So mad at CasaMagna Marriott!!!!

[DanielleNDerek]

Yari that is awful. I would be furious too!!! Maybe you should try to talk to management and let em have it if they don't help you. Unfortunately it won't help your situation but it may let you get some steam out.

[Jacqueline]

Originally Posted by yari2566

I am so freaked out still. I cried last night when I was going to sleep and my FI is worried. I really wanted to stay at the Marriott and I told him that I just want this to be over. He sent a nasty email to the Director of Events and is now going to the GM. He will go to corporate next week.

Argh I hear ya. But... try to relax and deal with this one step at a time. Don't get yourself all worked up over it and ruin the planning ya know? (easier said I'm sure) It will work out either way. Just continue to try to get a mgr, etc and get this fixed...which it will some how.

[amandalovesryan]

any word from your FI's conversation with them? Let us know! I hope it is going well!

[Abbie]

Wow Yari, that REALLY sucks. Just keep imagining LC and breathe deep. Margies and beach and ocean waves and warm sunshine. Use it like a mantra until your FI kicks their ass. Let us know what happens!

[jean-marcus]

thats BULLLL... i hate when people do things like that and go back on their word

[Yari]

Well my FI talked to the nasty Director of Events this afternoon and I think some progress has been made, but I am not holding my breath.

The Director of Events said that last week a large group came in for a site inspection and wanted 300 rooms. They signed the contract right then and there. She said that she tried to explain that to me, but I was upset and didn't listen. My FI told her that yes I was upset and had every right to be and apparently our 35 rooms is "small" business compared to 300 rooms. BTW, when I spoke to her she mentioned nothing about the large party of 300, just they were sold out and there was nothing they could do. My FI caught her in a few lies and she started to back down. He also threw his Gold member status and assured her that he will contact corporate once this is over. She had the nerve to say that it wasn't her decision and she was so sorry. That is such BS! The sales manager told me that the Director of Events made the final decision. Ugh!

She then told him that she will give us the rooms at $159 a night, but originally we were getting the rooms for $115 a night. He said that she needs to do better than that.

SOOOO all of a sudden they have 35 rooms to give us. She is supposed to email Brian by 6pm PST a new contract.

I hope this all works out, cause I really want to stay there. BUT I am still flipping pissed off and want revenge! Okay, now I am getting all bridezilla, but this woman has caused nothing but grief.

Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and given great suggestions. I will keep you all updated.

[SarahL]

I also had MAJOR issues trying to make arrangements for our stay there... we're leaving two weeks from today and I will DEFINITELY keep you posted about how it goes... but here is my whole saga (quoted from another section of the forum)

Originally Posted by SarahL

DO NOT HAVE A WEDDING OR TRY TO BOOK A ROOM BLOCK AT THIS HOTEL.

We got engaged in April 2007, and by the end of the month I was trying to email Patricia Haro, who was listed on their website as the wedding coordinator. After three unanswered emails, I called. I found out that she was no longer working there.

They put me in touch with Marcela Tellez, who was new. I called her, she answered some questions and promised to email me. A week later, nothing. By this point (late May) I was basically decided on Las Caletas for the wedding, but I still wanted to get a room block and have a small welcome party on the night before the wedding. I called again, and Marcela sent me a proposal for a COURTESY room block, including a free upgrade to a suite for the bride and groom, drinks for guests upon arrival, and free use of the space for a wedding reception (we were going to use this for a small informal welcome party instead). I was traveling when I received this contract, but we decided that we would go for it. When we got back from our trip, I threw my back out and spent two days in the hospital. My contract proposal expired while I was in the hospital. When I got out and tried to contact Marcela, I found out that she no longer worked there.

I called the international help line in the states, and talked several times with a lovely woman named Debi Cannon, who was extremely helpful, but couldn't give me a contract. She answered a lot of my questions, and tried to get me in touch with someone named Norah. Apparently Norah also no longer worked there. Finally, Debi passed me to Valeria in late July.

Valeria sent me a proposal for the "informal welcome party" I asked for that cost more than the entire wedding for 80 people at Las Caletas. I emailed and explained more clearly what we wanted, and found out that Valeria no longer worked there. I was passed to Rosario at the end of August.

Rosario sent me a new contract last weekend. Not only was this no longer a COURTESY room block... they now wanted a $10,000 deposit for the 40 rooms we requested for 3 nights. Also, the new contract said nothing about the welcome party, the upgrade to a suite for the bride and groom, drinks for guests, or any of the nice perks that came with the original contract. To top it off, the contract had the name of a different bride in four different places.

