Perched on top of a hill, The Celtic Manor could be mistaken as a fortress rather than a world class golf resort.
The former Ryder Cup venue is situated just off the M4 in Newport, South Wales, and is easily accessible form London, The Midlands and the South West of England.
On arrival guests will be amazed at the grand modern hotel building which is situated alongside one of the three championship golf courses on offer.
Upon entering the hotel, you will experience a spacious foyer with comfortable seating and elaborate carvings. This is surrounded by the reception and guest service desks where staff offer a warm welcome and are quick to assist you with anything that you need during your stay.
We were allocated with a room on the seventh floor, which was stylish in design with state of the art decor and furnishing. The room had a balcony which offered a lovely view of a sweeping fairway from one of the courses.
As we arrived for our evening meal we were invited for pre-dinner drinks in the finely decorated Signature Lounge.
After selecting from the extensive drinks menu we progressed to dine in the Steak on Six restaurant, where the relaxed ambience is in complete contrast to the spectacular views of the busy city life below.
The menu is extensive with a wide variety of high quality meals on offer that would suit varying tastes, whether it be the fine selection of meat and fish dishes, a specialist Argentinian menu or vegetarian options.
The staff have exceptional knowledge of the food on offer and the service was friendly and efficient.
Other eating options include the Olive Tree and Garden room where we had our buffet style breakfast, which offers elegant surroundings and a fine selection of foods.
Golf and leisure facilities at the resort are second to none, There are three courses on offer. The Twenty Ten Course – the first course specifically designed to host the Ryder Cup, The Roman Road Course and The Mongomerie Couse.
We took a courtesy bus from the hotel down to the Twenty Ten Clubhouse, where upon arrival we were met by knowledgeable staff only too happy to cater for your golfing needs.
The clubhouse features bars, a well stocked store and fantastic changing room facilities, where golfers can choose a locker of their choice, some of which were used by European and US members of the 2010 Ryder cup teams.
Once you are ready to play, golfers are escorted to a practice range and putting area, next to the first tee of the resorts flagship championship course.
Situated in a valley the course is surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape of woodland and wildlife. The manicured fairways and greens snake their way around a series of lakes and you are never too far away from a reminder of a classic Ryder Cup moment on the course.
If golfing is not to your liking guests can visit the Spa and Fitness centre, where you can workout in the well equipped gym and swimming pool or take a more relaxed approach by being pampered with one of the selection of spa treatments on offer.
This resort has a lot of everything for everyone. Whilst it boasts some of the the worlds best golfing facilities which make it an ideal break for groups of friends, the sheer luxury of the hotel and the range of facilities on offer means that it would make an ideal break for families and couples.
It’s well worth a visit.
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Words Steve Chatterley
