Wolfeboro Inn?
 

I thought I would start a new thread for the Wolfeboro Inn. We all know that they had a poor start with the new owners during the first season that they opened. How are they this year? (Restaurant side of the business)

I'm wondering the same. Has anyone had any experience this season...? :look: NB

Good post. I haven't been there this summer but I'd be curious to know if they have recovered.

Yes, I am also curious.

After all the negative things I read about it here, I avoided it like the Plague.

My parents just returned from 2 months up at the lake. Not knowing any better they went to the Wolfeboro Inn their last evening in town. My parents appreciate a good meal, but dad especially is a service snob. He is pretty tough critic on less than sufficient service. Needless to say I was holding my breath when I found out they went to the Wolfeboro Inn after all the scalding entries in got on this forum! But it seems they had a lovely time.
The service was "just fine" (which to most of the civilized planet that means good) the food was "quite lovely, but a little pricey" (YMMV). I think we will try it when we come up this week.

All of the bad press kept us away as well. We're ready to give it another try next time we are on that side of the lake. We used to like going by boat.

I was there a month or so ago. Friday night, I had the all you can eat "fish fry" which was fine for $11 or 12 dollars, and was reasonably good. My companion had the "bratwurst and truffled potatoes" for 17.99, which was a laughable price for what turned out to be basically sausage and mashed potatoes (that's it, nothing else on the plate). We both got the salad bar (nothing special there!) with our meals. We ordered drinks and asked to have one made again as it was an excessively watered down martini (from the "ice shake", we assume). That issue was resolved promptly and with courtesy. Everything was "ok" except there was a little disappointed that the bratwurst recipe wasn't a bit more special. We felt the pricing on the bratwurst should have been similar to the fish fry price for what was received. We sat in a "for two" booth on the wall side of the main dining room and were really very comfortable.

Sounds like you would grade it a B- or thereabouts? I guess I'll wait for better reviews before I venture back. I haven't been there in months....... there are simply too many better choices in the area.

THIS would be a TOTAL Negative for me. Can't make an "Honest" Drink...?? The meal dosn't matter at that point. I'm am not going back... Period. Don't care if they made another one..which was probably only a little less watery. A watery drink..like a Martini is stealing. :look: NB

I think the watery issue was lack of attention in the making process, not an intentional cheat. If that matters.

Thankgiving buffet at Wolfeboro Inn
 

For the first time ever, my family went out for Thanksgiving dinner. On the recommendation of my brother, who went there some 4 or 5 years ago, we chose the Wolfeboro Inn's Thankgiving Buffet. We will never do it again.
I had made the reservations in August or September. I know I was the first one for the 2:30 time slot, because the person taking our reservations told me so. The experience started out badly. I was the first one of the 2:30 reservations to show up. We were the last one seated. I could have understood if it was a table size issue, but 3 of the parties who came after we did had the same number in their party, and they were seated ahead of us. Not to worry, though, they had grapes/crackers/cheese for us to munch on while we waited. Ooops, the cheese was in very large wedges, with no utensils to cut them. So, once we at the cheese that had been cut, we could no longer enjoy that. After they realized that they had forgotton to seat us, they came and brought us to a rectangular table meant for 10 people. Then, they proceded to forget about us. 5 minutes later, a waitress came by and asked us if anyone had gotten our drinks yet. We replied, "No". She then went to find out who was supposed to help us. 4 or 5 minutes later, someone took our drink order, and told us where to go to get the food. We went into the "too small" are where the food was. There was no rhyme or reason to the flow of bodies, so people were knocking into each other....some were going one way, and some the other direction. They ran out of the steamship beef. There was very little turkey to be gotten. The rolls that they had our were hard as a rock. Half the deserts that were on the menu were not available. The food that we did have was not all that spectacular.

I did complain to waitress who sent the manager over. I told him our dissatisfaction with the meal and the experience. He gave us one of our dinners for free.

