Closer than you think, Cardiff (Caerdydd) is just under two hours from London Paddington, with trains running every 30 minutes and frequent public transport services from all other major UK cities, including Birmingham and Bristol . Whilst Bristol Airport is just 40 minutes away, Cardiff has its own International Airport and is just 20 minutes from the capital city, with daily flights from leading operators including KLM, and Vueling.
Cardiff or Caerdydd as it's pronounced in Welsh, is the capital city of Wales. Discover a vibrant, modern and cosmopolitan city, with attractions, arts, culture, history, a waterside bay, leading Universities, innovate businesses, major sporting and music events.
The surrounding area of the South Wales valleys with its gentle rolling hills, golf courses, lakes, rivers, industrial communities, influential businesses and thousands of years of history, are all here ready for you to explore.
Cardiff and the surrounding area can provide exclusive curated tours for incentives including castles, stately homes and museums full of Welsh history. There are also meeting spaces, world-class stadia and arenas for exhibitions and white water rafting, canyoning, surfing and escape rooms for team building and corporate away days. For wellbeing, there are lush green open spaces, mountains and parks for cycling, hiking, relaxation and wellbeing.
Day one
Located in the heart of the city, Principality Stadium provides a striking backdrop for business events. This extraordinary venue has a dedicated business events and catering team on hand. This magnificent stadium has played host to many major sporting events, including the UEFA Champions league final, Rugby World Cup matches, and is the home ground for the Wales International Rugby team.
The stadium has 113 hospitality suites overlooking the pitch, six lounges for up to 300 people for bespoke dinners and meetings, over 11,000sqm of exhibition / arena space on the magnificent pitch with a retractable roof. With curated VIP behind the scenes stadium tours available it is a champion venue for Business Events.
Begin the journey with a curated VIP behind the scenes tour and hear more about this impressive stadium. Step into the boots of the International teams and stars who play here, by walking out from the changing rooms onto the pitch and hearing the roar of the crowds supporting their teams routing them to win. Meet with one of the team’s physiotherapists for a refreshment break in the hospitality suite for a motivational talk and discussion. Learn more about how the city engages with the universities here, which makes it a great place to study, work and live.
As if being a world famous footballer for Real Madrid and Wales wasn't enough, Wales born Gareth Bale has not just one but two premium sports bars and restaurants in his home town in Cardiff. Elevens Bar and Grill after his shirt number playing for Wales, Gareth collaborated with Cardiff's biggest brewery, Brains, to bring local food and beer to the venue, which is directly opposite Cardiff Castle and just a short walk from the stadium. Stop for a pint of Brains and even possibly catch a match featuring Gareth on one of the sports screens as this inspiring young boy followed his dreams of becoming a star. Meanwhile Par 59 after Gareth's love of golf, is a new collaboration between Gareth Bale's Eleven's group and Depot the leading alternative event place in the capital city. Par 59 is an underground venue, with causal setaing and dining designed to bring people together and boasts two 9 hole custom designed mini golf courses.
From here, travel just a short 20 minute drive to the Vale Resort, the base and accommodation for the next two days. Nestled in over 650 acres of Welsh countryside, yet conveniently located just off the M4 motorway, it makes a great location for relaxation, rejuvenation and motivation with some great outdoor experiences.
The Vale Resort boasts two championship golf courses and Wales’ largest spa and restaurant. There are 143 bedrooms including suites with balconies and has one of the most exceptional sporting facilities and gym. The Wales International football and rugby team both train here so it may be possible to see these inspirational managers, players and coaching teams either training in the grounds, at the gym or just relaxing in the hotel bar and restaurant.
Check into the hotel and spend an hour with some free time to enjoy the facilities before being given a private dining area in the AA rosette restaurant. A floor to ceiling conservatory setting with amazing views over the Resort’s lake golf course from the restaurant and on the terrace, whilst the champagne bar offers a more private setting for evening drinks. Try out some super food salads or go for the hearty Welsh local cuisine such as beef or lamb and toast the first fun and successful day in Wales.
Day two
Morning
Wake up feeling rejuvenated and after a hearty Welsh breakfast it is time for the next adventure with Call of the Wild. They are exemplars in providing activities which combine learning skills such as delegation, problem solving, and communication with fun. Call of the Wild are approved by the Institute of Leadership and Management and winners of the C&IT best UK teambuilding experts.
