Royal College of Nursing delegates among first guests at latest Celtic Collection destination.
Wales’s newest hotel has been officially opened as it welcomed guests attending one of the largest conferences ever held at International Convention Centre Wales.
Tŷ Hotel Newport, the latest offering from The Celtic Collection, was unveiled by Royal College of Nursing Wales officials on Sunday 2nd June ahead of the RCN’s Annual Congress which is taking place in Wales for the first time this week.
Watched by dignitaries including the Leader of Newport City Council, Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, and the Mayor of Newport, Cllr Ray Mogford, RCN Wales Board Chair Jackie Davies and Director Helen Whyley cut a yellow ribbon to declare the 146-bedroom hotel in Langstone open.
Jackie Davies said: “I am delighted that the Royal College of Nursing has been invited to join the celebrations to mark the official opening of Tŷ Hotel Newport and we feel honoured to be the first event at ICC Wales to use this magnificent new hotel and its wonderful facilities. The opening of this new hotel in time for our Annual Congress this week was a key factor in the RCN’s decision to bring the event to Wales for the first time in its 55-year history. With 2,800 delegates attending from all over the UK, it was vital that we had the right surrounding infrastructure to support the congress and this fantastic hotel adds almost 150 bedrooms of real quality to accommodate our delegations within a 15-minute walk of the ICC Wales venue.
“We are excited to welcome so many of our colleagues to Wales and I’m sure they will have a fantastic experience both in the conference venue and in all the hotels they are staying in throughout Newport and the surrounding area. The event will also be amazing for Wales – bringing millions of pounds in economic benefit and leaving a lasting legacy for nursing in Wales.”
The RCN Annual Congress is expected to bring an economic impact of £5.8m to South Wales and its delegates will be the first of many thousands of guests attending events at the 5,000-capacity ICC Wales to stay at the hotel.
The Celtic Collection Vice-President, Facilities and Development, Russell Phillips, said: “When we opened ICC Wales, plans were already in place to build this amazing hotel and it will be a superb asset in helping us to attract more major events to Wales.
“As well as providing high quality accommodation for conference delegates, Tŷ Hotel Newport will also be a great option for guests who are attending concerts and sports fixtures, seeking a city break in Newport or Cardiff, playing golf at Celtic Manor, or looking for a place to relax and unwind during a business trip.”
Sustainability has been a major feature in the design and £20m development of Tŷ Hotel Newport, which is Wales’s largest all-electric hotel and one of only a select number of large hotels across the United Kingdom to run without any use of natural gas.
The Mediterranean-inspired Casa Kitchen & Bar operates instead with efficient electric ovens and induction hobs that are expected to reduce energy consumption by at least 50 per cent in comparison with traditional gas-fired equipment.
The new hotel boasts a striking architectural design, with a glass frontage covering all four floors, and floor-to-ceiling bedroom windows that fill every corner with natural light. With the word Tŷ meaning ‘house’ in Welsh, the space is intended to offer a home from home stay, with plump king size beds and Elemis toiletries offering a hint of luxury.
The hotel has also been designed with golfing enthusiasts in mind, with shuttle buses running to the three championship golf courses located just a stone’s through away at sister venue, Celtic Manor Resort.