HELP! Palace Resorts dilemma

rach220 · November 1, 2008

HELP!

I just received the contract for our July wedding at the Aventura Spa Palace and ran into a policy I was unaware of...

Apparently 80% of your guests have to stay at the resort. We only have 22 guests invited, and my parents wanted to stay offsite, and I had told our guests they could stay offsite too if they wanted to save money.

What do I do? We already booked the stay with our TA...we could cancel, but would be out the booking fee with our TA and already signed the credit card authorization in case the wedding is cancelled...I don't know if they would charge us before we signed the contract or not?

Should we try to find another place or just tell our guests they have to stay there? Most of our guests will stay there anyway, but I think 4 people were planning on staying offsite to save money. I could talk my parents into staying there, but I feel bad telling my friends they have to. And if I don't have 20 guests attend (which I probably won't), 4 guests can't stay offsite anyway, because it would be less than 80%.

It has taken us months to choose a resort and wedding date and I was finally feeling good about the whole situation and now this!

Please help!!!

2bebridejamaica · November 1, 2008

I would contact that Resort and let them know what your numbers are of at the moment and how you had the others book at the other hotel. Honesly, let them know that you may have more people but unsure since the wedding is all the way out in June. Ask them for advice. They tack on a fee, but it's prob cheaper and less of the "new drama" you would have ahead of you if you had to cancel and move everything around. This is where you want to get married and I am sure they wouldn't want to lose your business over 4 people at the other resort.

Mrs D To Be! · November 1, 2008

i didn't know about this....is this rule with all palace resorts?

kristin928 · November 3, 2008

This is odd. I booked my wedding at Isla Mujeres Palace in June and there was nothing in the contract like this. (Wedding date is 5-2-09). I would contact them to verify. If so, this is a new policy they just implemented. I decided against other hotel chains because they had a rule like this. I didn't mind paying the $81 day pass fee so people could stay at other hotels. Good luck!

rach220 · November 3, 2008

I know! I did all sorts of research before booking here and never came across a rule like this...when I emailed the WC back, I got her automated email saying she was out until September...but we're in November...so weird.

It says the contract has to be received by Nov. 3rd...so I'm kind of running out of time. I am going to try to call tomorrow to find out more. I really don't want to find another resort....I called most of our guests to see where they were planning on staying, and most are staying at the ASP, so hopefully it won't be a problem. My parents are staying off site, but they could always change and stay there too...

ahhh, I just wish it was easier than this!