About Celtic Manor Resort
When Celtic Inns Ltd. purchased as a derelict Manor House in 1980, few
people could have imagined that it would become part of such a prestigious,
internationally recognised development.
The vision came from the company's chairman, Sir Terry Matthews, a highly successful entrepreneur who has invested £100m in the project. Sir Terry lives in Canada, where he founded two highly successful telecommunications businesses, Mitel and Newbridge Networks. However, he was born in the Manor House when it was a maternity hospital, and has strong family ties in the area.
The Celtic Manor Resort is first and foremost a commercial venture. From the outset, Sir Terry saw that the site - with its superb countryside and proximity to the M4 - had the potential for development into a thriving business. However, he also hoped there would be wider benefits for local people and Wales as a whole.
"I think the resort can act as a magnet to draw new investment into Wales from across the UK and overseas," he said recently. "I did my best to put up a building that you can see from the West End of London and I didn't come far short of it!"
The Manor House
The first step in The Celtic Manor's development was the renovation of the 19th century Manor House, which had fallen into disrepair since being closed as a maternity hospital in 1975.
In 1991, plans were unveiled for further expansion, this time on an even bigger scale using land stretching from the grounds of the Manor House to the River Usk three miles away. The major elements were a new hotel and convention centre and two golf courses with a clubhouse and leisure centre.
Terry Matthews had become friends with the legendary golf course architect, the late Robert Trent Jones Snr after a chance meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mr Trent Jones' family roots were in Aberystwyth and he was instantly enthusiastic about creating world-class layouts in Wales.
Work began on the Roman Road course in September 1992, with painstaking attention to the protection of trees, wildlife and a wealth of archaeological features. Several Roman roads, including the main route connecting the fortress of Caerleon with the town of Caerwent, cross the land and the course was shaped to avoid disrupting the remains.
In 1994, contractors started building the luxurious £10m golf clubhouse, incorporating new leisure facilities, and a Golf School with a 24 bay driving range and three coaching suites. Construction also began on a 4,000-yard, executive-style course, Coldra Woods, which was built around the site of a hilltop Roman military camp.
The following year, the new facilities were opened to the public and The Celtic Manor Golf Club was formed with 100 founder members, captained by the television presenter Alan Wilkins.
Five Star Status & Hotel of the Year for Wales 2000!
The AA, RAC and Wales Tourist Board have all given the resort five star status in recognition of its exceptional standards in terms of interior design, accommodation, furnishings, food, services and customer care. During its assessment for AA five star status, inspectors believed that in terms of scale and facilities The Celtic Manor Resort had few peers. In their report, they commented that it was enormously impressive, boasting luxurious and well-equipped conferencing, leisure provisions, eating options and bedrooms. As confirmation of their high opinion of the hotel, the AA awarded Celtic Manor Hotel of the Year for Wales 2000.
Blue Ribbon Award
The RAC also awarded The Celtic Manor Resort further accolade with its Blue Ribbon award. This serves to distinguish hotels that offer a little bit extra in terms of quality. Linda Astbury, RAC Manager Hotel Services, said: "The Celtic Manor Resort is an excellent example of the continually increasing standards in the UK hospitality industry."
