St Brides Spa Hotel Shortlist*

Seaside splendour comes to the fore at this modern hotel above Carmarthen Bay. Light floods in through floor-to-ceiling windows; ocean air, through glass doors. The seascapes of Saundersfoot harbour and the coastline are ‘exceptional’ – as restorative, perhaps, as the calm that washes over guests in the award-winning spa. ‘Very pleasant’ bedrooms are styled in breezy hues; some rooms have a balcony. A bonus: residents get a 90-minute session in the spa’s thermal suite and hydrotherapy pool. In the restaurant and bar, or on the terrace, Pembrokeshire produce and locally landed fish feature on regularly changing menus. A downhill stroll away, a modern chippy and beach barbecue in the village are offshoots.