Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Great dining, warm and friendly atmosphere, Genuine Irish hospitality |
| Disadvantages: |
Expensive |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
Ahhh, The Woodlands hotel...how i love it so. If you ever find yourself in the South East of Ireland, you could do a lot worse than staying here.
The Woodland hotel offers an amazing customer experience, from the delicious food to the comfortable, clean rooms and the genuine Irish "craic" that you can feel as soon as you walk through the door.
But it wasnt always like that....
10 years ago, the little town of Ballygunner, where the hotel is situated, was a sleepy little town, just on the outskirts of Waterford city. There was a pub, a shop and a church and that was pretty much it.Not much ever happened. The community was very tight knit with people having lived there for many years, always leaving there front door open.
Then, one day a rumour started...A big hotel group were going to build a big hotel and leisure centre in the fields behind Ballygunner estate! There was uproar! This could not happen to a sleepy little village. Almost everyone was opposed to the idea and petitions were signed and nothing else was talked about in the local pub. I remember all this because i lived in the sleepy little village since i was born and this hotel would be virtually in my back yard! How very dare they!
However, 2 years later( we had relocated to England by then) the hotel was indeed built. And the villagers who swore they would never go in there were soon lured inside by the delicious smell of the brasserie wafting over the fields...
The Woodland hotel and leisure centre in a 46 bedroom hotel. It is classed as 3 star but definitley feels like more. It is a big, cream stone building and is very easily accessible from all main routes into Waterford. The bar and restaurant are at the front of the building with the leisure facilities, conference rooms and bedrooms to the rear.
Accomadation
You can choose between Standard, Four poster and executive rooms. Expect to pay around £100 sterling for a standard room for one night for one adult (eek!) and upwards of £170 sterling for four poster and executive (double eek!) All prices are in Euro.
The facilities in the rooms consist of Colour TV, Tea and coffee making facilities, Bath and shower (bathrooms are decorated in a cream marble tile, looks very swish) Trouser press, hairdryer, telephone and double bed. They are clean, comfortable and exeptionally quiet for saying they are near the main road.
Leisure facilities
This is one thing i havent tried at The Woodlands (too busy scoffing and drinking!) but the leisure facilities consist of Sauna, Jacuzzi , Gym and swimming pool. A friend of mine swims there most days and assures me that it is clean and rarely gets too busy - but maybe because membership is extortionate.
Restaurants
There are 3 restaurants at the Woodlands, although i have only eaten in one of them.
The Gaultier banquet suite is a large 350 seater restaurant that mostly caters for weddings, xmas parties etc...It serves traditional irish and continental dishes
The Arbutus restaurant is an a la carte restaurant, again offering Irish and continental dishes. It offers an early bird, set dinner and a la carte menu
The Brass cock bar is the one that me and my family always eat at. It is a large, friendly, informal bar decorated tastefully, with large timber beams. They normally serve a carvery during the day time which costs around £10 pp. Costly, but worth it, i think. The food is fresh, plentiful and downright yummy. Be careful if you go on a Sunday though..it will be PACKED and we have been kept waiting for over an hour for a table before. But we didnt mind as the bar area where you wait is very cosy and relaxed.
Another thing about the Brass cock, if you dont like screaming noisy children, dont go on a weekend day! It is full of them! God bless em...
Location and local attractions
The Woodlands hotel is situated on the outskirts of Waterford city, which is the 5th largest city in the republic, so has excellent transport links by road and rail from Dublin. Waterford does have an airport, but at the moment only flies from Manchester and can be quite costly. Beware the hotel website telling you that it is 2.5 hours from Dublin! It most certainly isnt! It would take, on average 3.5 to 4 hours to reach Waterford from Dublin.
The Woodlands is an ideal base to explore the Waterford crystal factory, the Art galleries, the town centre with its great shopping and some beautiful unspoilt beaches. It is also a great base to explore the surrounding cities of Wexford and Kilkenny. However, if you are a golf fanatic then Waterford is the place for you with 3 golf courses within a half hour drive.
Ask the hotel staff for details, they will be more than happy to oblige
The Woodland hotel is situated at Dunmore Road, Waterford, Rep. of Ireland
0035351304574
Andrea x
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