M M.
Yelp
Before you book an event here, don't do it! Dana Ocher, the event coordinator, is truly incompetent. She will forget conversations you've had, not answer your emails, and then pretend it's all your fault.
For example, two weeks before the event she emails, "just confirming, we are using white linens for the tables, right?" It was literally the first decision I made with her (months prior) to use black linens. This was all in the same email thread we'd been using, which she could have checked. You can imagine how rattling it is to hear this 14 days before your wedding date... I'm thinking what else has she forgotten? Somebody get this chick a pen!
Dana was also SO mean to the other staff! Mom voicing them to get out of the way while we were getting into the elevator. This prompted some of my guests to look at each other uncomfortably. They're literally just doing their job ma'am... I mean how rude?! Can you imagine thinking a fancy job and degree from Cornell gives you the right to treat others like garbage? Cringe.
She was also incredibly bossy when it came to a timeline for when and how I needed to make decisions. She told me I had to give her my menu choices "by Monday" so that she could get me the quote "that week". I did this but got no confirmation email or anything... just silence. I sent a follow up email 8 days later. Did she even receive my choices or... who would know? She promises she'll be accessible but it was very clear she had no interest in reciprocating this urgency. These "rules" were all just to make her job easier. I sent follow up emails weekly, and when she finally answered she says, "it's too complicated with all these different email threads!" Even if that were accurate, is it a good look to turn it around on you and your wedding planner? Not very professional. How about this, open your inbox once a week and we won't have to re-ask the same questions in a separate thread. Help me help you! This was also just weeks before the event by the way.
None of my guests got the discounted parking they were promised, which was embarrassing to me.
The night of the event I hardly saw her at all even though there were constant issues which required her attention. For example, one of the things I ordered (ahead of time) was the adult coffee. When we asked where they were the bartender looked confused and asked if we expected them to make 80+ adult coffees. Don't put it on the menu if you don't know how to serve it? It sounds like a question they could ask Dana... if she were there. So, no adult coffees were had even though I paid for them. The financial situation was awful already so I didn't even bother disputing the coffee problem... trust me, I had bigger fish to fry.
This is the tip of the iceberg as far as problems go and it wasn't just me that complained. Three different vendors, people who do this for a living, couldn't believe how dysfunctional and inconsistent she was.
As far as the actual hotel goes, the only critique I have is that the trash in the presidential suite was full with pizza boxes and beer cans when we checked in. Other than that it was beautiful, the location is awesome, the concierge and bell boys were amazing, and the servers were very pleasant.
Planning an event at this location was the worst experience, including the days following. The contract clearly expressed that payments were due before the event, which I made. However, there were still charges happening on my card AFTER the date, without my permission! Like send a bill would ya?? When I inquired about these charges I got half answers and at no point did anyone say, "I'm sorry your frustrated", or "sorry for the misunderstanding". No one even offered to have a call with me. It was degrading really. I'm sorry I ever gave that place any money, never again. You can assume I'm a bridezilla or that I like writing negative reviews (go check them), but the fact is that this is just what I needed to finally close the book and put it on a shelf.
P.S. my wedding still ended up being incredible for reasons completely unrelated to the venue and/or Dana, don't worry! ;)