The Celtic Manor Resort has been named the UK’s Best Hotel for the fourth year running at the prestigious Meetings & Incentive Travel Awards.
The five-star resort in South Wales retained the Gold Award by beating off strong competition from Chewton Glen in the New Forest (Silver) and London’s St Ermin’s Hotel (Bronze).
Cementing Celtic Manor’s position as the leading destination for events in the UK, the latest accolade comes at the start of a momentous year when the South Wales resort will host the 2014 NATO Summit and finalise plans to build a new international convention centre.
Voted for by more than 4,500 readers of ‘Meetings & Incentive Travel’ magazine, the award was presented at a glittering gala dinner compered by TV presenter Kate Silverton at London’s Battersea Evolution last night (Tuesday 26th February).
Celtic Manor Resort Chief Operating Officer Ian Edwards said: “This is a very important year for Celtic Manor and we are delighted that we can once again lay claim to being the best hotel in the UK when we welcome 60 world leaders for the NATO Summit in September.
“What is most pleasing is that this award is voted for by the industry experts who are, in effect, our clients. It is very reassuring to know that we are so highly rated for exceeding our clients’ expectations and reinforces our belief in building a new international convention centre to host much bigger and even better events here in Wales.”
The Welsh Government has already provided match funding for the initial design and planning stage for the state-of-the-art convention centre which would include a new auditorium, exhibition hall and associated facilities with capacity for around 4,000 delegates, making it the largest facility of its kind in Wales or the south west of England.
The new centre would allow Celtic Manor and Wales to compete for major conference business with large convention centres like those at Liverpool and Dublin, which were among the other winners at the Meetings & Incentive Travel Awards.
With 400 bedrooms in two hotels, an additional country inn, a large and versatile convention centre, three championship golf courses, six restaurants, two luxurious spas and health clubs, The Celtic Manor Resort already occupies a unique position in the marketplace.
The resort’s existing convention centre houses the Caernarfon Suite which can seat 1,500 delegates for a keynote lecture or 900 dining guests for a gala dinner. An additional 31 syndicate and meeting rooms with break-out areas can cater for every event from a small meeting around a table to large presentations for hundreds of people.
The resort will also open 10 new luxury Hunter Lodges this spring and boasts adventure activities which can be used for corporate team-building within its 2,000 acres of beautiful Usk Valley parkland. It is ideally located on the M4 motorway just two hours by road or rail from London.
Celtic Manor www.celtic-manor.com