Wineport Lodge

I've been wanting to visit wineport Lodge for as long as I can remember. We visited Glasson Lakehouse only a few weeks ago and I stood gazing across the lake thinking 'so close yet so far'. I booked last minute. Not realising there wasn't a thermal suite or communal pool or that I needed to book into the infinity pool and hot tub or that they didn't have a gym. So I was genuinely concerned when I did book and tried to get a hot tub slot and found it a bit tough to get something suitable.. But.. Wineport has a secret weapon that makes up for it. Read on.. We made the stressful 80 minute journey (thanks to Sunday drivers) and were due to land 15 minutes after the hot tub slot. I was panicking about missing the slot and it ruining a fantastic night away, especially considering the price I paid. At 1.10 I get a phonecall from wineport to say they were expecting me, I explained about the stressful traffic and I was told not to worry, take my time, they'd slide the slot out. The relief. But it didn't stop there.. We pulled up and parked. The sun was lacerating the lake. People were outside drinking on this beautiful sunny march day. It felt so nice. We walked in and were met by a gentleman, welcome to wineport, you've brought the sunshine with you, thank you. The friendliness, the professionalism. No check in, but a mention of my name and we were brought straight to the room by a friendly receptionist. How refreshing. Bags dropped, with a complimentary glass of prosecco in hand, we sontered to the hot tub to an exceptionally friendly 'Shane', full of chats and fantastic service. The minute the bubbles stopped he was over to assist and top up the bubbles. 30 minutes felt like 5. We wrapped up, headed into the pontoons' little cosy cabin to sit in front of the fire. Shane didn't hesitate to get some cocktails in our hands, full of recommendations and they didn't disappoint! We both sat and said 'This is service. This is what you want when you go away. The staff are schooled to a high degree. The professionalism, friendliness and service was second to none, from everyone'. Back inside, to the room, out to the balcony to have a beer on the lakeside with our complimentary crisps, cookie and chocolate. Beautiful. The personalised letter on the table just shows the detail they go to here. Every guest is their personal guest. The rooms are stunning, the bed comfy, bedding cosy, bathroom large and nicely decorated. That evening we headed to town for food and a pint. I came back and almost regretted not eating on site because the food looked and smelled sensational. We sat by the fire in the lobby, chatted and had a pint. How nice of an evening. We retired and slept well. Up early the next morning, we had breakfast to the room at no additional charge, that's unheard of, what a touch! The breakfast was stunning. The quality of the sausages, egg, bacon and pudding was honestly top notch. Side of croissants and muffin with tea, toast, coffee and jui

We decided to use our Blue Book Vouchers to pay towards a 2 night B&B and 1 dinner package in November as high season is very expensive here. On arrival we were greeted by staff and offered a free glass of Prosecco while we waited for our room. Every staff member we encountered over the two days was proactive in greeting us and offering help. We were upgraded to a lovely, spacious suite with private balcony and a fantastic view on to the lake. The bed was a super-king and very comfortable with quality linen. The food was good but not anything special. We didn't use the spa or hot tubs but they seemed popular. Overall I would commend the staff highly for service and friendliness and the views from the bar, restaurant and bedrooms are tranquil and beautiful. (Tip - we noticed the price of our package decreased as I checked it over a few days)

We really enjoyed our time in The Wineport Lodge. Beautiful setting, beautiful rooms and glorious food. The best hotel that we've ever stayed in. Lovely staff, peace comes with the place. We definitely will be back. We can recommend it without reservation.