I emailed Rosario about my concerns and got a reply that she will be on vacation until September 24. We want to send out our save-the-dates this weekend, so that won't work for us. I emailed her supervisor, Norma Ramirez.

Norma would not return my emails, so I called. I called five times on Tuesday, and every time I called I was told that she was in a short meeting but that she would call me as soon as the meeting was over. Finally, my fiance called. They didn't recognize his name so they put Norma right on the phone. Then when he said that he was my fiance, he said that he could hear her get uncomfortable.

Norma and I talked. I thought we had the details ironed out. She said that she would send the new contract that day (Tuesday). Wednesday morning I emailed to ask where it was, and she said it was "stuck in her out box." Today (Thursday) I called and was told that all email and faxes were not working.

Tonight I got the new contract. For a $3000 deposit, our guests get a $19 per night discount on rooms - and they have to be booked by December 15 or they release the room block (45 days before the wedding). No upgrades for the bride and groom. No party space. No drinks. No perks at all. If we don't have at least 18 rooms booked, we lose the deposit. If the wedding gets cancelled, we have to pay for the FULL block... 30 rooms x 3 nights = $20,000. It even said in the contract that if they had to take us to court for that, we would have to pay the court costs. Why the heck would I sign a contract like that? Some of my guests already made reservations through travel agents, and got better deals than what I was offered for the room block.

We're going to stay at the Marriott... only for the beds and the credit card points (hoping to pay for a future vacation)... but I would NOT recommend working with the Marriott for your wedding or for a room block. They are totally disorganized and overpriced. In the last five months I was passed off from Patricia to Marcela, Debi, Valeria, Rosario, and Norma... SIX people in five months, and in the end the contract is not at ALL what we want, so we're scrapping it. Our guests will just have to make reservations on their own. My advice... whatever you do, DON'T GET MARRIED AT THE MARRIOTT IN PV!!!

- Sarah

Originally Posted by SarahL

UPDATE...

I emailed Debi Cannon to let her know how much I appreciated all of her help, but that we were not going to have a room block at the Marriott... and explained all of the whole disaster. I also explained that we were still going to stay there (some of my family already made reservations even though I had asked them to wait... grr... but they actually got a BETTER rate than our room block rate when combined with their plane tickets). I told her that we wouldn't be an "official" group, and that I hoped that we would have a good experience.

So... Debi sent me a SUPER nice reply, and forwarded my email to some people higher up at 8:00 AM last Monday. By 11:30 AM, Norma Ramirez was calling me and asking how she could fix the situation.

Now they're saying that we can have all the perks of the room block (upgrade, welcome drinks, etc.) without actually having the block. All we have to do is send her the names of all the people on our guest list. They also offered a big discount for a welcome party, but we're going somewhere else. I don't trust them. Anyway... I'll keep you all posted about how our stay goes in February but I can't recommend doing anything through their events department!

NEW Update - We are checking in two weeks from today, and we're supposed to have our welcome party there in less than three weeks, but no contract has been signed and I am having a hard time nailing them down. I am sending out e-invitations to that party today, and if something goes wrong I am going to FLIP MY $H!#!!!!!!!!! I am the furthest thing from a Bridezilla, but for real people, this place is leaving me VERY NERVOUS. I'll keep you posted about how it goes. 20 days!!! (19 days until the party that hasn't really been organized!!! Marriott AGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!)

Sarah

[SarahL]

Just to clarify - we searched and searched for a place to have our welcome party that would be within our budget but not on site at the Marriott, but EVERYTHING we found was way expensive. We want something SUPER simple (honestly, I would be FINE with just telling people to meet and hang out in the hotel lobby bar but the Marriott said we can't really do that) and everything else was just too pricey.

I think I'm just going to let it slide, not let it get to me. If the welcome party is a disaster, we'll survive. Marriott sucks.

Las Caletas is the part I'm excited about and that I KNOW will go well because of everyone here on the forum!!!

[starchild]

Yari I hope this gets resolved asap....it is a beautiful property but with not-so-beautiful management as it seems. Keep us posted :)

Sarah, crazy that you had issues too! But on the bright side your LC wedding is coming up!!

[Yari]

Wow, thanks for sharing. I think I remember reading your issue earlier on. I will let you know what happens, and please let me know what occurs at your welcome dinner.