Twr y Felin Hotel, the UK’s first contemporary art hotel, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Polestar x Country & Town House Sustainable Hotel of the Year Awards 2026, recognising its ongoing commitment to responsible hospitality, community impact and environmental stewardship.
Set above the UK’s smallest city, St Davids, and within easy reach of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, Twr y Felin offers guests a distinctive coastal experience rooted in place. The hotel actively encourages low-impact exploration, from walking routes and wildlife excursions to supporting independent galleries and local producers. On-site EV charging further enables guests to reduce their environmental footprint during their stay.
Sustainability at Twr y Felin is embedded across all aspects of the guest experience. The hotel’s gardens are planted with hardy, predominantly native species that thrive in the coastal climate while supporting biodiversity. Inside, large-scale commissioned artworks inspired by the surrounding landscape bring a strong sense of place indoors, reflecting the hotel’s identity as a design-led, art-focused destination.
A key part of the guest experience is Blas Restaurant, holder of three AA Rosettes, where menus celebrate seasonal Welsh produce sourced from Pembrokeshire and the surrounding region. With an increasing focus on local, organic and foraged ingredients, the kitchen continues to reduce food miles while maintaining exceptional dining standards.
The shortlisting recognises the hotel’s structured and measurable approach to sustainability. Twr y Felin operates under a comprehensive carbon reduction plan, focusing on energy efficiency, waste reduction, water management and responsible sourcing. Recent initiatives include enhanced heating controls, continued transition to LED lighting, reduced single-use items and improved waste segregation across operations.
Environmental performance is closely monitored, with energy, water, and waste tracked against occupancy levels to ensure data-led decision-making. These efforts are guided by the internationally recognised Green Key certification, which Twr y Felin has held since 2019, with annual assessments driving continuous improvement.
Looking ahead, the hotel has set clear priorities for the next 12 months, including reducing energy use per occupied room, increasing the proportion of locally and organically sourced food, and further embedding sustainability into everyday decision-making across the team.
Community impact remains central to the hotel’s ethos. As part of Retreats Group, Twr y Felin employs 100% of its team from within Pembrokeshire and pays all hourly staff at least the Real Living Wage, ensuring that economic benefits remain within the local area. This approach supports long-term employment, strengthens local supply chains and enhances the authentic guest experience through genuine local knowledge.
Despite the challenges of operating within a Grade II listed former windmill, the hotel continues to balance heritage preservation with environmental progress, adopting a “replace with better” philosophy and working closely with conservation bodies to implement meaningful improvements.
Emma Bowen, General Manager, said:
“We are delighted to be recognised by the Polestar x CTH Sustainable Hotel of the Year Awards. Sustainability for us is from how we care for our historic building to how we support our local community and suppliers. This shortlisting reflects the commitment of our entire team to doing things thoughtfully and responsibly.”
With a long-term ambition to be recognised as one of the UK’s leading sustainable contemporary hotels, Twr y Felin continues to demonstrate that design-led luxury and responsible practice can go hand in hand.
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