.
It absolutely deserves its spot on the list – as well as its title of ‘Best in Wales’ for 2026 at the AA Hospitality Awards, too.
The annual list, compiled by travel experts from the two newspapers, highlights standout hotels across Britain based on style, service, food and location.
This January I was lucky enough to stay at St Bride’s and experience why it’s such a wonderful hotel and location.
Cosy rooms, comfortable bar area, great restaurant all come together here to make a fine night’s escape from the everyday but it has to be its phenomenal spa area that should top the USP rating for St Bride’s Hotel, which overlooks the gorgeous Saundersfoot village and sandy beach – that stretches out in front of you whether you are sat eating your breakfast or mulling over life itself in the warm hydrotherapy pool.
I’ve long been a visitor to this corner of Pembrokeshire and if it’s summer, I’d usually opt for a an airbnb or cosy cottage, staying away from so called ‘luxury’ escapes – one, because they are too expensive and two, just because when I’m in Pembrokeshire I want it to feel like I’m in Pembrokeshire. I feared a luxury hotel would detract from this… make you feel like you were at a cut and paste accommodation.
But dunk me in an ice bath and tell me I’m wrong, because in this moment there was nothing better than a escaping to the long-established Saundersfoot gem and for the record, you could definitely tell you were in Pembrokeshire good and proper.
Now run by the Celtic Collection, that owns Celtic Manor, Ty Milford amongst others. St Bride’s has been revamped with a new-look spa and its 34 bedrooms have had a makeover, not to mention it’s got the Cliff Restaurant on site, too. It being a special occasion, as well as a much-needed escape to some downtime, my group had booked a dinner, bed and breakfast package with spa access too.
Almost as soon as we checked in we were headed to the spa (I’d take your own flipflops unless you want soggy slip-ons). We’d not booked any treatments, we just wanted to sit, float and steam ourselves into oblivion with the odd excitable conversation about The Traitors and encouraging other groups to use the exhilarating cold water bucket at the side of the outside sauna. ( They did and loved it).
The spa itself is recently redone in the past year and is stunning. I may not have been to every single coastal spa in the UK, but I’ll say this felt so calm and lux, we just were in our element. There’s two saunas, one indoor, one out, steam rooms, salt steam room, the hydrotherapy pool. outdoor jacuzzi and the Himalayan salt and infrared therapy room.
To be honest I’m not a fan of steam rooms and the salt room was slightly underwhelming – but that’s because all I was hankering after was lazing in the infinity hydrotherapy pool which was warm and, unlike a hot tub, had plenty of room as well as a powerful, neck massaging tap.
The outdoor sauna was wonderful – sweeping views of Carmarthenshire Bay via floor to ceiling windows and while remaining warm and imbibing that comforting scent of heated wood. Yes, we did douse ourselves in cold water but that’s only because we could get straight back in the hydrotherapy pool, which also allowed you to take in those views.
For those wanting a a break from being in the pool or sauna, the relaxation room has heated beds and refreshing drinks. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here
I honestly can’t effuse enough about how lovely it was spending a couple of hours switching off with one of the best views in Wales in front of you.
I thought my day couldn’t get any better but after rinsing the room of its coffee-making facilities we headed down for dinner. It might be a me-problem, in that I always expect mediocrity at a hotel restaurant, maybe it’s growing up in the ’80s and ’90s – but thankfully I’m quite often proved wrong.
The package we had included a three-course dinner at the AA Rosette awarded The Cliff. I started off with seaweed cured salmon, beetroot confit egg yolk, popped wheat and dill lemon gel, followed by fillet of beef with lobster beignet, charred octopus,onion velouté and Cheddar crackling.
Other options included a pressing of ham knuckle, egg and mustard soufflé, pickled cucumber, frisée lettuce and roasted duck breast with rich faggot, fondant potato,soused blackberries and liquorice sauce.
My starter of salmon was good. Substantial slivers of the fish which had bite of salt to it thanks to the seaweed and I felt the soft, flavoursome egg added an extra oomph to a delicate starter, as did the tart dill lemon gel. But the beef fillet was incredible.
A hunk of medium-rare cooked beef, the kind you always think looks small, but in reality is enough. It was toped with a bit of charred octopus and a lobster beignet – which is a small, deep-fried dough. Altogether a powerful set of flavours, but each one was done with care and delicacy none overwhelmed the other and created a delightful combo. The beef cut like butter and had a real depth of flavourm, each meaty mouthful keeping up with the next, the octopus brought an added lighter flavour and texture to the mix, while the beignet was just lush. slight crispness, not doughy at all in the middle – so dangerously beautiful. No wonder it was modest in size as if I ate more of them (which I definitely would) I’d be cooked. Game over.
The onion velouté provided a warm, thick sauce to pull all the items together. On the side we ordered amazing chorizo crumb and Gran Levante cheese fries, tenderstem broccoli,tomato pesto, almonds and charred cabbage, dill, lime yoghurt and crispy onions.
I smashed the hell out of those sides. The fries were like crack. Moreish, salty with a chew of a the bits of chorizo and the cheese was crumby too, which sounds weird but it works. The two veggies were paired with ingredients that just elevated boring, green veg to something I could polish off in a flash. The slight disappointment was that the sides were extra when, if you pay for a three course meal package you’d hope your mains would come with vegetable sides as standard.
By this point I didn’t even need a dessert, but it was coming anyway so I opted for the classic sticky toffee pudding, something that everyone could enjoy a spoonful of – and did. It was a lighter, more airy sponge than what you’d normally expect from a STP but this did not make it less enjoyable, the flavour however was a cut above, it had a really smart cinnamon flavour, which was dominant but not overdone. So not too sweet, but a really warming, pleasing taste that made the salted caramel sauce seem even better. A belter of a dessert – even if I didn’t need it.
If after your dinner you want to relax and grab another drink the bar area is big and comfortable and the ideal place to hang out. Rooms-wise, I feel the Celtic Collection have really done a lovely job with what was already there – St Bride’s has been around for years – as the standard bedrooms are quite modest in size. But they are decorated beautifully, with a stylish nod to the seaside location. Beds are gorgeously comfy, but if you suffer with neck trouble, I recommend requesting a firmer pillow if they have it.
As a whole package, for what we wanted to achieve on our stay, ie. nothing but pure relaxation, St Brides Spa Hotel is a no-brainer. It’s comfy, chilled and at the centre of one the the best places in the world.
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