An historic seaside hotel that’s in the running to be crowned the best in Wales has invested £120,000 in going green.
The new eco-friendly measures at the Grade II listed Belmont Hotel in Llandudno have slashed its overall carbon emissions by 35 per cent and achieved a 45 per cent net reduction in gas consumption.
According to manager Liam Donnelly, being shortlisted as a finalist in the Hotel of the Year category at the 2026 Welsh Hospitality Awards was the “cherry on the cake”, with the winner being announced in Cardiff on September 15.
The Belmont, built in the 1850s, is one of the oldest hotels in Llandudno and is now part of the Everbright Hotel Group, along with the Llandudno Bay Hotel where a similar en energy-saving project was completed last year.
The Everbright Group is aiming to roll out the green revolution to its other properties, which include Rossett Hall near Wrexham, the Wild Pheasant and Spa in Llangollen, The George Hotel in Penrith and Stonecross Manor in the Lake District.
Liam will be hoping to make it a double celebration at this year’s ceremony, having already tasted success at the same event when he led the staff at Llandudno Bay Hotel to victory in the Hotel Team of the Year category in 2023.
The 33-year-old said Everbright’s determination to invest in green technology was helping them to stay ahead of the competition.
Among the measures at the Belmont were the installation of thermodynamic panels, voltage optimisers to convert the electricity supply from the usual 240 volts to 220 volts and the installation of banks of batteries to store spare energy to take advantage of cheaper, night-rate electricity.
Meanwhile, we are also aiming to install solar panels on the roof which will mean that the hotel uses hardly any electricity from the grid between March and September.
Liam was thrilled the Belmont had been shortlisted for an award, especially as it was the result of public nominations.
He said: “We were totally unaware we had been shortlisted until we were informed by the awards organisers Oceanic Awards.
“It is so pleasing that we have been shortlisted through public votes.
“Llandudno Bay Hotel won hotel team of the year in the Welsh Hospitality Awards in 2023 and now we want to make it a double by winning hotel of the year with the Belmont.
“The majority of our 42-strong team work at both hotels, so it is a great reflection on everyone involved.
“The staff are just a really good team, they are just very nice people and that’s reflected in our excellent customer service.
“It is that personality that makes the positive difference to the guests’ experience.
“The nice thing about it at The Belmont is because there are only 27 rooms, you do get time to get to know the guests and interact with them.
“Many of our regular customers know us by our first names – both sites in Llandudno have a lot of returning customers, often two or three times a year.
“I am delighted about the work Everbright has been doing as part of its own green revolution and I hope that is another reason for our customers to come and stay.”
The commitment to green energy has seen the Llandudno Bay Hotel pick up various awards in recent years.
As well as being crowned Sustainable Luxury Hotel Group of the Year, it was also named as the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Hotel of the Year 2023 at the Go North Wales Tourism Awards.
Darryl Shaw, Everbright Group Operations Director, said the shortlisting of The Belmont Hotel in this year’s Welsh Hospitality Awards was a well-deserved honour.
He said: “We are hugely proud of the excellent work that goes on at all of our hotels within the Everbright Group and Liam and his team at The Belmont offer a first-class service.
“They are a close-knit team who always go the extra mile for our customers and their colleagues.
“To be nominated for an award by the public is always extra special because that reflects the standard of service we provide day in and day out.”
