Azul Sensatori Brides - POST HERE!

[AshManahan]

I've been reading the reviews lately and I have found most of them to be pretty honest. I'm going to preface this with the fact that my FH and I travel constantly. We mostly stay at Marriott's and Renaissance in suites. We are total foodies (we live in Chicago and I don't cook so we eat out constantly).

 

I stayed at Azul last Thanksgiving for a week. Here's where I think the reivews are correct. I was there a month after it opened and some of the furniture wasn't doing so well in the rooms. I chalked it up to poor color choice in the brown furniture. No biggie. The food is good and ok. I hated the Tapaz, we had a great time though. We spit out some food if we didn't like it, then had a second dinner in the Mexican place, which I found to be great. Le Chicque was awesome, but I saw people leave in the middle of dinner.

 

The beach is not the greatest. Twice a day it is pretty clean and soft. The water is awful. But, it is a beach. You sit at the pool and look at it or listen to it.

 

The water does stink, but not unusual for resorts in the area. I will say I am concerned about the stuff about the green swimsuits and scum in the water.

 

The staff is awesome with the exception of the check in people. The time share welcome people are annoying, and are present at every hotel in the area. The hotel is in the middle of nowhere. There is basically nothing to do at night unless you make your own fun, which is totally easy to do.

 

In a nutshell, this is not a 5 star resort, nor do I believe anyone is paying 5 star prices. a 5 star all inclusive resort will set you back over $1000 a night. This is less than half of that. You get what you pay for. I looked everywhere for the perfect resort, and were willing to pay substantially more than we are. I still think this is the best spot for a long weekend wedding and we are so looking forward to it. If you have the right expectations everything is fine.

 

Now, I am going down to Azul for a week in September, so if anything has changed I will let you guys know!

[~Nicole~]

Ok so I just heard back from Tiffany. The width of the wood runner is 1.64 ft, so ya that won't work for me.

 

My other question to her was :

Question about the ceremony - how many songs do I need to provide and am I able to do my first dance on the beach right after the ceremony?

 

Her answer:

I would say that you should have about 30 minutes of music on your IPOD for the ceremony if you would like to do the first dance immediately after. Does this mean that you are not going to have a private event?

 

Soooo I'm guessing that means its ok to use their equipment right after the ceremony for the first dance. Hopefully.

[~Katie~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikki07 Ok so I just heard back from Tiffany. The width of the wood runner is 1.64 ft, so ya that won't work for me. My other question to her was : Question about the ceremony - how many songs do I need to provide and am I able to do my first dance on the beach right after the ceremony? Her answer: I would say that you should have about 30 minutes of music on your IPOD for the ceremony if you would like to do the first dance immediately after. Does this mean that you are not going to have a private event? Soooo I'm guessing that means its ok to use their equipment right after the ceremony for the first dance. Hopefully.

haha my betting is that once she hears you're not forking out for a private reception, you'll get charged!! but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt (for now!) and see what they come back with!

Good luck!!!

Katie.

[~Nicole~]

Katie, that's so funny! I was thinking the same thing lol! That's why I won't answer her about the private dinner. I just keep saying it is TBD lol! I want to get it in writing that I can do it, so when they try to charge me when I don't do I private dinner I can say....."but you said right here...."

[AshManahan]

Just in case anyone was working with Fabiola at Karisma on all of their reservations, I just found out that she is no longer with them. My new contact there is Catherine Rojas.

[KittenHeart]

Gem - I agree with the girls, if you can, stop reading them because they won't help at all. I was obsessed for months with the Trip Advisor reviews and drove myself nuts! Just to test the theory I read HORRIBLE reviews about a bridal store but they were close by and I had already been to 8 different stores and I didn't want to start having to take a flight to go dress shopping, I had the most wonderful experience at this salon, bought my dress there, met the designer and the owner came out to tell me and my bridal party how entertaining we were and to come back any time. You can't listen to peoples reviews all the time, you just never know.

 

Katie - can you believe it? Private dinners basically making us pay double! This is why I bit the bullet and am having a private reception/dinner on Zocollo Terrace so I can have a dance floor and sound system and all that. The meals aren't that expensive if that helps at all... especially since you're having 18 people it wouldn't be too bad and that includes a full open unlimited bar. Just an option. I asked my WC to let me have my 40 person dinner the next morning @ 10am as a thank you/farewell brunch. They agreed to do that for me so I'm kinda making use of it all I suppose. Just a thought!

 

We need to talk to some past Sky Deck brides!

[Allisa]

We are using our Spoon dinner as our rehersal dinner the night before. We opted to pay pp for our own private function on the Zavas Cocktail Terrace. It has been a bone of contention with my FH this whole time, we are going to an all inclusive and are still having to pay for all our ceremony/cocktail hour/reception items separately.