Not to be deterred, my wife and daughter made a proper Thanksgiving meal on Friday night. Granted, we didn't have ALL the fixins we normally would have, but, it was a much more pleasant, and tastefull evening at the cottage.

We were all 100% in agreement that we won't ever go there again. Curiously, one of our friends at the lake told us that they wish they had known what we were planning, because they would have told us not to bother.

Oh well, live and learn. I hope this review helps others who are thinking of going to the Thanksgiving Buffet.

Peace.

Wolfeboro Inn
 

When the Wolfeboro Inn re-opened following an extensive renovation they were bashed pretty heavily on the Forum, and, rightfully so, their service was terrible, their food was marginal, and worst of all, they seemed to do nothing about it. They did change chefs, but that didn't help, they changed beverage managers and that didn't help, but what they didn't change was management.

I spoke with the Inn manager several times and apparently it was like water off a duck's back. I suggested that she make a regular habit of reading this site and seeing what people were saying, some of the comments were very precise, almost to the point that you could use the comments to formulate a plan to cure the problem. Then there was a long period of quiet about the Inn, until recently, when it was brought up again. Guess what ? - a re-run of the past, poor service, poor food, and lack of management.

They deserve to fail. Unfortunately, the Inn is a big player in Wolfeboro and there is a mutual need to do well. What is it about management that they do not understand? Let's hope that they start 2011 with a new attitude and a new level of managerial energy. Why wait till 2011, start TODAY.

I find it amazing that a management team that seems to have a great reputation in running other establishments keeps stumbling here so consistently. It's a shame because they have a great location, a solid building to start with, and as has been mentioned, almost a monopoly on what they offer (perhaps that is the problem)

In my experience, it might help to seperate the dining portion from the lodging.

Last February, my wife and I stayed there for a weekend to attend an event for a friend in the area. Our place is closed in winter so we needed somewhere to stay. The room was very nice, the lodging staff very responsive, and the rate was reasonable. We would stay there again.

We didn't have any meals there, primarily because of what we had heard here. But we did have an appetizer at the bar after we arrived. It was a nacho, cheese, plate with other fixings, and it was delicious. The portion was very generous too. The experience though was dulled by the waitstaff who exhibited behaviors similar to what others have mentioned here.

We waited quite some time before someone asked what we wanted to drink. This was particularly irksome as we were sitting at the bar and there were 3 employees behind the bar! But they were too busy socializing to interrupt and serve us. Once one of them came over, the attitude was clearly one of us being a bother rather than paying customers.

The kicker was when another customer entered the bar. A nice older couple had been drinking at the bar before we arrived, and left about 30 mins after we sat down. They returned shortly thereafter and the woman was clearly upset. Apparently she had misplaced a new, fairly expensive pair of glasses and was hoping she had left them at the bar.

She had to ask twice before the triplets behind the bar interrupted their converstation long enough to say "no", and return to their conversation.

The woman was very nice, but clearly upset, and she started looking around the bar, under stools, etc. The other patrons all felt sorry for her and were similarly amazed at how indifferent and unhelpful the staff was being. Most started pitching in to help, looking around, asking what they looked like, etc.

The glasses were not found, and the couple left to retrace their steps to other Wolfeboro establishments, where they were hopefully received better. But the incident certainly left a sour taste for those still at the bar. It was even mentioned to the ones behind the bar. They didn't seem to care.

All it would have taken is a little bit of effort. "Sorry about your glasses", "Can I take your name in case they show up?", etc, to completely change the whole scenario.

It's called Customer Service. Apparently the staff at the Inn still need more classes.

They must have this poster hanging in the office ;) http://www.despair.com/cudi.html

Wolfeboro Inn
 

I have read a lot of your posts in the past and you are generally right on target with your comments, and you certainly are with respect to your most recent post about the Inn. I wrote the post just before you, so there is some coincidence with the two. Sadly, I spoke with Karen Beranger several times, and nothing seemed to happen. The bar at the Inn has been going down hill for a number of years, long before the renovation. The clientele is predominately local drinkers, stopping off after work to get half in the bag before going home to whatever homelife they have. Actually, a very sad situation, reinforced, I'm afraid, by the somewhat unprofessional behavior of the bar tenders. Over the years the bar has been a place to drink, chat up a bar tender, and maybe get lucky. This is certanly not the style of citizenship the Inn should be fostering if they expect to attract families. Furthermore, drinkers usually don't spend much, if any, money on food, and the chances of them returning with family and friends for an actual meal are slim.

