The Albert Hotel, the harbour side pub in Port St Mary, has been crowed the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Isle of Man Pub of the Year 2024.

The award was recently presented by CAMRA’s Graeme Jones in recognition of the pub’s long-standing excellence and commitment to quality real ale. The Albert has a rich history, having had very few landlords since World War II, and is known for its immaculate upkeep.

This isn’t the first time the pub has received the prestigious title, as it has claimed the accolade several times before, and was runner-up last year. One of the pub's key attractions is its carefully curated selection of real ales, with a special emphasis on stronger beers such as Old Empire and Abbott, which are regularly available for its loyal clientele.

In addition to its beer offering, the Albert boasts fantastic views of the Port St Mary harbour.

It is believed to be the only pub on the island where patrons can see the summit of Snaefell from inside.

Following CAMRA’s branch meeting earlier this year, a shortlist of seven pubs was drawn up for the CAMRA members to vote on.

The seven included the Miller's T'Ale, Trafalgar, Sidings, Woodbourne, Rovers Return. Albert, Douglas and the Albert, Port St Mary. CAMRA members needed to visit a minimum of five out of the seven shortlisted pubs in order for their voting cards to count.

The categories that they judge the pubs on are: Quality and condition of beer/cider/perry, promotion and knowledge of product, cleanliness and staff hygiene, community focus and atmosphere, welcome and offering, style and decor, sympathy with CAMRA’s aims and overall impression and value.

This year, The Trafalgar in Ramsey, last year’s winner and a finalist in CAMRA’s national competition, finished in second place alongside Millers T’Ale, the island’s only micropub.