Moyvalley Hotel- need all your opinions!!

nickibicki

HI all

Anyone out there had there wedding at Moyvalley Hotel or been to a wedding there???

Need all the opinions i can get!!:)

smelltheglove

I've covered 2 family functions int he Golf club not the hotel. I have to say the grounds are amazing. I was invited for the meal for one and the food was fantastic.

WeddingDates

Hi nickibicki,

I have visited MoyValley Hotel and the grounds are fantastic. Balyna House is really something special, but it costs €6K for 1 night and €8K for 2 nights. It has 10 bedrooms, so some guests will have to stay in the main hotel. They can only accomodate about 80-100 ppl I think for a sit down meal in Balyna House, so if you want more than that you have to use the main hotel.

They do have great apartments on the grounds that would be brill for guests to stay in, totally self contained and finished really nicely, quite modern.

Also - they have a great area for civil ceremonies on site.

Good luck with everything!
Ciara

nickibicki

Any other Moyvalley brides out there???

We're looking at this venue for Dec 2010 but i need to hear all your opinions on the hotel!!

Anyone out there??

paulkellypix

Hi

I've stayed there, played golf there and eaten there on separate occasions.

My comments are:

- always very quiet (not a good sign perhaps)
- it is kept very well
- food is very good
- lovely surrounds

If it were me - Barberstown in Straffan or Carton House in Maynooth are fantastic venues.

Paul

smelltheglove

December is a fantastic time to get married, I'm a December bride and have to say the trees and decorations really make the shots, amazing! Love the hotel, really do, was only inside the hotel once for a few and it is huge so maybe thats why it may appear not to be too busy.

I shot a wedding in Barberstown a couple of weeks ago and that was fantastic. The only problem I had there was when we went to take pictures in the lobby we were asked to leave as we were not allowed take shots inside that area...! Plenty of other nice places but the lobby was so bright and well decorated a few pics in there would have been lovely! We ended up with only two which was a little disappointing, we were a little surprised by it to be honest, but all over the castle is fantstic, the setting is perfect for a wedding. However Moyvalley has an amazing setting for pictures on the golf course, I have great shots from there, one thing to note though when checking venues, December is cold and you will not want to trek far from the hotel for your shots, again down to experience here so make sure wherever you choose it has the right setting just outside the door!

Sizzler

WeddingDates wrote: »

Hi nickibicki,

I have visited MoyValley Hotel and the grounds are fantastic. Balyna House is really something special, but it costs €6K for 1 night and €8K for 2 nights.

Good luck to the hotel trying to get 6k off someone for one night for the use of a building that will sit there empty 350 days of the year.

Those days are gone. Ridiculous stuff.

pipsnips

Balyna house is amazing. We loved Carton house but staff were just not up to scratch. I have a friend that was booking her wedding there and pulled out as she also found them not very nice to deal with. I have stayed here a few times and for the price you pay the rooms are just alright in my opinion. i see they have dropped there prices on room rates as i hear there quite. Also the molton spa seems to have been changed and down graded. shame.

Also after visiting carton house quite a few times it just was 100% not value for money. I love the place but everything was extra and with the times that were in the costs just kept building. They were not interested in negoting at all. I have looked into old houses to rent for our wedding all around the country and by far moyvalley was the best for value. All the other houses ranged from 5k up to 14k just soley for rental of there houses for one to two nights. With moyvalley you get 10 rooms, (unlike some other houses) that fits 20 people (which can be passed on to your guest if you wanted, bringing the price down, breaky the next day, chaircovers, flower pieces for table, harpest, tea, biscuits and alot more to be honest is offered.

i can hand on heart say that no other house of this standard was offering anything like this. there exclusivity fee was just that nothing else. moyvalley seem to throw quite a bit in.

moyvalley negitoated a very good cost and i reckon if your staying for two nights in the house that you can negitoate on the exclusivity fee. The thing is you get value for money here there is quite alot thrown in for the fee compared to exclusivity fees around ireland for similar premises

Sizzler

Theres plenty of venues around the place that you can have exlusively by virtue of booking enough rooms.

