St Brides Spa Hotel Shortlist*

The panoramic views of Saundersfoot harbour and the coastline from this modern hotel above Carmarthen Bay are ‘exceptional’ – and the inward calm that washes over guests in the award-winning spa isn’t bad, either. Seaside splendour comes to the fore here: light floods in through floor-to-ceiling windows, ocean air through glass doors. ‘Very pleasant’ bedrooms are styled in breezy nautical hues; some have a balcony. A bonus: residents get a 90-minute session in the spa’s hydro pool. In the restaurant and bar, or on the terrace, Pembrokeshire produce and locally landed fish feature on regularly changing menus. In the village, a downhill 
stroll away, a modern chippy and beach barbecue are offshoots.