The Everbright Hotel Group has invested £120,000 in energy-saving technology at its historic Belmont Hotel in Llandudno, reducing the property’s overall carbon emissions by 35%.
The improvements have also delivered a 45% net reduction in gas consumption at the Grade II listed hotel, which was built in the 1850s and is one of the oldest hotels in the seaside town.
The investment forms part of Everbright’s wider sustainability strategy and follows the completion of a similar energy-saving project at the nearby Llandudno Bay Hotel.
The group intends to introduce further environmental improvements across its portfolio, which includes Rossett Hall near Wrexham, the Wild Pheasant Hotel and Spa in Llangollen, The George Hotel in Penrith and Stonecross Manor in the Lake District.
Measures introduced at the Belmont include thermodynamic panels and voltage optimisers, which convert the electricity supply from the usual 240 volts to 220 volts.
Banks of batteries have also been installed to store spare energy and allow the hotel to take advantage of cheaper night-rate electricity.
The business is also planning to install solar panels on the hotel’s roof. This is expected to mean the property uses hardly any electricity from the grid between March and September.
The investment comes as the Belmont competes to be named Hotel of the Year at the 2026 Welsh Hospitality Awards.
Manager Liam Donnelly described the shortlisting as the “cherry on the cake”, with the winner due to be announced in Cardiff on September 15.
Liam, 33, said Everbright’s commitment to investing in green technology was helping the group remain ahead of its competitors.
He will be hoping to repeat his previous success at the awards after leading the Llandudno Bay Hotel team to victory in the Hotel Team of the Year category in 2023.
Liam 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 group’s investment in sustainability has already earned industry recognition for the Llandudno Bay Hotel.
The property was named Sustainable Luxury Hotel Group of the Year and received the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Hotel of the Year award at the 2023 Go North Wales Tourism Awards.
Everbright Group Operations Director Darryl Shaw said the Belmont’s shortlisting at the Welsh Hospitality Awards was a well-deserved achievement.
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.”