The only way Ballyna House would work out to be good value is if everybody paid €150 a head, which is par for the course for a wedding room rate. That comes in at €3K, whats the basis of the other €3k? Im sorry it just doesnt wash.

Although they wont advertise it, but Id be amazed if they wouldnt take your booking if you offered them 3K or thereabouts.

smelltheglove

pipsnips wrote: »

Balyna house is amazing. We loved Carton house but staff were just not up to scratch. I have a friend that was booking her wedding there and pulled out as she also found them not very nice to deal with. I have stayed here a few times and for the price you pay the rooms are just alright in my opinion. i see they have dropped there prices on room rates as i hear there quite. Also the molton spa seems to have been changed and down graded. shame.

Also after visiting carton house quite a few times it just was 100% not value for money. I love the place but everything was extra and with the times that were in the costs just kept building. They were not interested in negoting at all. I have looked into old houses to rent for our wedding all around the country and by far moyvalley was the best for value. All the other houses ranged from 5k up to 14k just soley for rental of there houses for one to two nights. With moyvalley you get 10 rooms, (unlike some other houses) that fits 20 people (which can be passed on to your guest if you wanted, bringing the price down, breaky the next day, chaircovers, flower pieces for table, harpest, tea, biscuits and alot more to be honest is offered.

i can hand on heart say that no other house of this standard was offering anything like this. there exclusivity fee was just that nothing else. moyvalley seem to throw quite a bit in.

moyvalley negitoated a very good cost and i reckon if your staying for two nights in the house that you can negitoate on the exclusivity fee. The thing is you get value for money here there is quite alot thrown in for the fee compared to exclusivity fees around ireland for similar premises

You seem very pro Moyvalley. I like the place myself, do you work there?

Sizzler

smelltheglove wrote: »

You seem very pro Moyvalley. I like the place myself, do you work there?

I was thinking the same !

pipsnips

OMG maybe i should go into sales! jeeese

i defiantely dont work there. im a bride from dublin. I have no connections with the place. but am well organised.

I have researched many avenues for some months now as i wasnt sure what i wanted...alot alot of avenues i looked into and for value for money it worked out with everything very very reasonable and i mean everything compared to other establishments.

what i found when i shopped around was there was alot of add ons i wanted to try to elimenate that so i knew what i was looking at and that it dosnt spiral out of control. ie food, then drink, then toast drink, afters reception etc.

What I found alot of hotel struggled with this they didnt want to do it.

For example exclusivity fee for a place in clare was 15k but that was just exclusivity fee.

For example carton house was this is the fee per head ..oh that exlcudes corkage / drink oh and it excludes this room at an extra 2k oh and its another 1k for this room oh and if you want a bar extensions that this oh yeah the music has to stop at 11 unless you book out all the rooms above at a ridiculous cost. im just trying to point out that personally i was looking for a flat price for everything you would expect from the hotel for your wedding. ie recpetion / drinks, i.e after food i.e. 5 course meal i.e. alcohol, accommadation for wedding party etc etc. and alot of hotel couldnt do that

moyvalley was one of the hotels that i got one very good flat fee and a fee that seem to be extremely fair.

but i think i may change jobs to become a sales person ... although they work on commission ....hmmm

pipsnips

also sizzler

exclusivity fee is the use of a private premises. some castle / hotels request you book a min amount rooms. i know one castle we looked at was min 15 rooms had to be booked at a cost of 425 a room

some have hiring of room some dont

when i worked out my personal budget all the the little extras added up to quite a bit

ie. chaircover at say 7.50 a pop is 600 euros for 80...all those little bits ad up

and just because i have something positive to say about somewhere dosnt mean i work there.

smelltheglove

I only say this pipsnips as it is very rare for someone to come on with their first post having huge detail of a service or venue, often it is found that they are just trying to pimp their service or venue. Not as often on this site as others but just thought I'd ask, I'll take your word for it.

Its just unfprtunate that companies do take this route as it ends up making them look worse in the long run, but I do like Moyvalley hotel I have to say, not that I know anything about figures, I never looked there for my own wedding but I find it to be a great photographic background.

pipsnips

Ah no I appreciate that. But I suppose I have just had a good experience with them. I'm a bride to be and just looking for a venue.

