Luxury breaks in Wales

The luxurious four-star St Brides Spa Hotel is perfectly perched on a cliff overlooking Saundersfoot’s busy harbour and beach. When you’re relaxing in the outdoor infinity pool, which is heated to blood temperature even on frosty days, you can’t help feeling just the tiniest bit smug.

You’re probably wondering where to park your helicopter. Luckily, this is one of dozens of Welsh hotels that have their own pads or suitably spacious lawns. You’ll certainly have a happy landing at the four-star Bodysgallen Hall and Spa, a perfect 17th century country house just outside Llandudno. It's a Visit Wales Gold Award winner, but don't just take our word for it. Bodysgallen is also a Lux Life Global Luxury Hotel & Spa Awards 2019 winner, and the Good Hotel Guide - Winner of Editor's Choice 2022 Awards for Spa, amongst others...

We’re far too discreet to reveal which Hollywood stars were spotted holidaying on a canal boat on the Llangollen Canal, but there are plenty of stars at the nearby Tyddyn Llan, an elegant country house with a multi award-winning restaurant. The five-star 'Restaurant with Rooms is dog-friendly, and the perfect spot for a little luxury break in the countryside.

The expression ‘millionaire’s golf’ describes that lovely feeling when you and your mates find yourself teeing off with nobody in front or behind, as if you’ve got the whole course to yourselves. Wales has some of the best links courses in the world, yet they’re nowhere near as busy (or pricey) as elsewhere. The golf course is open and playable all year round, except Christmas Day. There's also a 9 holes on the Point to be played as a free extra when available. It's closed from mid December to the end of March and during the summer school holidays. There's nowhere as stunning as the Nefyn and District Golf Course in Nefyn on the Llŷn Peninsula. Sea views from every hole? Check, and great accommodation nearby too.

The Welsh billionaire Sir Terry Matthews bought the hospital in which he was born, transformed it into a luxury hotel, built a whole new leisure complex behind it, added a conference centre, fine dining restaurants and three championship golf courses, brought The 2010 Ryder Cup to Wales, and… well, isn’t that enough? The five-star Celtic Manor Resort near Newport, South Wales, is simply an extraordinary place to spend a long weekend.

The world’s first million-pound business deal was struck in the Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay. These former coal docks have been reborn as a chic waterfront leisure destination, which you can admire from the terrace of the five-star voco® St David’s Cardiff. Up in the city centre, there’s a priceless collection of Impressionist art in the National Museum Cardiff.