 

As for the sound system, it is included for the ceremony, but you have to pay a separate $250 fee for the cocktail hour and ANOTHER $250 for the reception! Even if we have the cocktail reception right at the beach after the ceremony. Needless to say, we are going music -less for the cocktail reception because I refuse to pay for it twice!

[~Katie~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KittenHeart Gem - I agree with the girls, if you can, stop reading them because they won't help at all. I was obsessed for months with the Trip Advisor reviews and drove myself nuts! Just to test the theory I read HORRIBLE reviews about a bridal store but they were close by and I had already been to 8 different stores and I didn't want to start having to take a flight to go dress shopping, I had the most wonderful experience at this salon, bought my dress there, met the designer and the owner came out to tell me and my bridal party how entertaining we were and to come back any time. You can't listen to peoples reviews all the time, you just never know. Katie - can you believe it? Private dinners basically making us pay double! This is why I bit the bullet and am having a private reception/dinner on Zocollo Terrace so I can have a dance floor and sound system and all that. The meals aren't that expensive if that helps at all... especially since you're having 18 people it wouldn't be too bad and that includes a full open unlimited bar. Just an option. I asked my WC to let me have my 40 person dinner the next morning @ 10am as a thank you/farewell brunch. They agreed to do that for me so I'm kinda making use of it all I suppose. Just a thought! We need to talk to some past Sky Deck brides!

Well i got a response from Tiffany about what you asked before and she said we can keep guests there after the ceremony to take pictures (not sure why the reference to taking pictures up there, but that's what she said!) but that there will be no food or beverage services. ...doesn't sound like that counts out people going to get their own drinks and food if they want and bringing it back up.

ok re: the reception this is the response I had from Tiffany on options:

"That is correct, if you use your dinner reservation for up to 40 people on the evening of your wedding, there will just be a dinner and nothing else.

If you would like to purchase a private event, you can have the meal, dancing, speeches, whatever you would like to do. The location is free, however all you need to do is look at the private event banquet kit and choose a menu to serve everyone.

You can do a 4 hour dinner for just $14 per person (the menu is on page 35 on this link http://www.karismahotels.com/sites/d...KIT%202009.pdf ) which includes the following:

- Location
- Tables with white linen, and eating utensils
- Covered chairs with white covers and white bows
- A 4 hour private international open bar
- Your own private wait staff for your party.
- 3 course meal

The add-on that you may want to consider will be the following:

- Music, you can rent an amplifier for 4 hours for $250
- Centerpieces, you can purchase a centerpiece for $50 each
- Wedding Cake, you can see the prices for the cakes on page 26 of the above link.

If you would like to have your reception on the beach, you may want to consider a dance floor. The price for this is $230 for a floor that will hold up to 30 people. If you have your reception anywhere else, you really don’t need the dance floor. "

So... after a loooooong talk last night with my h2b about all our options, we're thinking of going for the $14 pp meal just so we get the reception and then pay for the music (can't believe thats a price JUST to rent an amplifier!!!) but THAT's IT! no decorations, no coloured bows on seats (white will do), no flowers. if the budget becomes really tight, this will be the 1st thing to go but fingers crossed we'll be ok. oh, and the reception won't be on the beach as we don't want to pay the $230 for a floor!!

yes definitely...any sky deck marrieds out there what did you do for your ceremony and afterwards?

Katie.

[~Katie~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allisa We are using our Spoon dinner as our rehersal dinner the night before. We opted to pay pp for our own private function on the Zavas Cocktail Terrace. It has been a bone of contention with my FH this whole time, we are going to an all inclusive and are still having to pay for all our ceremony/cocktail hour/reception items separately. As for the sound system, it is included for the ceremony, but you have to pay a separate $250 fee for the cocktail hour and ANOTHER $250 for the reception! Even if we have the cocktail reception right at the beach after the ceremony. Needless to say, we are going music -less for the cocktail reception because I refuse to pay for it twice!

what?? ?? ?? ?? why do you have to pay $250 for the reception and $250 for the cocktail hour?? is that another package thing? is that $250 for food for the reception and $250 just so they'll make you cocktails?? am I getting myself confused here?

I do like that option of using the Spoon restaurant the night before might suggest that to the other half and see what he thinks - would be nice to have everyone together for our last meal altogether. if we wanted to do that, do we have to book in advance then? or can we just wait until we're there and then book?

Katie.

[~Katie~]

that's my other issue now....which reception venue to choose from!!

 

anyone have any thoughts? pros/cons to any?

 

thank you

 

Katie.