A three day wellness itinerary for Business Events in South Wales

Wales makes an ideal location for wellness retreats, packed with uplifting views of stunning green countryside and rolling hills, crystal rivers and lakes to connect back to nature in wide-open spaces, shared just with the local wildlife and the local community of course.  There are a variety of activities on offer including, spa treatments, yoga, Welsh food experiences, golf course lessons, canoeing, paddle boarding and long stretches of beaches, cycle trails and some great walks in our National Park, and even an opportunity to try your hand at duck herding, on this three-day mind, body, soul retreat.

Travel into the South East region of Wales and city of Newport (Trefdraeth), to the Celtic Manor Resort. By air into Cardiff International Airport, just 40 minutes away from the resort, or through Bristol airport, which is also just a 40 minute journey by road to the resort.

By road, over The Prince of Wales bridge on the river Severn, just 2½ hours from London. By rail, with great links from all major UK cities, departing at Newport train station, where the Celtic Manor Resort team can arrange meet and greet.

Standing proud on a Welsh hillside and overlooking the ICC Wales in Newport, conveniently located just off the M4 motorway in South Wales, yet nestled in 2,000 acres of beautiful lush countryside, is Celtic Manor Resort.

This luxurious 5 star resort and spa, has received many awards over the last eight years including seven awards for UK’s Best Hotel at the prestigious Meetings and Incentive Travel Awards. This incredible resort has over 21 meeting and syndicate rooms available for hire, plus the Caernarfon suite, which can host up to 1,250 delegates and a highly experienced events team, to support clients from planning to delivery. 

The resort features 330 luxurious bedrooms and suites but that’s not all. Within the Celtic Manor Collection you can also find the beautiful historic 19th century Manor House, with 70 bedrooms on offer, Hunter lodges with breath taking views overlooking the golf courses and where influential world business leaders, including the former President of the United States of America, Barack Obama resided, during the 2014 NATO Wales summit.

With seven exceptional restaurants to choose from, three championship golf courses, including the Twenty Ten Ryder Cup Course, two spas, treatment rooms, fitness suite and hairdresser on site, it’s the ideal place to revive teams.

Check in to the accommodation of your choice, before meeting the resort team in reception for a welcome vitality drink. The Celtic Manor Resort and ICC Wales team along with Culinary Director Peter Fuchs, created the mind, body, soul concept. By feeding the mind, body and soul with goodness, it can increase attentiveness, concentration and ultimately productivity. As a result, events can achieve communication that is more successful with sustained energy levels across the meeting table. This concept is carried out throughout every experience discovered here.

The first onsite team building activity will refresh the body, with the experience package on offer. Go back to nature for some onsite outdoor fun and choose three experiences from the following; duck herding, segway safari, falconry or axe throwing, all taken on with an experienced coach, it’s a great way to connect, have some fun and bond with colleagues, whilst taking in the beautiful green countryside views and fresh air.

For lunch, dine at Rafters Restaurant. Set within the prestigious Twenty Ten Clubhouse on the resort; enjoy the stunning views over The Twenty Ten course and beautiful Usk Valley. From superfood soups and salads to locally sourced meats and indulgence deserts and drinks there’s an offer for every taste to revive the body and mind, ready for the afternoon’s activity.

Start with an introduction to relaxing the mind; choose from yoga, tai chi or a watercolour painting class, to help teams unwind, or if golf is more appealing then how about a lesson or even game of golf on the Twenty Ten Golf course with colleagues, from beginner to pro, discover who has the best golfing skills of the team.

After a long day, its time to unwind with some free time before dinner where a private dining experience will be held at the Steak on Six restaurant. Situated exclusively on the sixth floor of the resort, with breathtaking views of the surrounding valley, it's the perfect setting to relax and enjoy some of the locally sourced produce from Wales to toast a successful first day.

After a hearty Welsh breakfast, its time to relax and enjoy the scenery. Travel just 30 minutes north, to waterfall country in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, one of three national park’s in Wales.

