Travel writer and podcaster Portia Jones has named voco St. David's by IHG in Cardiff Bay as one of the best spa hotels in Wales, praising its waterfront location, boutique spa, and the new Tiger Bay Floor. Jones, who has sampled spa hotels across Wales, says this Cardiff flagship hotel is one she returns to time and again, having marked milestone birthdays and even toasted her engagement there.
Spa and Wellness Facilities
All hotel guests have complimentary access to the impressive boutique spa, which features a 15m indoor pool with a toasty water corridor, bubbly spa pools, soothing steam and sauna rooms, and various treatments. Jones highlights swimming in the pool while enjoying views of Cardiff Bay's marina, saying it feels like a holiday abroad on sunny days. The water corridors guide swimmers to swan-neck fountains overlooking the pool. After swimming, guests can unwind in a dry sauna.
For extra pampering, guests can book holistic face and body treatments in advance, using top-quality products like ishga or OSKIA. One of Jones's favourite treatments is the ishga Invigorating Massage, starting at £85, which she says helps realign deeper layers of muscles, especially for her aching neck from typing travel stories. The treatment uses a seaweed-based oil with lemongrass, juniper, and rose geranium, designed to detoxify and revitalise the body.
Accommodation: The Tiger Bay Floor
On her most recent visit, Jones chose the Llawr Bae Teigr, or Tiger Bay Floor, a fresh addition promising an elevated home-from-home experience with extra luxury. Guests can choose from a room, Junior Suite, or Tiger Bay Suite, all with spectacular panoramic views from a private balcony. The rooms feature air conditioning, refreshing showers, upscale furnishings, and cosy bedding made from recycled materials. Jones describes the Tiger Bay Floor as a lovely, indulgent stay with access to the gorgeous spa.
Other room options include standard rooms and suites with sweeping sea views, crisp white linens, fluffy towels, and luxe Antipodes toiletries. Several rooms have fantastic views of the Bay, docklands, and Penarth. The hotel is pet-friendly, with dogs welcome at an additional charge of £35 per room per night.
Dining at Tir a Môr
The on-site restaurant, Tir a Môr (meaning land and sea in Welsh), takes its cue from the bayside location and utilises the best of Welsh produce. The kitchen puts a creative twist on Welsh dishes, offering plates such as Welsh beer-battered fish and chips, roasted rump of Welsh lamb, and summer vegetable macaroni with Perl Wen. A personal favourite of Jones is the BBQ-marinated Cefn Mawr Farm feather blade steak with chimichurri and seasonal slaw.
Desserts include Bara Brith bread-and-butter pudding, Aber Falls whiskey crème liqueur crème brulé, and a Welsh artisan cheese selection with artisan crackers and orchard fruit chutney. Jones notes that she has stayed in many spa hotels with sub-par food offerings, so this was a pleasant surprise.
Nearby Attractions
Outside the hotel, Cardiff Bay offers an array of restaurants, bars, and cafes lining the waterfront. Culture fans can visit the Wales Millennium Centre, Wales's national arts centre, hosting a diverse programme of theatre and arts events. Jones recommends the classic Cardiff Bay Trail, an easy, predominantly traffic-free circular trail spanning just over six miles around Cardiff Bay, leading to the seaside town of Penarth via Pont Y Werin. However, a small section of the trail adjacent to Ferry Court has been closed since 2019, requiring a minor detour to complete the loop.
Jones concludes that with decently priced rooms and affordable spa break packages, this swish hotel is definitely one to add to your travel list.
