The Manor House At Celtic Manor

We decided we’d rather drive home and stay there than put up with more confusion and poor service. This was anything but a relaxing hotel visit, and nowhere near the standard you’d expect from a resort with this reputation. Parking was stressful from the outset: the layout made little sense, signs were poor, and it was badly lit at night, making the area feel unsafe. Once inside, we were checked into a room that already had someone staying in it. After we raised it, staff apologized and offered another room, then later called it an “upgrade” and effectively took that back. Their communication was confusing and inconsistent, and they seemed poorly trained in basic customer service. They also said parking would be free, but still charged us £4. It wasn’t a huge amount, but summed up the lack of coordination and clarity. The hotel seemed disorganized. Leftover food trays and room service items sat in the corridors, which didn’t seem hygienic or well managed. At one point, I had to walk through an ongoing wedding party in a conference room to reach our room. Better directions or another route should have been arranged; it was awkward and disruptive for both the wedding party and us. We were told the two hotels on site were “separate but joined,” yet they offered us an upgrade in the other hotel, so they seem to operate as one when it suits them. The mixed messages reflected the overall lack of organization. Avoid The Manor House at Celtic Manor Resort if you value your time, money, and sanity. The whole stay was chaotic from start to finish.

Dinner at The Grill was enjoyable, and we made good use of the spa and swimming pool in the morning. A helpful member of the Concierge team also saved the day when the car park exit system wouldn’t work as we were leaving. The stay was pleasant overall, though there were a few issues: a missing light bulb in our room was reported but never fixed, the bathroom hot water was unreliable, and there wasn’t much information on how to find your way around the complex.

The room was quiet, peaceful, clean, and tidy, with a great shower. Staff were excellent, polite, and courteous, from reception through to the golf team. The spa and swimming pool were great too. We had a golf-weekend package with two nights and two rounds, on the 2010 and Montgomery Courses, but it wasn’t cheap and we were disappointed to pay for parking. To reach the outside car park or the main reception, where the Spa is, you need to book a shuttle bus, unless you want a good 10-minute walk from the manor. On the Friday we arrived, there were dirty plates and empty alcohol bottles on a table by the lift on the fourth floor. They were still there when we left on Sunday. We couldn’t understand why driving-range balls were complimentary on the 2010 course but cost extra at Montgomery. The 2010 course greens could have been better. Montgomery’s were better than the 2010 greens, when it should be the other way around given the courses’ stature and the cost to play. We didn’t eat there because the food seemed expensive. £8.00 for a pint of inches cider also felt over the top.

For our evening meal we went to The Olive Tree, where the food and service were excellent. Our family gathering used four rooms: three in the main hotel were excellent, while ours in The Manor House was a little tired. The white curtains looked due for a clean and the fridge door was hanging down. We had lunch in the Merlin bar. Service was okay, but the food took over an hour, making things rushed because some of our party had booked swimming.