Waterford Lodge Hotel

We waited more than 40 minutes for the food, and the nachos took almost an hour. They were a small serving of packet nachos, so I’m not sure why they took so long. The jumbo dog was advertised with chilli and cheese, but arrived with only onions. My mother’s burger was very spicy, though that wasn’t mentioned on the menu, which was a problem because she’s intolerant. The chicken was so tough it couldn’t be eaten. For that quality, it was very expensive.

The bar and restaurant are nicely decorated and have a pleasant atmosphere. If you’re there for a drink, a meal or a function, it’s fine: the food and service were good. Staying overnight was a different story. The rooms are dire, and some shouldn’t be used at all, especially number 16. It was cold, with an electric heater, and condensation covered the windows. There was mould on the walls and windows, wallpaper peeling, and the radiator didn’t work because its thermostat wasn’t connected. There was barely anywhere to store clothes, just three hangers in the cupboard. The bathroom fan was useless, and the shower took ages to warm up. You had to turn on the taps as well, then run around in it to get wet. The shower in room 14 next door didn’t work at all. There weren’t any rooms with electric fires either. If you do stay, check the room first.

The chips were nice and hot, but the chicken burger let me down. I don’t like spicy food and hadn’t realised it would be spicy, and the outside was too hard.

The pub staff were amazing, and the food was excellent for good prices. The room was clean and tidy. It’s an old building, but the price reflects that, so I can’t complain. Breakfast was good too. I did think £10 per dog per night was steep, especially as nothing was provided for them. Still, it’s a good place to stop for a night, and I’d stay again.