Sorry to rant on like this, but your post about simple common courtesy just got me going.

My best to you during this Holiday Season.

Some things and people are beyond helping and must face a certain fate.
I'd hate to be the owners...

They make much more money on drinks than food, camp guy. And it is so much easier. Probably they like it that way.

Tis, that is what is pathetic about the whole thing.
The operators can't be that narrow minded. I'm sure their business plan includes revenues from lodging, food and events, not just the bar.
A pessimist would view their operation as a sinking ship because the ootimist is sitting at the bar paying royally for watered down drinks.
Glad it isn't my money funding the mortgage, payroll and operating expenses!
YIKES!!

Wolfeboro Inn
 

You are absolutely right, tis, in the short run, but I question the long run, and I have to hope that the Inn is in it for the long, if not very long, run.

The bar crowd does spend money, but do they return with their family for a meal? I seriously doubt it. And, as soon as another watering hole opens up, whoosh, they are gone, at least part of them. Also, socially, the bar crowd doesn't do the Inn any favors. This is not to say they are bad people, but alcohol has a way of bringing out the worst in people, and this is certainly not the atmosphere the Inn needs to be creating.

However, none of this is THE PROBLEM with the Inn. IMHO, the real problem rests with a lack of attention to detail by management, top, tipity-top management. Until top management is working the dinning room actively addressing poor service, or auditing the performances of bar personnel, the Inn will continue to suffer from this type of posting. Every day is lost time, the service hole gets deeper, and the reputation will be harder to recover, and the Inn can't say they didn't know it was coming.

Management, yes
 

After an awful brunch experience at the Wolfeboro Inn in the off-season, my husband and I vowed we'd never go back. But one summer evening we really, really wanted lobsters, they're only show in town for lobster dinners, and the price was right: $20 for twin lobsters, including sides.

So we dared to try the place again, and it was like they'd had an exorcism -- everything was perfect. The reason was undoubtedly the 'visiting' manager, a teacher at the UNH hotel school, apparently just there for the summer. He was checking on everything and stopping by every table *twice*, first to make sure that customers were being served and then to see if they were satisfied with their meals. We went one more time over the summer while he was there and it was just as good.

Too bad the permanent management didn't learn anything from the teacher and reverted after he returned to UNH. Hope he's back next summer -- we
wouldn't even consider going there while school's in session. :-)

Wolfeboro Inn
 

Thank you, BrownstoneNorth, I rest my case. The answer is just plain simple, and staring them in the face. Let's hope they get it.

My Theory
 

This is just a guess but I think the problem with the Wolfeboro Inn is that the company that bought it did so right at the top of the market and likely significantly over paid. They then missed their targeted opening date, a deep recession followed, etc. Given this fact pattern, it is likely over extended and doesn't have the resources to run the Inn properly. That is the only explanation I can come up with for the consistently horrible service. The good news is that the facility was done over nicely and at some point it will likely fall into the hands of an operator that can afford to operate it in a proper fashion.

A quick google of Hay Creek Hospitality (The Wolfeboro Inn's parent company) came up with this little nugget. It tells you a little bit about the owners' philosophy toward its employees and it might at least partially explain the poor customer service attitudes of the Wolfeboro Inn's employees??


$240,000 Preliminary Settlement Reached in Hotel Employee Class Action

Williamstown, MA: A $240,000 settlement has been proposed in a wages class action lawsuit brought against The Orchards Hotel by 150 current and former hourly employees.

The suit alleged that the hotel had withheld tips and wages. State law dictates that food establishments found to withholding either or both, must play employees three times as much as they're owed. According to the lawyer representing the class, the settlement is not only the recovery each employee is owed, but a multiple of what is owed.

