House of Waterford — Attraction in Waterford

The factory tour we were on was amazing and I highly recommend visiting this iconic factory if you are in the area. We came here in November while on holiday and it was one of the highlights of our trip to come here & experience the Waterford crystal making process.

The car park we were at the night before made it pretty convenient to walk here just a bit down the street. We were able to get an earlier tour since we arrived a bit earlier which worked out well with our afternoon tea reservation here that was going to be very shortly after the tour. We had two tour guides and both of our guides were very knowledgable about the crystal making process. Our family had quite a few questions that I didn't really expect them to have experience with but they were quite familiar with the day to day operations of the workers craft as they were making the crystal. The tour took us through the entire process from start to finish including a solid piece of crystal that was marked up to be cut at a later time. We learned a great deal throughout the tour and got to see the molten process to the finished product as it made it's way through. The people are awesome at what they do. They make some amazing pieces!

The next step after our tour was to check out the shop and there was a ton of different products that were actually made in Waterford. They had a lot of different patterns of whisky glasses which was what I was after.

The afternoon tea reservations online can be a bit confusing since it only lets you reserve a table for two, but I called and found out that you can buy two of the reservations for separate times....put some things in the notes....and they'll combine the reservation upon request. Our tables were together when we arrived for our reservation & the staff already knew the setup so while it may seem confusing at first when you arrive it will be great. The food was awesome and the tea was great.

I highly recommend coming here if you are...

We had to stop in to see the Waterford factory while visiting Ireland, and we were very happy that we did! We have Waterford crystal glassware and other items in our home that we have purchased over the years, but we never really had a strong appreciation for it until we saw it being made. Every step in the production process is done by hand, and done by true artisans of the craft. It’s amazing that they are able to put out so much merchandise with a staff of only 70 workers! We spent a few minutes looking through their store, then took the factory tour, which lasted about 45 minutes. They demonstrated every phase of production, from glass blowing and trimming, to hand cutting or sandblasting the glass to get the elaborate patterns. It was very interesting and informative and definitely worth the time. One thing to note before you visit…if you are driving there on your own, then be aware that there is no parking here. You will have to park somewhere on the street around the factory, or park in one of the lots that is close to the shopping area known as the “Viking triangle.” Also, be aware that if you decide to purchase something in the store, prices are really high, just as expected for buying Waterford crystal anywhere else in the world. (No discounts..) They will take off the taxes for you if you are a foreigner, and they will also ship safely anywhere in the world for you. It’s definitely a stop that you want to make if you are in Ireland...

Disappointing and Overpriced – Not Worth the Hype

We visited the House of Waterford expecting a premium experience, but unfortunately, it was a letdown. The tour was very overpriced for what was offered. While the crystal pieces are beautiful, the overall experience didn’t justify the cost.

The tour guide arrived late and then rushed us through the entire visit, barely giving us time to appreciate the craftsmanship or ask questions. It felt impersonal and scripted.

A few years ago, we had a free tour in Murano, Venice, which included water taxi pickup and allowed us to spend real time watching the glass-making process. That tour was highly impressive, with detailed explanations about the techniques, materials, and history. It was informative and engaging from start to finish.

In contrast, the Waterford guide seemed self-absorbed, rattling off a rehearsed script that felt disconnected from the audience. The commentary was heavily US-centric, with long tangents about baseball and American football—which felt out of place, especially since everyone on our tour was from Europe. It was hard to stay engaged when the guide focused on topics that had little relevance to the group.

Overall, the experience lacked authenticity and value. I wouldn’t recommend it unless they rethink the tour structure and make it more inclusive, informative, and...