The vehicles – three 17-seat Sprinter 513 CDIs and a pair of nine-seat Vito 116 CDIs – arrived via Dealer Euro Commercials (South Wales).
Situated on Christchurch Hill, Newport, overlooking the M4, Celtic Manor comprises two hotels, a country inn, luxury lodges, spas, six restaurants, three championship golf courses and two golf and country clubs, as well as a multi-purpose conference centre.
One of the Sprinters has also been adapted to accommodate wheelchair users – it is fitted with an underfloor tail-lift and floor tracking so that, with the rear two seats removed, the wheelchair can be held securely in place.
Replacements for the resort’s last Mercedes-Benz fleet, which has now been stood down, Celtic Manor’s latest vehicles are the subject of a CharterWay contract hire agreement with Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
Commenting on the new vehicles, Celtic Manor’s transport manager, Tim Fosdick, said: ‘Celtic Manor is a five-star venue, so naturally we want to operate five-star vehicles that reflect and complement our own brand image – when it comes to light commercial vehicles that can only mean Mercedes-Benz.
‘Make no mistake, though, these are working vehicles and they will lead hard lives. Each is contracted to cover 40,000 miles per year and we have some very steep hills at Celtic Manor, which means a lot of gear changing and wear and tear on the driveline and brakes as we ferry golfers and diners around the various facilities.’
The resort’s transport team are also using the minibuses to collect staff from, and return them to their homes, often late at night and in the early hours of the morning when public transport is not running.