We are pleased to present November’s association venue of the month, ICC Wales.
Each month we will highlight a venue that we feel is well suited to the needs of association events.
This means they need to check a few boxes:
- Multiple spaces for plenary, breakout and catering, exhibition, and welcome area.
- Numerous accommodation options are close by for attendees.
- Accessibility, something that is always high on our radar.
This month we popped over the bridge to sunny Wales to catch up with Jamie Ades, Sales Manager at ICC Wales.
Where?
They may be surrounded by fresh mountain air, but luckily for us and you, they are only a stone’s throw from the M4, Cardiff Airport, and main train stations. Based just on the outskirts of Newport, it took us only 30 minutes to drive from Bristol City centre to the venue.
ICC Wales feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city yet it is only a stone’s throw from the M4 with 700 dedicated parking spaces with direct access and a further 2,000 available on site. They are within two hours of London by road and rail and just 40 minutes from international airports at Cardiff and Bristol. The city centres of Newport, Cardiff and Bristol are all within easy reach and there are numerous transport links and Newport’s own fflecsi ‘on-request’ bus service.
The location of ICC Wales offers thousands of additional bedrooms to the excellent accommodation located on site at Celtic Manor Resort and the expanding Celtic Collection.
Why?
We were astounded by the scope of the space available at ICC Wales. Even with all the space on offer, it is easy to navigate yourself around, with check-in desks included and digital displays on each of the doors it is easy to see how an association can direct attendees. With a number of large spaces suitable for exhibitions, dining, conferences, and more there is the ability to use ICC Wales for multi-day conferences and never tire of the spaces.
As Jamie say’s “ICC Wales is perfect for association events with its expansive and versatile meeting spaces including a 4,000sqm main exhibition hall, which doubles as Europe’s largest pillar-free ballroom, a 1,500-seat auditorium and a further 15 flexible and divisible meeting rooms, from boardroom to the 900-delegate Woodland Suite.”
Many of these bright and airy rooms benefit from floor-to-ceiling views of the ancient woodland flanking the venue and natural daylight floods into the foyer and generous breakout spaces across the venue. You can immerse yourself further into the surrounding nature by crossing a bridge linking directly from the centre to walking trails and the woods, ideal for mindfulness breaks. We loved this feature of the venue!
Wellbeing at ICC Wales
Well-being also shines through the Mind, Body and Soul food philosophy at ICC Wales where thier in-house culinary team aims to keep the mind sharp, body strong and soul nourished through tasty food designed to boost alertness and energy levels. We were lucky enough to sample some of the food on offer which was delicious including a smoothie to start our day off right.
Sustainability was a top priority in the design and construction and the venue has been awarded Green Key status for its environmental practices which include no single-use plastic, food waste recycling, tree planting programmes, natural ventilation and smart technology energy management.
Meet in Wales
Wales as a destination offers limitless opportunities to explore. There are three national parks, four UNESCO World Heritage Sites and five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beaty, as well as more than 600 castles, and award-winning beaches to be discovered on 870 miles of coastal path. In short, we feel ICC Wales offers everything you need – inside and outside of the convention centre – to deliver for the needs of association organisers, stakeholders, exhibitors and delegates. We can’t wait to hold an event there soon!
We loved our visit to ICC Wales and want to thank Jamie for his time, showing us the capabilities of the expansive ICC Wales. I don’t think we have ever seen rooms with better views!
If you would like further information you can contact ICC Wales Events team on:
Tel: +44 (0)1633 410 200
Email: [email protected]