Experts in coaching and approved leadership courses, with a C&IT best team building event award, Call of the Wild, will be your guide, driver and coach creating a memorable and energising experience, in the beauty of Wales’ natural outdoor meeting space.

Discover their exclusive package with the reflective walks experience. Taking in the relaxing woodland, natural caves, stunning crystal waterfalls and even walking behind one with an exclusive private tour guide. You’ll have the opportunity to be at one with nature whilst on this reflective walk, with no electronic device signal to intrude, providing an official off the grid walk and helping to reflect on experiences, and encourage thought provoking solutions to solving problems.  

With regular breaks along the way, relax in front of a roaring waterfall and meditate whilst feeling the cool spray of the water revive the team and if the water experience is of interest, there’s also an option of an exclusive and guided wild swim thrown in.

This truly remarkable experience enables clients to change their perspective whether physically or metaphorically, enabling you to experience things from a completely new perspective. A way to revive the mind body and soul.     

For lunch its time to relax with a Welsh picnic, sit and take in the truly remarkable views of this beautiful landscape, before heading back south to the Celtic Manor Resort.

The afternoon will be spent with some free time to network with colleagues at the resort. With so many wellness options on offer, clients will be spoilt for choice. Choose from luxury spa and beauty room treatments, cardio and muscle building in the fitness studio, swimming and steam room in one of the two spa’s available here and for the golf enthusiast, there a few more courses to master golfing skills and unwind.

For dinner it’s a more relaxed atmosphere in the Grill restaurant, overlooking the Roman golf course,  catch up with colleagues and reflect on the second day's activities in Wales.

Start with a woodland walk and foraging experience, just 20 minutes from the resort North to near Monmouthshire at the Tudor Farmhouse. Experts here lead fascinating tours on discover how to identify and pick wild foods, whilst walking through woodland and hedgerows in the Forest of Dean, before learning how to create a menu and sampling some spectacular dishes for lunch sourced from local suppliers.

Travel back to the resort and time to freshen up to spend the afternoon and evening, with a trip to the capital city of Wales, Cardiff (Caerdydd).

With some free time, choose from visiting the magnificent Cardiff Castle, the National Museum Cardiff, a cycle tour through Bute Park, or just to relax with some forest bathing, as you immerse yourself into the open natural parkland, just steps away from the bustling city centre. 

If retail therapy is needed, then Cardiff is the perfect place to shop with everything from independent shops in the quirky small arcades to the major chain stores, in the large arcades of Queen St and St David’s arcades and make sure to browse Shop Wales for some quirky gifts to take home with you. Take a wander around Museum of Cardiff located in the 'Old Library', which captures the history of Cardiff through stories, photographs, films and objects. Walk around the interactive exhibits then stop off in Bodlon, its gift shop full of Welsh goods, including bars of chocolate made in West Wales and Melin Tregwynt Welsh wool blankets.

For the arts, head down to Cardiff Bay just a short water taxi or train ride down from the city centre and arrive at the Wales Millennium Centre. This stunning performance venue is made of glass, slate, and home to seven of Wales’ major cultural institutions, including the Welsh National Opera. On this exclusive behind the scenes curated tour, discover how they have fired imagination into the performances they stage here and how they kindle emerging talents with fresh, provocative and popular productions of their own, rooted in Welsh culture. Later relax and submerge yourself fully into a performance at the venue. 

The venue can also be hired for receptions, product launches and gala dinners on stage.

With so many restaurants and experiences to choose from you’ll be spoiled for choice. From a private dining area at The Ivy Cardiff, a city skyline view from the private terrace of the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill to a perfect bay side view at Tyr Y Mor in the 5 star voco® St David’s in Cardiff Bay with unspoiled views of the water and both indoor and alfresco dining. The chef here draws inspiration from the eclectic food culture and bold flavours of Australasia and Asia-Pacific, while looking closer to home for the best of season produce with the finest selection of Welsh meats and fish.

After dinner, head back to the Celtic Manor Resort for a peaceful and relaxed night’s sleep before your next day departure.