The case reportedly involved a portion of service charges, which are added onto bills at the end of banquets, weddings and large events, being withheld from servers, and all hotel and restaurant staff working at least eight-hour shifts were having 30 minute meal breaks deducted from their paychecks even though they weren’t receiving them.

The listed defendants in the case are HCC Orchards LP, Hay Creek Hospitality LLC, Hay Creek Management Company, and former General Manager Scott Frankel.

JUL-19-10: Hotel, employees settle lawsuit over back pay [BENNINGTONBANNER]

I've considered that possibility too. But especially in the current economy, I would think it would be just as easy to find a bartender who knows what good customer service is, as opposed to one who could care less. Most often, the pay for both would be the same, and the good one would realize better pay through tips. (Assuming they aren't withheld :rolleye2: )

Waitstaff
 

Here's my two cents...it sounds like the biggest problem is the waitstaff/bartenders at the Inn. In the summer, when the UNH teacher managed the restaurant, service was greatly improved. With the downturn in the economy, people aren't eating out as often. Good waitstaff are going to the restaurants with the better business. They know that they can do much better in tips if the establishment has more patrons. If the Wolfeboro Inn doesn't have the volume, good staff isn't going to work there. So, what's left over?...servers that are sub-par. I don't want to make a blanket comment about all of the servers at the Inn because there may be some very good ones who take pride in their work, but the general concensus seems to be a very apathetic attitude there.

A restaurant can make good servers through training and a goal for business attitude and flavor. This is what the Inn has not been capable of doing to date. There are plenty of eager young waitstaff that could be trained up, and then also the Inn could/would draw from the experienced pool. The training attitude has never been successfully accomplished and maintained.

The Cost of Class-Action Lawsuits...
 

FWIW:

Only because it was at the suggestion of a friend, three of us went to the Wolfeboro Inn for breakfast about four weeks ago. The meal was on the pricy side, but nothing was out of place—including the service. :confused:

That reminds me. A "class-action" lawsuit was brought against MicroSoft in my behalf: it was settled, but I never got my 75¢ "winnings". :fire:

I know, I have been involved in a couple of the class action lawsuits. I think I actually got 25$ once. They just send you a letter telling you you are involved in it and 3 or 4 years later you might get a few cents or a few dollars. They are such a joke.

I got a letter years back telling me that GE was giving $75 to replace defective dishwashers. So I took the deal & got my check, and then another $75 check, and lol, one more $75 check......not a bad deal for replacing a dishwasher I had for 10 years that ran fine with a new one:)

Locals don't matter
 

There was an article in the Tribune newspapers this morning for special places in New England. Guess what New Hampshire's representative was? You guessed it, The Wolfe Tavern . This will ensure folks all over the Tribunes's distribution area that there will be business going to the Inn. IMO, the owners have decided that it is more profitable to get the "new" business, then maintain good service over the long haul. Just my opinion.

Wolfeboro Inn
 

I guess, Pineedles, that the Inn hasn't figured out that it is easier (and less expensive) to service repeat customers than it is to continually drum up new business. Advertising 101 tells you that satisfied customers will spread the word to friends and colleagues much more effectively than any other form of advertising, and, at no (ZERO $) cost to the Inn. A one-time customer to the Inn is also (probably) a one-time customer to Wolfeboro itself, and this is too bad. As is the case with any destination tourist town, Wolfeboro needs all the good publicity it can get from all sources - tourists and local businesses alike.

My New Year's Wish ? - please, Wolfebor Inn, get it together.

I know camp guy, you are so right. It is too bad when you have a potentially great place for local dining and the owners just don't get it.

Executive Chef Stephen Harding
 

I would like to state that I no longer work at the Wolfeboro Inn and havent since the end of September 2010. I would like to say that although I no longer work at the Inn, I will support the Inn in any way I can, not for the owners of the company, but for the local people that work there. I wish the Inn the best of luck!

