AA Hotel & Hospitality Services has revealed the winners of its 2026 awards, with a selection of Wales' leading hotels, restaurants, hospitality groups and emerging talent recognised at a prestigious ceremony in London.
Celebrating 70 years of the AA Rosette award, close to 1,000 guests gathered at JW Marriott Grosvenor House, London for one of the biggest evenings in the hospitality calendar. The awards recognise the people and businesses continuing to set high standards across hotels, restaurants, spas, inns and B&Bs, as well as the teams behind the scenes who play such an important role in delivering exceptional guest experiences.
Wales was well represented among this year's winners, with The Walnut Tree, The Jackdaw, The Classroom at Cardiff & Vale College, The Celtic Collection and Porth Tocyn Hotel all taking home awards, alongside Penmaenuchaf Dolgellau, which was awarded a 4 Red Star rating.
The Gunroom Restaurant, Caernarfon and Lofft, Cardiff were both awarded new 3 AA Rosettes, recognising their high standards of cuisine.
At the heart of the Welsh restaurant scene, The Walnut Tree was named AA Restaurant of the Year Wales, while The Jackdaw took the AA Wine Award Wales. The two awards recognise excellence across both food and wine, with each restaurant making its mark in its respective category.
The next generation of hospitality talent was also recognised, with The Classroom at Cardiff & Vale College named AA College Restaurant of the Year. The Cardiff college restaurant took the title ahead of finalists from York College, Milton Keynes College and Truro & Penwith College.
In the hotel sector, Porth Tocyn Hotel was named AA Hotel of the Year Wales, adding another major accolade for the Welsh hospitality industry.
There was further success for The Celtic Collection, which was named AA Group of the Year, recognising the strength of its hospitality operation across the group.
The awards come as the AA marks seven decades of the AA Rosette, a landmark anniversary for one of the UK hospitality industry's most established measures of culinary excellence. This year's ceremony also introduced new awards for sustainability and hotel teams, recognising the changing priorities of the industry alongside the standards that have long underpinned the AA awards.
AA Hospitality Awards – 2026 Welsh winners
- AA Restaurant of the Year – Wales: The Walnut Tree Inn, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
- AA Group of the Year: The Celtic Collection, Newport
- AA Hotel of the Year – Wales: Porth Tocyn Hotel, Abersoch, Gwynedd
- AA Wine Award – Wales: The Jackdaw, Conwy
- AA College Restaurant of the Year: The Classroom, Cardiff & Vale College, Cardiff
- New 3 Rosettes: The Gunroom Restaurant, Caernarfon, Gwynedd
- New 3 Rosettes: Lofft, Cardiff
- New 4 Red Stars: Penmaenuchaf Dolgellau, Dolgellau, Gwynedd
The full list of this year's AA Hospitality Awards winners can be found on the AA's Rated Trips website here
All of 2026's restaurant award winners and new Rosette holders feature in the AA Restaurant Guide 2027, a definitive guide showcasing the finest cuisine the UK has to offer.
The AA Hospitality Awards would also like to thank their sponsors; Matthew Clark Bibendum, People 1st, eviivo, IHS & Maes, RAW Charging, The Fork, Taittinger, Cobra, Venners, St Ewes, Johnsons Hotel Linen, RAK, Sky, Sealy, Clockwork Marketing, Taylors of Harrogate, La Bottega collective, Umbrella Training, World Pay, Caterer.com, Woods Foodservice, James Hallam, Chabé.
