Jeff B.
Yelp
I was referred to this hotel by a friend and advised to check it out. I actually drove to the hotel from the Longford area - about a 40 minute drive with the intention of having the advertised Afternoon Tea service or a late lunch.
When I arrived, I was unimpressed by the building- it appeared a little shabby from the outside. I walked all around looking for the Main Entrance as there was a wedding party sitting outside occupying many tables. I then realized that I would have to make my way through the wedding party to enter the hotel. As I was about to do so, a staff member appeared and asked me if she could help me. I replied that I was looking for the entrance and that I was planning on having something to eat. "Ah, no", she replied. "We have a wedding going on today and the hotel is closed to anyone but the wedding party". I then asked... "what do you say to people like myself who traveled specifically to this hotel as a destination hotel, that requires, in my case, 40 minutes of travel by car...?" She replied.. 'Well, I'm sorry, we're closed for everyone but the wedding party". Need I say anymore!
Clearly, this is not a professionally-run, sophisticated hotel operation. If it were, A. No guest would be turned away and B. A Wedding is an event- no single event should down all other services in a hotel.
Ironically, I had checked out the hotel website before setting out on my drive and all services were fully advertised as fully-functioning- Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Bar etc. When I arrived, however, this was not the case.
Wineport Lodge, on the basis of this effort, does not merit a second glance.