Wolfeboro Inn
 

Maybe, wolfeguy, you can use your knowledge of who is in charge of what to get them to read this Forum and see what the public is saying. Even with many poor reviews, mostly service related, I actually feel the overwhelming sympathies of the public are for the Inn to survive, and survive well. You could be a part of that effort by speaking directly to some of the "Bosses" suggesting, gently, that they click into this site and see what is being said.

Contact the owners
 

I am going to email the owners, Hay Creek Hospitality at info@haycreekhospitality.com and point them in the direction of the forum. I can't believe they would not care enough to try and fix this situation. Maybe some of the rest of you could send them your experiences and complants as well. It would be a shame to see the Inn close....

Reply from the Wolfeboro Inn
 

So I sent off my email this am and got this quick and positive response. I am posting it with his approval. We are unable to take up Mr. Soderberg on his offer, but maybe some of you would like to.

I am in receipt of your correspondence through our corporate web-site.
Thank you for reaching out to us. First, please let me take this moment to introduce myself. My name is George Soderberg and I am the new GeneralManager of the Wolfeboro Inn & Wolfe's Tavern. Although I have just arrived (three weeks ago) I want you to know that I have just recently become aware and read the comments on the web-site winnipesaukee.com.

They are disturbing to say the least. However, what I glean from them is that there's a small passionate group of people who want the restaurant to be everything that it is capable of being yet has fallen well short right out of the gate. After talking to staff and some of the locals that I have met, I feel confident that I have a relatively good idea of our history from opening and it is not a flattering one. Let me assure you that our goal (multi-million dollar renovations aside) was and is to make the WolfeboroInn & Tavern a pillar of service and a strong partner in the community.

What I would prefer, is the opportunity to talk to patrons like you in person, so that together we can bring the Tavern back to where it belongs. After all business is really a partnership, a relationship and bond between the customers/patrons and the organization. Clearly we all really want to see the Inn and Tavern succeed. And let me leave no doubt that we are dedicated to the core purpose of reaching that goal - sooner rather than later.

I would enjoy the opportunity to meet/converse with you and your husband,perhaps after the holidays. If you are in contact with any of the members on the web-site please feel free to extend this offer on my behalf. The more interaction and conversation we have the better. In the coming year I will do my best reach out to them directly.

Once again, thank you for your e-mail and your
devotion to the Tavern. I look forward to hearing from you soon. My contact information is listed below. I hope you and your family have wonderfulholiday week. Until then ~

Warm Regards,

George F. Soderberg, II

General Manager & Regional Director of Operations

The Wolfeboro Inn & Wolfe's Tavern

90 North Main Street

Wolfeboro, New Hampshire 03894
(603) 569-3016

(603) 918-9258 cell

> www.wolfeboroinn.com
> www.haycreekhospitality.com

It's very interesting that the Inn has a new GM and a new Chef. Maybe this combination will get it right?

Mr. George F. Soderberg, II, says all the right things in his post, it seems to me. The big question is will the Wolfeboro Inn pull itself together and deliver on his promise? Actions speak louder than words.
The old coot and his family eat at home the majority of the time and so whether a restaurant delivers as it should doesn't much affect us personally. But, as someone has already pointed out, when a prominent Wolfeboro location is substandard, it detracts from the whole Town's image as a tourist destination. With that fact in mind, I hope the Inn's staff and management become masters of the business that they're in. If they do, their success will be our success.
oc

The signature line reads Regional Director of Operations. I wonder if this title is as new as the General Manager title. If not, may I conclude that Mr. Soderberg has much more background with the issues the Inn has had than he admits knowing in the letter.
Maybe I'll ask him

Wolfeboro Inn
 

Well, it is nice to see that the Inn responded, and in a positive manner. I don't think anyone realistically expects instant results, but it is encouraging to see the individual at the top in the Inn management tree responded with strong words about improvement and quality.

So, now it is up to the eating public to support the Inn and see how it's doing.

A good first step by Mr Soderberg.