Celtic Manor Resort Reviews 

Having been a regular visitor to The Celtic Manor Resort prior to COVID and always enjoyed the experience. I was very disappointed that our last visit didn’t come close to what we were expecting.

We experienced issues at every stage, even ordering a drink was an absolute nightmare.

Having completed the customer satisfaction survey and also emailing the complaint I received the following response.

“ Good Afternoon

Thank you for taking the time to give us feedback regarding your visit here at the Celtic Manor Resort.

Feedback from our guests is extremely important to allow us to improve on areas that fell below standards upon your visit.

I will therefore pass your comments onto our management team who will be in contact with you within 7 working days.

Thank you once again for your feedback; we will be in touch in due course.

Kind Regards
Guest Services Team”

Our stay was November 2022 and it is now March 2023, I’ve given The Celtic Manor four months to respond when in their own words I should have had a response within 7 days! I‘ve heard nothing.

I didn’t want to have to write this review on here but given my latest experience I’m not convinced that the The Celtic Manor care about their customer service or actual service anymore which is very disappointing!

This seems to be a theme looking at previous reviews,my niece booked afternoon tea & use of spa facilities for her mum & me her aunt we are twins for our 60th birthday,pool,hot tub,sauna nice had to ask 3 times for bag for very wet bathing costumes dressed sat in reception still no bags 2 girls on desk no attempt to engage or go the extra mile at all,afternoon tea very poor very dry sandwiches & very poor fillings cakes non descriptive,having travelled the world in 5star a lot could be learned from far superior hotels.Wouldnt recommend,I feel the hotel has lost it’s edge & is very tired.

Having travelled to over 100 countries in my life and spending on average 140+ nights a year in hotels (prior to lock down), I can truly say that I am absolutely disappointed by the poor state of the Celtic Manor, decorating is tired and worn out, cleanliness is sub-standard, bathroom has rust formed around bath waste, patio doors leading to the balcony have flaking paint above them, no water in the room, after check-in found room key not activated, numerous discarded glasses, bottles half full cups along corridor leading to the rooms.
Overall a very poor first impression had we not been here for a relative’s birthday party we would have checked out immediately.
This has the potential to be an extremely good hotel however presently, it fails to justify its 4 star rating.

We are staying here Christmas Eve & Christmas night. Extremely processed breakfast. Kids running around the restaurant in pyjamas and adults in slippers. Thought I was in Butlins.

Room was freezing cold, restaurant also freezing cold. Food incorrectly labeled as vegetarian but had meat in it. Food not good and charged a service charge for a self serve buffet style meal.
Overcharged on the bar and then charged twice for the room.
Made a complaint online and on the phone and was promised a call back.
No one called back
They do not care about their guests at all
Don’t waste your money you would be much better off staying at a travel lodge.

In all fairness you pay a lot for Celtic manor, and a few things make it not worth it. The hotel itself is nice. The sports bar doesn’t offer food or snacks so you have to go to the Merlin bar. This was full so you had to wait, once in service was difficult and drinks were forgotten. If you have a bar that caters for over 100 people you can’t use the excuse as it’s full and that you can’t cope. Back down to sports bar and 1 poor girl serving a lot of customers when the footballs on, a very long wait for a drink. Back in the room no stool for dressing table and door broken on fridge. Not exactly 5 star or worth the money paid. It’s very expensive here so you have to justify your prices.

Absolutely appalling.

Arrived around 1pm as the App gave us our room key and told us we were checked in.

Got to the room, the app didn't work, so had to lug all of our luggage back to the lobby.

Got a physical room key, headed back up, opened up the room and wouldn't you believe it ... its dirty. Wine bottles everywhere, pillows thrown around, wine glasses, used ear buds. Excellent!

Took all the luggage back down to the lobby, told we would have to wait till 4pm for another room and they would call us. Told them I'd like to make a complaint and they offered us complimentary red wine.

4:15pm, I head over to the desk as I've received no phone call. Room is ready, I head up to check leaving the luggage with my partner, room looks good. Where the red wine? They've forgotten it.

I head back down to the desk to query, have to queue as there's a tonne of customers waiting, was told they'll send it to the room shortly.