Travel 30 minutes’ from the resort entrance north of Cardiff to the edge of the beautiful Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park by the instructor.
Walk up Pen y Fan, the highest peak in South Wales at a whopping 886 metres / 2,970 feet above sea level. Home to where the military train as part of their selection process of the UK’s Special Forces personnel, the mountain has become a popular attraction for walkers looking to reach the summit and have their photos taken as walking champions. The views from the summit in their own rights are inspirational and breathtaking.
Alternatively, for a more adrenaline packed outdoor adventure, try canyoning. Work together as a team taking on this water and rock challenge in the beautiful rivers and waterfalls of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. Like water rafting without a raft, descend the stunning steep gorge, swim down rapids, pass through fast flowing waves and walk behind some breathtaking waterfalls whilst having fun jumping off them. Enjoy a well-earned Welsh lunch at the national park with a locally sourced Welsh picnic made by the chef at the Vale Resort.
Call of the Wild also offer bespoke team building packages and work with the industry to deliver onsite activities and accredited programmes.
Afternoon
Travel 20 minutes south over the mountains and arrive in the small town of Penderyn, home to Penderyn Brecon Beacons Distillery, where they produce the award–winning single malt whisky and spirits. Once a coal mining community this area of South Wales is also the site of the oldest last working deep coal mine in the United Kingdom. It closed in 1994, but then reopened with a buyout from the local miners as a private colliery, until it finally stopped mining in 2008 with the end of the coal industry in Wales.
Embark on a private curated tour of the distillery and discover insights on why this area of Wales was the preferred location and the challenges they have faced and worked as a team to overcome to make this a global brand. There’s also a tasting session at the end of the tour and a shop to take a taste of Wales home.
After an exhilarating day, it’s time to relax and unwind in the Vale Resort leisure and spa facilities before dinner at the exclusive venue in Hensol Castle.
The magnificent 17th century Hensol castle sits on the doorstep of the Vale Resort. Previous owners included Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw the build of London’s infamous clock tower ‘Big Ben’, which was supposedly coined after Benjamin Hall himself. Today, the owner Mr Gerald Leeke, who incidentally also owns the Vale Resort and chain department stores Leekes, offers the castle as a unique conference venue.
Six rooms are available to accommodate up to 308 theatre, or 240 banquet style in the Courtyard Hall. All meeting rooms offer natural daylight, with beautiful views of the expansive estate, which include the lush green forest and Serpentine Lake. Due to the private ownership of this listed building, it means restrictions of corporate branding do not apply here and the whole castle can be hired and branded exclusively for any event, at a very competitive rate.
The grounds are used by the International Rugby and football teams for training who can often be seen on the pitch from the meeting rooms here.
With free transfers from the Vale Resort, arrive and be met by one of the managing directors of the resort, to embark on an exclusive tour of Hensol Castle Distillery which opened in 2020. There will be insights into what makes this family run business grow from strength to strength and some of the challenges they face along the way. For dinner, there is a full Welsh banquet served in a private dining room, with entertainment of a Welsh choir or Welsh harpist. Full and exclusive access to the rest of the castle and grounds creates a more relaxed but still exclusive evening.
Day three
The last morning in Wales can be spent at the Vale Resort with a few options to spend some free time including a round of golf, clay pigeon shooting or a spa treatment. Alternatively, just a few minutes away, Llanerch Vineyard provide tours and tasting of their wines. It is also home to Angela Gray’s Cookery School. Discover new baking skills with these fun workshops. Lunch can either be served at the at the vineyard or resort with plenty of local produce to sample.
Another option is to visit The Royal Mint, just a five minute drive away in Llantrisant. Here after some stringent security clearance checks, embark on a fascinating journey through this remarkable working factory. Guided exclusively on a VIP curated tour, learn more about the manufacturing process, the machinery used and the 1000 years of history of the mint. The skilled workforce can be watched producing not only the British coins in use today but also commemorative coins and medals for Britain and across the world. For a special reward programme, there are also tailored packages available, which include a curated tour, lunch and an opportunity to strike one of the bronze silver or gold Britannia coins.
