Happy 2019!
Come Join Us at the Ramada Geneva Lakefront Resort for our fourth annual Winter Hounds event!
February 21-24 2019
Winter Houndstm is in its fourth year. This is an inexpensive winter escape to get out of the house, see some neat things, taste some new wines or beers and hang out with some greyhound folks without having to wait months for summer.
This is a low-cost, informal event which bridges the winter gap between Greyhounds Reach the Beach® in October and Greyhounds in Gettysburg in April. Participating wineries, distilleries and brew pubs will either waive or charge minimal tasting fees. They have plenty of time to talk about your favorite wines or brews. And they can't wait to see the greyhounds!
This year we are again staying at the gorgeous Ramada Geneva Lakefront Resort, right on the shores of Seneca Lake. Rooms for our little event are $105 per night with no pet fees! Can you believe it? Ramada Geneva is situated at the north end of Seneca Lake in Geneva, NY.
Geneva Ramada rooms are spacious and accommodate dog beds.
Ramada Geneva Lakefront is a full service hotel with a restaurant, indoor pool and lots more. Rates are $105 a night with no pet fee and you can cancel with no penalties up to 48 hours before arrival. So make your reservations early, as our room block goes away on January 21st. Call the hotel directly to reserve your room. Ask for the Winter Hounds rate.
Ramada Geneva Lakefront Resort
41 Lakefront Drive
Geneva, NY 14456
315-789-0400
Don't delay making your reservations. Any rooms left in the hotel after Jan 21 can be sold to other groups. Our rate will still be offered for our group if there are any rooms left after Jan 21. While the official dates are Friday through Sunday, Feb. 22-24, many of us will arrive Thursday night, Feb. 21, for an extra day of tasting and exploring. Our Welcome event will take place Friday evening, 5-8PM or so.
No Weather Concerns Ramada Geneva Lakefront staff know that if we get a winter storm, people may have to cancel, so they promise no cancellation hassles at all. If a storm happens to come in during our weekend, just call the hotel 24 hours ahead of your arrival and cancel. Done deal. So you need not worry about making reservations and then having to cancel.
We will again rent a big conference room for two or three vendors who will offer coats, collars and dog treats or other popular winter-oriented greyhound products. This can also be a greyt room where we can hang out and socialize.
This year we will again offer advance registration. Our modest $10 registration fee covers our social room/conference room rental for socializing and vendors, and our tasting glasses. We want to keep everything inexpensive, simple and easy.
Schedule begins Thursday ...
Some folks attend early and arrive Thursday to begin touring around. Activities officially start on Friday, 2/23. We plan a Welcome event in the social room at Ramada Geneva Lakefront Resort on Friday evening, Feb, 23, from 5-8 PM. We'll reintroduce ourselves and hang out. Vendors will be there. Greyhounds are welcome everywhere at the hotel except the restaurant area.
Friday evening and Saturday we'll have some vendors open during certain hours in our conference room at the Ramada Geneva Lakefront. Many of our participating wineries around Seneca Lake are available 10AM-5PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday for wine tasting.
Tasting Card We'll provide an information card at registration with tasting information for each participating winery, brew pub or distillery. We basically divide up the area into three tasting tours: east shore of Seneca Lake, west shore of Seneca Lake and around the Keuka Lake area. We'll also provide a list of great area restaurants and eateries.
Sunday Breakfast On Sunday, the Ramada Geneva Lakefront has a great buffet breakfast option with a chef making custom omelets for guests in the dining room overlooking the lake. Greyt food with spectacular views!
The dining room overlooks Seneca Lake!
Then more wine tasting on Sunday, until you have to leave for home. You can spend your time at the hotel with friends, seeing local sights and museums or touring the wineries, distilleries and brew pubs. Inside stuff or outside stuff. Your choice.
Our attendees from 2016, 2017, and 2018 just loved this event because it was small and intimate. People got to congregate in the hotel lounges in front of a fireplace in the evenings -- with their hounds -- have a glass of wine, and get to know people whom they had seen at events but maybe had not ever had a chance to chat with. The hotel is very friendly and helpful. People came away from the weekend with a lot of new greyhound friends.
Tasting Glasses When you check in, we'll give you a Winter Hounds tasting glass and a card listing all the participating wineries, what their tasting fees are (if any), and any special information.
Email Us Please send us an email at Grapehound@gmail.com 1) if you have questions or 2) if you wish to attend but do not plan to pre-register online so that we can order enough supplies.
* Susie and I used to stay at Geneva Ramada Lakefront years ago when we started going to the Finger Lakes. About five years ago they remodeled the hotel and got new management. They decided not to allow pets. Now they have changed their policy and do allow pets. (Technically a three greyhound limit, but we have taken four dogs each year.)
** Summer rates at Geneva Ramada Lakefront (wedding season) are over $200 per night with a $50 per day pet fee. Yipes! They are giving us a great deal for Winter Hounds.
Winter Houndstm
An informal gathering of greyhound folks with their hounds in
New York Finger Lakes wine country.
Restaurants
Event Check In Times at
Geneva Ramada Lakefront
Thursday (2/21) No "official" check in
Friday (2/22) To be determined
Saturday (2/23) To be determined
We have three separate wine tours:
Tour One goes south down the east shore of Seneca Lake.
Tour Two goes south down the west shore of Seneca Lake
Tour Three goes down the west shore of Seneca lake and then loops around Keuka Lake. Go visit familiar winries or try some new ones.
Registration for Winter Hounds is now open! Just click on the green registration button at the top right of this page.
Please be sure reserve your room now! To reserve a room, call the Ramada Geneva Lakefront directly at 315-789-0400 We expect rooms to be sold out by the event date
Weather in Geneva NY has been mild at this event for three years straight!
Winter Houndstm
February 21, 22, 23, 24, 2019
Images of the lakeshore at Ramada Geneva.
Cobblestones
New Adopt a Greyhound Shirt!
Support greyhound adoption! Check out our new Winter Hounds greyhound adoption shirt. Click on blue button above.
Suggestions
We want to help Ramada Geneva Lakefront to welcome us back every year. Here's how we can do that.
- If your dogs are used to lieing on your bed, please bring a quilt or cover to place over the bed coverings.
- Bring a lint brush to capture any dog hair on furnishings.
- Bring your pets' favorite dog pillows for the floor. Lots of room to put them around the room.
- Walk your dogs thoroughly outside before bringing them to the social areas or back to the room.
- Make sure the hotel desk has your cell number, so if your dog has an issue they can contact you.
- Bring your dog's coat because the wind can be cold off the lake. The lake is beautiful but it can be chilly!
Dining in Geneva
Finer Dining at Cobblestones One of our favorite restaurants in Geneva is Cobblestones. It is in an old Greek Revival house and a very nice place for a delicious upscale dinner.
Great Italian Food in a Casual Setting: Cosentino's
We have had a relationship with Cosentino's ever since we got a greyt recommendation from one of our Grapehounds attendees. They welcome greyhounds on their deck in the summer but I'm afraid it'll be take-out or people only for this time of year. or leave your dog at the hoel and you can walk to Cosentinos! Great people who love our events.
[www.grapehounds.com] © All rights reserved