I get the luggage from my partner, excess from the car, set the room up. No red wine, its 5pm.

I call down to the desk from the room. Was told they'll sort it immediately. What arrives? Chile White Wine.

At this point I just accept and deal with it.

How can you get it so wrong? We have a 4 month old with us, it's just painful...

I have pictures of the first room we were given as proof, happy to supply.

Party time tonight, shine taken off it. Couldn’t book rooms, they blocked them out just in case Tyson Fury was fighting, and they could hike the prices up. They actually told us that!!! Not fighting now so rooms available, some of us managed to book others didn’t so can’t come. Drinks discount offered, but link wouldn’t work for us to pre-order and they didn’t get back to us when we raised the problem, so they’ve now said we’re too late to get the discount. No transfer between CM hotels, you have to book your own taxi! Awful so far. Won’t be going there again. Dread to think what this evening will be like.

Gave rating of 1 as it wouldn’t let me give a zero. After staying here for work and the odd get away a few times over the years and for part of our honeymoon, we decided to return for a few nights as a wedding Anniversary treat. How down hill this hotel has gone is shocking to say the very least. Just terrible, no room when we arrived even though booked signature floor and turned up after check in had started, took over half hour of us just left stood waiting at reception for them to find us a room and book us in. As they had closed our original room for maintenance, Then had to return to reception from the room and wait another 15mins as they had lost our luggage, turns out they had put it in someone else’s room!! This meant we missed our swimming slot we had booked. Room was disgusting dirty with bacteria in and around shower, thick dust on carpets and gross bin in bathroom. On the evening we popped down to the bar for a quiet drink where the piano player usually is, this is not a sports bar!!! The bar was full of intoxicated fans in sports tops being loud and making a fool out of them selfs. On ordering a pimms at the bar, a drink that is on the menu the bar tender asked me if pimms had lemonade in it and also had to ask me what fruit went in the drink as he had no idea, I might as well have made it myself. The following morning we had booked a slot for breakfast in steak on six, we turned up 5-10 mins before our booking time, there was no hot food left at breakfast. When we asked if more would be coming out we were told no but we could have what was there and they offered to cook my wife an egg. We sat had coffee and eat toast and was ready to leave after 30mins when an egg just arrives on its own. Safe to say we just left. Why have time slots to book for breakfast when you can not provide food, after all it is not cheap!!! The second morning we decided to pay extra to have breakfast brought to our room in the hope that we would actually get a breakfast. When the food turned up it was cold and over cooked and just inedible. We booked Celtic manor for a well deserved relaxing treat but could not be more glad to leave. The whole experience was extremely disappointing and not what you would expect from a 5* hotel. With everything the two nights cost us over £1000 and it was not worth even a 10th of that. How this hotel is allowed to call it’s self a 5* hotel is beyond me. If you are looking for a true luxury break or even a break that is worth the money I would avoid the Celtic manor and spend your money on a real 5* hotel. Also nowhere advertised to direct complaints to or a complaints policy which I’m sure is against the law

If I could rate 0 stars I would!! Me and my boyfriend went away for 1 night for my birthday, all we’ve had is issues. We went to the rafters restaurant and paid for our meal via card machine, coming home we noticed on online banking we had been charged extra, I phoned and it appeared we had been charged twice for our meal! However this was sorted quite quickly and the two staff I dealt with were lovely. Now today, my boyfriend has noticed he has been charged an extra £437 on top of the £500+ we already had to pay for the room!!! Nearly £1000 taken out for 1 night which should have cost £387. We phoned again and I was hung up on, so he phoned and he said it seemed like the woman found it funny on the other end of the phone! We have been told that the first £437 is a ‘holding fee’ which we were told nothing about. Apparently this now won’t be refunded for 3-5 days which is ridiculous as it’s a lot of money to lose for such a long time. I will be writing a formal complaint but beware it will cost more than you expect!!

