This is a difficult review, but I have a bad taste in my mouth after my stay at Lindenderry. As…read moreI've said before, if my review choice is Meh versus A-OK, Meh will win. If I could give 2.5 stars I would, but I can't, so I won't.
I spent a Saturday night in the hotel as friends were getting married there in the evening. This review has two competing and separate parts. One is the accommodation experience, and the other is the wedding.
First, the wedding. It was great by and large. While there were a couple of hitches, such as a late dash to get a signing table to the garden area in time for the bride, and a slow preparation of post-ceremony drinks, the event was great. The reception was truly glitch free, with great entrees, mains and deserts. The staff running the floor were swift and polite, ever attentive to ensure no glass went empty and none were refilled unnecessarily. Even the kids meals were fantastic, while basic, the actually served something an adult could have eaten (so said the impressed parents). The vegetarian options received similar praise.
I can't speak highly enough of the reception, and the staff on that night. Brilliantly presented venue and a great space.
The rooms are nice enough, but they are plain. I had a basic room, with the wedding discount, was still $230 a night. No tissues in the room, no bath, and someone's hair on the bathroom floor. The provided bathroom cosmetics were amazing though, and the bath gowns were also very nice. Shower head needed to be tightened as well, to stop leak, but finger-tightening didn't cut it.
I had seen online that the venue had an indoor pool, spa and sauna. The pool was tepid. The sap was empty. I didn't bother looking at the sauna but assumed it was probably out of commission. Disappointing.
Now for the reasons I have not gone all-out and given this place a rave review. As mentioned above, there were a few hitches that you would not expect form a wedding venue. Having only one staff member serving drinks post-ceremony seemed odd, as there were no drinks awaiting us when re returned inside. This may have been a decision by the bride and groom to stem intake, I don't know, but it was odd and caused delays/queues. And the signing table is a little strange to forget, given the chairs were there! Neither of these things inhibited our enjoyment, but they seemed unpolished.
Breakfast, oh how I wanted breakfast when I walked into the dining room at 0945 (breakfast ended at 1030). Run out of bacon. Run out of eggs. Run out of coffee. Run out of tomatoes, Run out of mushrooms. By the time the bacon arrived, there were no beans, and only eggs for one. And no plates, so I had mine in a bowl. I also got the last clean knife, as far as I could tell. By 1010, the coffee stopped percolating, so I asked for a clean coffee cup; three were sourced. I poured some perc coffee, and left it sitting there as it was the colour of weak tea. You could probably see light through the coffee-filled glass beaker. The continental breakfast stand was equally barren for what I saw. On the plus side, the cereal and muesli selection was impressive. And the fresh fruits were better again.
No idea if I got charged extra for the breakfast (will check credit card statement prior to sending feedback letter), but I hope I was not.
The room was underwhelming, but perfectly adequate. The reception was great. Breakfast was a shambles. The place seemed tired.
You can also taste wines made from grapes grown onsite and in other locations at the cellar door. The food at the cellar door looked amazing, but sadly I did not have the opportunity to sample it.
The two staff sporting very fresh black eyes were a highlight.