Sizzler

pipsnips wrote: »

also sizzler

exclusivity fee is the use of a private premises. some castle / hotels request you book a min amount rooms. i know one castle we looked at was min 15 rooms had to be booked at a cost of 425 a room

some have hiring of room some dont

when i worked out my personal budget all the the little extras added up to quite a bit

ie. chaircover at say 7.50 a pop is 600 euros for 80...all those little bits ad up

and just because i have something positive to say about somewhere dosnt mean i work there.

Chaircovers hardly a neccessity in fairness, if a hotel / venue are throwing them in then great other than that....

Plenty of places around that have 20-40 bedrooms and for a 'typical' wedding your guests would easily take all of the available rooms without getting stung for some sort of ridiculous venue fee.

You may well have researched venues but to come on with such a glowing reference and total sales pitch for a place that you havent even stayed in was a bit OTT and Im not surprised if you worked there, its easy to claim you didnt, no matter, people can make there own minds up about the venue, and others by visiting themselves and decide whats good value or not

pipsnips

Sizzler i have a right to my opinion this is what these forums are all about.

Just because you don't like my opinion or my post you don't have a right to start accusing me for working for them. Its rather childish.

I suppose sizzler im just looking for a certain standard and yes chaircovers would be important for me along with other elements. Maybe you have different expectations as a bride then me and I respect that but Im not accusing you of working for certain companies just because you have something positive to say about them.

I wanted to share my experience and what peoples experience where with other venues as I im trying to pick a venue.

I do not appreciate the accusations. For god sake. there is no need to be so negetive just because you read something you don't agree with or like.

I suppose im usually quite an upbeat person and when I see something that I think is good I like to share it. Yes im new to this site...so what! does that mean I cant voice an opinion as im a newbie?

I joined this site to find out info and gain some perspective from folk who have been there and done it as we want to make our decision in the next week or so.

To be accused of working for an establishment that I have no association with just because I have something positive to say is ridiculous. How do I know sizzler you don't work for another establishment in the area and have to bad mouth other venues to make your venue look better.

See its petit.

Im going get back to work to my real job as an IT personnel in Dublin that has nothing to do with any venue at all. Thanks for making this such a negative experience. Il find my info else where.

Cheers

Sizzler

pipsnips wrote: »

Sizzler i have a right to my opinion this is what these forums are all about.

Just because you don't like my opinion or my post you don't have a right to start accusing me for working for them. Its rather childish.

I suppose sizzler im just looking for a certain standard and yes chaircovers would be important for me along with other elements. Maybe you have different expectations as a bride then me and I respect that but Im not accusing you of working for certain companies just because you have something positive to say about them.

I wanted to share my experience and what peoples experience where with other venues as I im trying to pick a venue.

I do not appreciate the accusations. For god sake. there is no need to be so negetive just because you read something you don't agree with or like.

I suppose im usually quite an upbeat person and when I see something that I think is good I like to share it. Yes im new to this site...so what! does that mean I cant voice an opinion as im a newbie?

I joined this site to find out info and gain some perspective from folk who have been there and done it as we want to make our decision in the next week or so.

To be accused of working for an establishment that I have no association with just because I have something positive to say is ridiculous. How do I know sizzler you don't work for another establishment in the area and have to bad mouth other venues to make your venue look better.

See its petit.

Im going get back to work to my real job as an IT personnel in Dublin that has nothing to do with any venue at all. Thanks for making this such a negative experience. Il find my info else where.

Cheers

Less of ther personal insults please

If you want feedback on a specific venue I think you may find WOL will be more extensive than this forum.

FYI - Its not uncommon for people to create boards accounts to defend a business, people doing so to the extent of your first post only arouses suspicion of same. It wasnt just me who noticed btw. Thanks for pointing out you work in IT, that surely dispels any doubt now

In all seriousness, hope your search goes well and you get what you want from your venue. Sounds like you already had your mind made up on Moyvalley

Waesfjord

On Moyvalley or any other quiet hotel during these times, if thining of a wedding there, I would consider taking wedding insurance, as any hotels that are quiet these days must be under pressure from the banks.

Just a word of caution for some peace of mind is all.