Worse than a Travelodge waste of money! AVOID THIS

My husband and I have just come back from the best weekend we have had for a very long time. I said to my husband a brief message.. to book us a hotel because I needed a massage, peace and quiet, relaxation, great food and drink. I got all that I ever wanted and more. Top it off best massage I have ever had, the girls name was Corrinne and my husband enjoyed his massage too her name was Shannon. But Corrinne she was absolutely amazing, I had a deep tissue massage just woah. The first night we went for the buffet style food which was amazing, Italian, Indian, fish dishes, your normal food like chips, mash, sausages etc so great for everyone's tastes in food. The next night we went to Steak on Six, I got to say it is expensive but you get what you pay for, the staff and food was incredible.

Overall an amazing weekend and we will be definitely back again.

Before our stay we were advised to go online and book swimming slots etc. Easier said than done. The website is not clear on how to do this. Next step- ring and speak to someone. Phones are never answered so I was surprised to arrive and find a whole team of receptionists at the desk. Very strange.
Parking very pricey. Very annoying to have £50 deducted from my card on arrival and viewing other comments I feel I will have a struggle to have this refunded. Our stay was a gift in voucher form which was taken from us when we checked in. Only to have another receptionist ask for it and warn us that had we not already booked in we would have incurred a charge- no mention of maybe retrieving the taken voucher! Steak on six restaurant was lovely but again ot wasn’t taken into account that our meals were already paid for snd we were charged again. To finish off the pillows in the room were uncomfortable to say the very least so a good sleep is not guaranteed at all. Overall not a great experience. Will not be in a hurry to repeat and already anticipating the action needed to retrieve the £50 “deposit”.

I stayed in Hunters Lodge from the 29th August to the 31st August. Its quite expensive to do this so you expect a bit of luxury or at the very least to be provided with what you paid for. We were not giveth keys to the lodge until well after the 4pm check in despite asking for them earlier. We then drove to the lodge to find that neither key worked. Came all the way back to reception to get new keys. Did not get into the lodge until much later than check in. The alarm went off. We called reception. It went off for 45 minutes before it was turned off. The beds were not separated into singles as we requested before we arrived. We called reception three times, each time they said someone would come to separate them but no one ever did until the next day at 2pm. The lodge was dirty: pots and utensils were greasy, someones underwear was found in one of the bedrooms, the sauna had rubbish from the previous guests, one of the bedrooms had dried spaghetti all over the carpet. The lodge was not properly cleaned. We requested ice which is a service they said they provided but none ever turned up. The power then went out. We called reception to report this, we were told it was being looked into and someone would get back to us but no one ever did so I called reception again as we had no lights and the sockets didn't work. We were then told it had nothing to do with the lodge and that it was an external problem and we would be kept informed. We were not kept informed. No one came to help us keep power to the fridge which is something we had to do ourselves. No assistance was given at all. A birthday cake in the fridge as a result went off. I came to Reception to discuss our stay before I left. Very little regard was given to the fact that we did not get what we paid for. It is not sufficient to thank your guests for feedback and nothing more. For one day we stayed in a dirty lodge not set up the way we requested. We could not use the sauna as it had other people rubbish not to mention other people underwear in the bedroom. This is not what we paid for. Additionally, when power goes out whether it is the hotels fault or not I would expect that the hotel would provide their guests with some assistance rather than literally leaving them in the dark. We were not even offered a later check out for our troubles. Truly awful service which made for a very miserable time. I have made a formal complaint asking for a partial refund which is currently being ignored.

Have just returned from afternoon tea at the Celtic Manor. To say we were disappointed is an understatement. I had booked for two but My daughter came along unexpectedly making three. I purchased another plate of sandwiches and an extra pot of tea. The sandwiches on the extra plate and the platter were an insult, three tiny finger sandwiches each with very little filling. You are given one small pot of tea each and when that is finished you have to pay for any extra that you want! I have been for several afternoon teas at different locations and always received bottomless tea or coffee. The scones were nice although only one small dish of jam and cream between two. The small cakes are frozen and when defrosted are soggy. I must say the service is excellent, the waiters were very attentive but the food lets this place down completely. When I came to pay the waiter actually asked if I wanted to leave a tip which I think is inappropriate. Will not be returning as it’s very overpriced for the standard of food we received.

