First Impressions

St Brides Spa Hotel is in a stunning destination: perched atop a cliff in Wales. As we weaved our way through the town of Saundersfoot, we were charmed by the mixture of intimate pubs and restaurants, and tourist seaside shops. The hotel building is modern and muted but, once you make it to reception, you catch your first glimpse of the scenery through the bar and restaurant.

Most spaces in the hotel and spa are designed to maximise the spectacular views. Staff welcomed us at the main reception and showed us to our pretty and spacious room which had a balcony overlooking the sandy beach. Décor in the spa and hotel is simple and uncluttered: gentle seascape colours, floor-to-ceiling windows, and marine-inspired art.

What's on offer?

The spa is on two levels with a central staircase connecting the two. The changing rooms are small and split into wet and dry areas, with just two showers, one vanity mirror with Caudalie facial products and a hairdryer. Further into the spa are two private changing rooms with bench seating, mirror and lockers. Hotel guests are encouraged to shower and change in their rooms. The thermal experiences are free to all hotel guests, you just need to book your 90-minute slot in advance. There are two steam rooms: the salt steam room has a mix of a sea-water infusion and mint essence with calming blue lighting; the aroma steam room has a refreshing lemongrass scent and green lighting. If you prefer dry heat, the herbal rock sauna is super-invigorating. It is scented with mountain spruce so you really can pretend to be in Scandinavia. All the rooms are cosy and would take five or six people comfortably. When you're ready to cool off, try the sensation showers or rub flakes from the ice fountain over your skin. The jewel in the St Brides crown is the infinity hydro-pool. The warm outdoor salt pool overlooks the stunning coast; it almost feels like there's nothing separating you from the ocean below. Station yourself by an air jet and stare up at the sky while the water gently massages your back. The spa has two relaxation rooms. The "wet" relaxation room is for thermal spa users and looks out over the coast. It has comfortable loungers, magazines, and teas and coffees just outside the door. The other relaxation room is low-lit; your therapist will take you here post-treatment. Snuggle under the blankets on the beds and continue your zen staring out at the ocean. If you visit in the summer, the outdoor terrace has comfortable loungers so you can chill out in the sunshine; it's a real suntrap.

Tell us about the treatments

We tried the Caudalie Vinosource Hydrating and Nourishing Facial (55 minutes, £65).

My therapist, Laura, met me in the wet relaxation room and walked me to a treatment room along the corridor on the same level. The room was quite large with low lighting and the treatment beddressed in dark linen. After a consultation, I lay on the treatment bed and Laura made me comfortable with an endless supply of pillows. Laura began by using cool pads on my eyes to gently remove eye make-up and followed this with a creamy cleanser over my face and neck, which she removed with hot mitts. Laura repeated this, then applied and removed an exfoliator, so my skin felt super clean. Each cleansing stage was punctuated with a hydrating spritz over my face from one side to the other. It was cool and uplifting. The facial massage started with grapes. Yes, Laura cut a real green grape in half and placed the flat, wet edge on each cheek. She gently dragged this along my skin in lines moving upwards. It was surprisingly lovely and had a cool and refreshing effect on my skin. Laura then applied a creamy face mask and massaged my hands and arms with a zesty Caudalie Body Butter. She removed the mask with hot mitts and, after another spritz, applied moisturisers to my eyes and face to finish. And did they make a difference to your skin? This is a facial we're reviewing, so looks matter as well as relaxation! All the Caudalie products smelled fruity, zesty and uplifting. I felt very relaxed and happily went to take a seat on a lounger in the relaxation room. My skin was notably hydrated and felt smooth and plump to the touch.

St Brides Spa offers a good variety of facials, massages, wraps, scrubs, beauty treats including manicures and pedicures, and complementary therapies such as reflexology. The spa menu includes treatments for mums-to-be and those receiving treatment for or recovering from cancer. Food Facts Spa guests can eat in The Galley restaurant which continues the stunning views whilst you sit comfortably in your robe. The menu is seasonal and you can choose from salads, sandwiches or warmer options such as fish and chips. We enjoyed our quinoa salad; it was beautifully presented and full of flavour and colours. Evening meals are served in The Cliff restaurant. Here you have a wonderful choice of non-fussy good food, cooked and presented perfectly. We loved our scallops to start and Asian Salmon for main. The staff looked after us well, too.

We loved The cliff-top setting: Whether you're in the infinity pool, a relaxation room, or the restaurant, the design makes the most of the fabulous views. The quiet and peaceful vibe: We mostly had the thermal experiences and infinity pool entirely to ourselves. We were never jostling for space or access. The lovely products: The Caudalie range has everything from grape-water mist for your face, to deep-conditioning hair treatments. We emerged trailing a heady cocktail of scents!

Who do you think would like it?

Anyone who loves great food, amazing views, warm and friendly service and space to enjoy quality time with a loved one -- or indeed simply by yourself.

What bubble rating did you give this spa?

We awarded St Brides Spa Hotel a Good Spa Guide Bubble rating of 5 bubbles. The setting is absolutely beautiful, and the hotel, spa and restaurant make the most of their surroundings. The well-managed thermal facilities are a treat and the outdoor infinity pool is seriously special. St Brides has personality; you couldn't be anywhere else...

Supreme Spy visited in March 2018 and awarded it 5 Bubbles.