GlendaGlam

Hi has anyone had there wedding at balyna house in the last six months or has anyone booked this venue for there wedding in 2011.
We are interested in booking this venue for our wedding in 2012. Any feedback would be great! Thanks:)

janbaby

I've my wedding booked in Moyvalley for Sept 2010. Dunno where some of the people on this thread are getting their prices! I'm having the reception in the house and for 100 people, champagne reception, 5 course meal, evening buffet, corkage and a free drink for the toast its coming in at 8500K. For that reason we decided to do a 2 nite package and including accommodation in the cottages its 10k.

GlendaGlam

Hey

Thanks for that info,that sounds like a great deal! We have been quoted alot more than that for a 2 night stay in the house! Did you get the gold package for that price? Its great to get some real feedback! Are you getting married this september? How Exciting!!:)

janbaby

On the night before we are renting the 5 superior cottages and we're having a meal for 25 people. On the night of the wedding the bridal party are staying in the house.
When I first contacted them they were expensive but just haggle a bit. I know for def the cheapest they'll give the house for is €3500 cos we tried really hard to get them down on that but it worked out at €50 per head (no extra charge for a choice) for the meal and evening buffet. I was dealing with Lana.

I'm so excited. Have had a look at the place yet?

nfo

Hi Janbaby, we're currently looking to book Balyna for our reception but are a bit worried about the standard of the food. For us the meal is hugely important and we recently heard back some fairly unimpressed comments from a friend of the family who attended a wedding last week.
How did you find the meal?

kc66

I was at a wedding in Ballyna House recently. Was only at the evening part so cannot comment on food. The venue is beautiful, but for a wedding I would not recommend it. The lack of staff was brutal, nobody could get a drink. They eventually opened the downstairs bar. Half the crowd went down there while half the crowd was upstairs. I didn't like the way everyone got split up. The drink was rotten, choice was limited. Pints were dangerous imo.
But as I said, its an absolutely beautiful house!

nfo

Bugger!

Cheers for that kc66
We were assured that they'd have 2 members of staff per 15 guests which means they should be 15 for our reception, though I never thought to ask if that included kitchen staff!
It did occur to me that opening downstairs would result in a split of the crowd. Real shame because I love the house and it seemed such great value

janbaby

Hi nfo we had our menu tasting recently and the food was amazing. We were also worried about the standard of food but I was blown away. The presentation of food was great and it was so tasty. We heard comments from a few people that food at previous weddings was cold so we've basically warned them that it's not to happen or we won't be settling the bill. We even met with the head chef who promised that all food is cooked in the house now and there won't be any issues.

The house seems to be quiet for weddings until about Aug/Sept. I'd imagine the drink isn't great if the taps are not being used regularly. At the moment they seem to have 2 weddings per weekend so that shouldn't be a problem for us. Our's is on the saturday and there is one on the friday so I'm hoping the pints will be nice! We're having 100 people and the bar downstairs will be open all day and a mini bar upstairs.

Borderfox

As I said in another post the food is fantastic but the kitchens are downstairs and use the same stairs as the guests to the bar and this makes dinner service really long. The venue is beautifully kept

Pictures here http://pix.ie/keithjack/album/401186

TommyGun

I filmed a wedding here last year. I though it was great. I have a clips from the house ( play from 2:45 onwards)

http://www.vimeo.com/14231202

elvis jones

I'm playing at a wedding there in Sept and will get feeback from the couple as i know them well:)

MrsSla2b

Anybody got any recent feedback? We are trying to decide between here and another venue. It is very hard!

Moonbeam

I love it,it is gorgeous:)
But... in snow and ice it is impossible to access:(

I love the way there is so much space and you could customise it so well.


You thinking the house or the hotel?
I love the little house for the ceremony too.

MrsSla2b

I LOVE it and have booked it, I have talked to loads of people who had their weddings there and were very happy but I have read a recent review from someone who was a guest at a wedding and they said the food was lovely but the heat didnt work in some rooms and the tvs didnt work also. This is the kinda thing that would be so annoying as a guest at a wedding but u would never tell the bride or groom, so what if there are little problems like this and u never knew about them!?