Cardiff's heavy-hitters include Utilita Arena Cardiff with its 4,070 sqm main floor handling up to 4,994 theatre style, while Principality Stadium Experience offers six lounges accommodating 400 theatre style across 100+ meeting spaces. DEPOT Cardiff's industrial warehouse fits 1,200 seated or 2,000 standing in its interconnected main spaces, perfect for tech conferences needing that Silicon Roundabout aesthetic without London prices. The All Nations Centre on Eastern Avenue provides a purpose-built 900-seat auditorium at value rates, whilst Sophia Gardens cricket ground's seasonal Sophia Hall seats 800 theatre style with pitch views thrown in.
The Parkgate Hotel's Postmaster Suite accommodates 360 theatre style in a converted Post Office building next to Principality Stadium, whilst voco St. David's Dylan Thomas Suite hosts 400 with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Cardiff Bay marina. Hilton Cardiff's ballroom sits beneath a seven-storey skylit atrium for 350 delegates, and Cardiff Marriott on Mill Lane provides 10 rooms totalling 542 sqm with the Cardiff Suite seating 400. For value-conscious planners, Future Inn Cardiff Bay publishes transparent DDR rates from £36.95pp with eight daylight-filled rooms and free parking.
Cardiff Castle's Banqueting Hall brings medieval drama at £180+VAT per hour for the Guest Tower Rooms (4-hour minimum weekdays), while Wales Millennium Centre provides architectural wow-factor with its copper-clad facade and dramatic foyers. Techniquest Science Discovery Centre lets delegates network amongst interactive exhibits with whole-venue hire for 800 standing, and National Museum Cardiff's Grand Hall combines Impressionist art backdrops with conference rates from £17+VAT per person. For something different, Vindico Arena (Ice Arena Wales) configures its main rink space for 3,500 theatre style when the Cardiff Devils aren't playing.
Day delegate rates range from Future Inn's published £36.95pp to premium packages around £62pp+VAT at Principality Stadium. Room hire varies dramatically: Cardiff Castle's Guest Tower Rooms start at £720+VAT for four hours midweek, whilst National Museum's auditorium costs from £1,200 half-day. Stadium venues like Cardiff City FC's Ricoh Suite typically charge £800-£3,000+VAT daily depending on capacity, while industrial spaces like DEPOT command £6,000-£15,000+VAT for whole-venue hire. Most city-centre hotels hover around £45-£65pp DDR with ballroom hire adding £2,000-£5,000+VAT.
Clayton Hotel Cardiff sits just 3-5 minutes from Cardiff Central station, whilst Radisson Blu on Bute Terrace manages 5-7 minutes on foot. Principality Stadium Experience and The Parkgate Hotel both clock in at 7-9 minutes from Central, perfect for delegates arriving via the two-hour London service. For Queen Street connections, Leonardo Hotel Cardiff (ex-Jurys Inn) takes 5-7 minutes, while the Cathays cluster including National Museum, Cardiff City Hall and Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama sits 3-5 minutes from Cathays station. Bay venues require slightly longer transfers but Future Inn Cardiff Bay thoughtfully provides free parking.
Cardiff Marriott transparently publishes sample rates with lunch from £23pp and dinner from £40pp, while Principality Stadium's in-house team delivers Welsh-focused menus across their 113 suites. The Parkgate Hotel brings AA Wales Hotel of the Year credentials to their banqueting, and voco St. David's waterfront location combines bay views with their culinary programme. For flexibility, venues like Cardiff City Hall and DEPOT work with approved external caterers, allowing customised menus from street food to five-course dinners. National Museum Cardiff offers charity discounts on their catering packages alongside conference rates from £17+VAT per person.
Utilita Arena Cardiff's 4,070 sqm main floor transforms into massive exhibition space with 31+ breakout rooms for concurrent sessions. Wales Millennium Centre's dramatic foyers provide natural exhibition areas with that copper-clad architectural backdrop, while Sophia Gardens cricket ground combines exhibition capability with their 800-seat Sophia Hall. DEPOT Cardiff's 22,000 square feet handles product showcases and brand activations with full production support, and Future Inn Cardiff Bay explicitly markets 300-person exhibition capacity in their largest space. Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama's glass-walled foyers accommodate up to 500 for exhibitions with natural light flooding the space.
For professional development, Holiday Inn Cardiff City Centre's 11-room Academy centre opposite Cardiff Castle specialises in training with rooms from 12-150 capacity. Clayton Hotel's seven bright rooms with city views suit workshops needing natural light and central access (3-5 minutes from Central station). Future Inn Cardiff Bay dedicates an entire floor to meetings with eight column-free rooms and those transparent £36.95pp DDR rates. Cardiff University's Cathays Campus provides seasonal access to lecture theatres up to 460 capacity at academic rates, while Novotel Cardiff Centre offers ten practical rooms including 'The Warehouse' for 200 theatre style with pool access for multi-day residentials.
Cardiff Castle's Undercroft and Banqueting Hall create unforgettable evening atmospheres with medieval architecture, while National Museum's galleries offer Monet and Renoir as conversation starters during drinks receptions for 300. Park Plaza's Moroccan-styled Kuku Club hosts up to 150 for exclusive afterparties, and Wales Millennium Centre's foyers provide that international arts centre ambiance. Tramshed Cardiff's Grade II-listed warehouse brings industrial chic with a balcony bar for 80, whilst Techniquest's interactive exhibits turn networking into hands-on entertainment. For summer events, voco St. David's waterfront terraces catch sunset over Cardiff Bay marina.
Temple of Peace operates as a charity-run venue offering 30% discounts to registered charities, with their Art Deco Marble Hall seating 180 theatre style in Cathays Park's civic quarter. Cardiff City FC's 'Meetings for Change' DDR packages incorporate sustainability initiatives across their 21 event spaces with free parking reducing transport emissions. Several venues cluster around Cathays station including National Museum, RWCMD and City Hall, encouraging rail travel over cars. Future Inn Cardiff Bay sits opposite bus stops with direct city centre connections, while academic venues like Cardiff University embed sustainability into their campus operations. Many venues now offer seasonal, locally-sourced Welsh menus reducing food miles.