We stayed at Celtic Manor on Friday 26 Sep 22 for the night enroute to Cardiff. Room was OK. Clean but not spotless. Slightly disappointed. Service was good in all the bars and the setting is lovely with lots to do. The Olivetree for dinner was a total disaster cold dry food the noisiest seating area and really poor table service. Breakfast in the Manor House Saturday morning was superb service cleanliness and quality everything was brilliant. Stayed at novotel in Cardiff Saturday Sunday and Monday no comparison with the setting and dining room etc but the room was absolutely spotless and what I expected at Celtic manor.

Celtic Manor should be a gem. Sadly it isn't.

The bar only take table orders or via the app. After ordering a drink and it not arriving after nearly thirty minutes I approach the two gents suited at the end of the bar, they appear to be some form of management and are chatting and laughing amongst themselves.

I politely approach and point out my concerns that the floor is under staffed and the process of ordering is impossible. An apology or explanation would of surficed.

No, not at Celtoc manner......The bar manager, who also claimed to be the main manager was the rudest, most concidening, arrogant individual I have ever had the misfortune of meeting.

I was informed they were having a business meeting at the end of the bar and I should go back to my seat and wait. Even the FOH manager who the bar manager was talking too was shocked at his demeanour.

After another 25 minutes the drink had not arrived. I approached the bar manager again who offered a weak apology that was refused. If he had really given a dam he wouldn't of taken his appalling approach or better still had found my drink.

This place is a disorganised joke from the rooms being allocated twice to the waiting staff being asked for a wine list to be then served a jug of water......When we pressed further the waitress apologised but said she would have to get a collegeue as she didn't speak English.

I can honestly say I have never been spoken to or experienced such disgusting level of service as experienced at the hands of the alleged bar manager.

This coupled with the tired building, the dated rooms and the evident inability off all the staff to even give a dam leads me to this one star review.

Save your pennies and go somewhere that actually want to see you.

Our first night was spent tossing and turning as the air conditioning was not working at all and there were no fans in both the rooms
Considering we went when it was the hottest day in Uk and the ac were not working the thick probably 13 tog duvets made it worse
They should have sheets according to the weather

Next night was ok and ac adjusted

No drinking water in the room at all
Not even at arrival which was strange as in most of the hotels the most basic courtesy is to give water at arrival
Unless their bathroom water is fit to drink

We were charged £577 extra at check out which we realised once we got home and checked our stmt

We called them they first refused then came back to say that yes they did charge and later refunded , after three phone calls .

The activities for kids could only be booked 72 hours before
We had planned our trip last minute so obviously didn’t get any kids activity booking when we wanted so that was a bit disappointing for the kids as they really wanted to try archery and laser tag

We did manage to get mini golf

The rooms were nice
Food and breakfast was also nice
They did arrange halal food for us one day
Staff at restaurant was friendly and helpful and very courteous

Stayed for two nights 8th and 9th of July, high hopes for the hotel but after checking into our allocated room this quickly went to 3 stars. Room on the 9th floor, no air conditioning, very tired and in need of a makeover and it was like an oven inside. It was too hot to have a shower. We complained and were given a room on the 10th floor. Again a very tired room with a cracked sink the whole room needing refurbishment. The air on was working but was very noisy ( it transpired that every room has its own compressor running the aircon for that particular room. The compressors are very loud. We ate in the Olive Tree which was mediocre, the sweet and sour chicken was very dry. It wasn’t until we went to bed that we noticed that the mattress was worn out and dipped badly in the middle. We didn’t get a lot of sleep. The next morning we had to arrange a third room but that wasn’t before the reception staff tried to get us to pack and move out of the room. I refused until a suitable room had been found. Eventually a third room was found and on inspection the air con wasn’t working. Maintenance reset the compressor but it wasn’t cooling down. Reception again tried to get us to pack and move out and I again refused until the third room was suitable. When rechecked by reception the room had been reallocated to someone else ( they had moved their luggage into it ) so we couldn’t use it. We were then offered a 6th floor signature room but we’re told that the room didn’t have air con. That was the final straw. We were eventually offered another room on the signature floor ( it was now 3pm, so a whole day had been wasted ) this was fine but still not 5 star. All round a terrible experience. Lots of guests were complaining about the lack of air conditioning and this is not acceptable. Reading previous reviews from last year and beyond, the air conditioning is an age old problem and needs addressing and the rooms need redecorating.