The Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort

Wales is currently celebrating after an exceptional run of sporting achievements.

Since their impressive win over Barnsley in the Semi's, Cardiff City head to the FA cup final next month for the first time since 1927. Meanwhile the Welsh international rugby side has recently been crowned Grand Slam winners/Triple Crown kings.

And the common denominator? It's the training base the teams share at the Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort, nr Cardiff.

The Resort is leading the way in investing in sports training excellence, providing bespoke facilities to nurture and develop players - with exceptional results. Unrivalled by any resort in the UK the facilities have all been specifically designed to meet to the differing needs for football, rugby and golf.

The facilities include the unique 60m x 50m Indoor Training Arena at the Vale Resort which is considered to be among the finest of its kind. Home to both the Wales rugby and football international sides, the Resort also played host to FA Cup winning clubs Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United when the competition final was staged at the Millennium Stadium while the new Wembley was being built. Both Cardiff City and Cardiff Blues also use the centre as their daily training base.

As well as practice pitches indoor and out, the facilities also include skills areas, gyms, training rooms, changing areas, physio rooms and office space, catering for the every need teams and backroom staff have.

Work has also recently begun on the £10m Hensol Castle Elite Sports Academy – a 40-acre development in the grounds of the Vale Resort that will feature six international-standard training pitches for soccer and rugby and include an artificial grass pitch built to FIFA and IRB specifications as well as a new sports Pavilion for The Blues and Cardiff City.

Charles Mitten, a UEFA Licensed agent said:

“I must applaud The Vale Resort for truly appreciating what professional sports clubs need and putting it into practice.

“All too often football teams are offered practice pitches at hotels that are just made up on an old golf fairway or pitches that are a coach drive away at a school or university.

“What these places fail to realise is that professional clubs need top class facilities with a football pitch of natural grass to standard FIFA regulations for summer training camps.

“Football pitches need to be maintained on a daily basis by qualified staff that know and understand the standards required by professional clubs of premier status; these standards need to be maintained and the pitch not overused. Clubs don't want a pitch “for hire” on a conveyer belt system. They want privacy and exclusive use.

“There are no other resorts that I know of in the UK that can offer on site the facilities that are available at The Vale and the directors realise that excellent sport facilities are an asset not an afterthought. I am pleased that they have had the foresight to invest properly - setting a standard for the rest of the hospitality industry in the UK on and off the field.”

Dave Jones, Manager of Cardiff City FC said:

“Without doubt, the training facilities we have at the Vale Resort have contributed enormously to our success as a club this season.

“With access to the indoor arena, we never have to cancel a training day in bad weather which makes a big difference in our preparation for matches.

“We also have outdoor pitches and skills areas maintained by professional ground staff who work in partnership with our team at Ninian Park, so the standards are exceptionally high.

“It is fantastic for the players, they feel at home either training, in the gym, having physio or relaxing between sessions. Having our base at the Vale is a key factor in attracting top players who spend most of their time at the club's training base. We love bringing people here.

“And our support staff have modern, equipped offices and break-out areas which adds to the professionalism to our operation.

“I cannot praise the management at the Vale Resort enough for investing in excellent sports facilities. It shows real vision and great commitment to sport in Wales.”