Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort

I wish I had read the reviews before booking. I mirror a lot of what other reviews about the lodges have said and similarly, have had no further contact with the hotel management. In short, the Lodges are a waste of money. There are far better experiences to be had with Castle hotel counterparts. Essentially, you are renting a 3 bed house. You are excluded from the hotel and have to enter and leave through a side door. We were told that we could enter the hotel at 12pm… but with check out at 11am were we to stand in the rain for an hour? We were notified that the hotel was booked out for a private event before we arrived and that we could dine in the golf clubhouse and to “book early to avoid disappointment”. We were the only hotel lodge guests dining there that night. The bar closed and we were out the door at 9pm. Our only option was to get a taxi to come by ferry to bring up to town if we wanted to have a drink together. I echo what all other negative reviews have said in that, if there is a wedding on, don’t book the lodges. This was even more amplified by the fact that the Santa experience was also on so by 9pm, we were just in the way. €430 to be sent to our rooms with nowhere to go on an island on a dark winters night. Maybe they’d be worth it if you were booking them for golf purposes, or if you were part of the wedding party. But for a few adults booking them with the intention of having a relaxing time, a nice meal, some Xmas ambience and a few quiet drinks, it was a waste of time. Zero thought is put into the experience of those not in the wedding party.

Santa experience was such a let down. No welcome, no entertainment for the kids, no atmosphere, badly staffed, no fun or enjoyment. So disappointing. Would not recommend

Excellent time had. The staff were so friendly and welcoming. Our suite was massive. We had such a great time and would highly recommend this hotel.

There are not enough words to express how perfect our experience was with Waterford Castle, but we’ll try! From the very moment we boarded the ferry to the moment we left as wives, every step of the way was pure magic. Gillian helped us to plan our day down to the minute, making sure the day flowed smoothly and gave us time to breathe amongst the busy-ness of the day. She thought of every minute detail and made sure we didn’t have to think of a thing on the day so that we could enjoy every moment with our family and friends. The food was delicious - something our guests continue to tell us since the wedding day! From our tasting menu to serving 100 people no detail or flavour was lost and they accommodated a number of dietary requirements with delicious alternatives that ensured every guest had a meal to remember. The team at Waterford Castle is remarkable. You can feel their pride in being part of the castle experience and each and every one of them works hard to ensure the comfort and happiness of every guest. We could not have chosen a better venue, and we will certainly be back in the years to come to relive the best day of our lives in one of Ireland most beautiful castles.

My husband and I stayed here for a few days of our honeymoon, and it was the most magical stay on our trip! The entire staff was friendly and welcoming. They truly made us feel cared for and wanted to make our stay enjoyable. Sally was the receptionist when we checked in and out, and she was so sweet!! She encouraged us to go to Cobh for a day trip to do the titanic museum and we’re so glad we did!!