2013 Paradisus Palma Real

[luza87]

Was she from the resort? It is so hard to find a good makeup artist in another country.

Yeah, she works at the salon in the spa of the resort. She did my hair and makeup and the other ladies that work there did my bridesmaids hair and make up as well. They all did a great job but I got the feeling that the one who did my hair was the most experienced.

[luza87]

Hi ladies, I am so sorry about your experiences with the resort and romance team. It is unfortunate to hear this and it sould all work out and I'm kind of anxious right now. People are paying lots of money for their rooms and the treatment. if they say 2 weddings a day they should really make it so that you are not bumping into eachother. it's freaking annoying and I'm about to call the romance office and tell them about the reviews. My fiancé said we would call one of the wedding magazine and give them an interview if they mess up... lol not sure i would do that... I just read your reviews and he is so pissed off... anyway I hope your days had their special touch and everyone had a good time. Enjoy!!!

I am not sure why the bad reviews with the romance team. i just had my wedding there a week ago and my wedding day was perfect. Both Massiel and Natalia were on top of everything. The meeting before the day of the wedding is essential. Just make sure you go over every detail with them even if you had already discussed it in emails. They will make sure it goes the way you want it. The issues with the resort that I had were because of one man that works at the reception of the reserve. He lacks customer service and we made sure he and management knew that.

[angelnjewels]

I share the same exact feelings about the resort and Romance Team. Here is the list of issues I shared with them. They responded with a list of excuses and no apologies or recognition of their mistakes. 

1. The room requests were botched all the way around. In at least six instances, the guests who requested double beds were put in rooms with single beds and guests who requested single beds were put in rooms with double beds. Also, in most instances rooms were not ready at 3:00pm as promised. This was a major inconvenience for my guests. My parents,for example, began traveling at 4:00am and had to wait 3 hours after arriving at the resort, before they could check into any room. They then had to wait another two hours to be switched to the correct rooms. This is quite an inconvenience for anyone, but especially so for my elderly parents. 2. Communication with Romance staff was poor. I asked on several occasions about reservations, among other items, and never received confirmations. Instead, when we arrived onThursday, I was told that I had a reservation for 15 people at 7:30 PM. The time of notice was at 6:30PM. First, there weren't 15 people in my guest party there at that time and secondly, it was short notice. Nonetheless, the two of us were able to make it. All other reservations were shared with me on Friday.  3. We expected a Caribbean BBQ. I imagined a grill with grilled food. I was wrong. I also imagined lobster, but found out on Friday that it was illegal. Again, short notice. Instead, I was offered shrimp for $3 pax less. Seems like I should have been offered more for the inconvenience and price difference. I also requested chicken and no pork. To our surprise, pork chops were on the bar. As well as a rice dish that was cooked in pork. Many of my guest have dietary restrictions and pork is not a food option for them.These mistakes left the menus I purchased unreliable and inaccurate. Moreover it made the meal unsuitable for some of our guests. While they did bring chicken out after I brought it to the attention of the Romance Center, most of the guest had finished eating by that time and we were preparing to cut the cake. 4. The Dominican Trio was scheduled to perform during the first hour of our dinner reception. To my surprise, they were playing at the cocktail reception. When I mentioned this to the wedding coordinator, she started arguing with me in front of my guests on my wedding day. I angrily walked away from her. This ruined the playlist that I had prepared as now my guests were forced to listen to party music during the first hour of dinner.  5. For the ceremony, I asked that the programs be placed in the chairs. Instead they were left in baskets on the bridge where few could see them. Now, we are flying back with half of them. I will have to mail them to guests who requested to keep them as mementos. This is incurring undue and excessive costs. 6. The music for the ceremony was not played in the order requested. I confirmed this several times with the Romance Center staff. I even made a playlist and CD with the songs in order. I actually received a call to my room an hour beforehand. Yet they still messed up the songs. Both prior to the ceremony and at the recessional. 7. Due to the change in venue, the lighting I requested could not be offered. Therefore, a return was due back. It was agreed that a portion of that amount would be credited to my room. However at checkout, I still had to call for that to happen. I will be calling the Romance team for the remaining balance due back to me.  8. The reception started late, well after 7:30. Because of this our photographer was not able to stay throughout the first hour of the reception. While we paid for an hour of reception footage, we did not get an hours worth. In fact, he was unable to get any candid photos of our guests. Also, while we paid for a three hour reception, we did not receive a full three hours of reception time because of the late start. 9. When my husband asked if the cake could be wrapped by the Romance Team, he was informed that it could. However, it was sitting in the Romance office unwrapped and open to elements.  10. Wifi in the hotel was horrible. We were told that hotel worked in our rooms. Then we were told that it was being repaired. Yet, it never worked in our rooms or our guest rooms.  11. We believe that it is of upmost importance to communicate fees associated with guests from other hotels. I was not made aware of this fee until days before. I was under the assumption that it was the price listed on the planner.  However, one of my guests paid almost $300 to visit our hotel during unofficial wedding events. 

  Hi demitrice, I'm sorry about your experience... I have a few questions: What package did you get? How many people did you have? How did you work the BBQ... Was it the night before you wedding or during your wedding? Did you have a DJ or a sound system? I am so nervous right now because of the bad reviews... How did the hotel staff treat your relatives? I think in having second thoughts.... Was It a good environment or the family? How was the vacation overall? Is it worth it to have your wedding their? Sorry I woke up with tremendous anxiety! So sorry.

[shaeshae18]

Hello ladies!

 

I was told to look into this resort now that I'm back to planning my DW.  I'm thinking Dec 2014, the weekend after Christmas.  I emailed for pricing, but haven't heard back yet - I'm just being impatient.  Anyone care to forward me their packets that they've received for 2014? 

 

I'm trying to figure out how much it would cost my guests to stay at the resort, as well as how much my own wedding would cost.

Thanks,

S

[darleneg2b]

Hello ladies! I was told to look into this resort now that I'm back to planning my DW.  I'm thinking Dec 2014, the weekend after Christmas.  I emailed for pricing, but haven't heard back yet - I'm just being impatient.  Anyone care to forward me their packets that they've received for 2014?  I'm trying to figure out how much it would cost my guests to stay at the resort, as well as how much my own wedding would cost. Thanks, S

Hi, Congrats on your DW!!! While I do not regret having a destination wedding I would highly suggest selecting a different resort!!!! PPR is not at all what you pay for! Hope this helps! xoxo, Darlene

[darleneg2b]

I share the same exact feelings about the resort and Romance Team. Here is the list of issues I shared with them. They responded with a list of excuses and no apologies or recognition of their mistakes. 

1. The room requests were botched all the way around. In at least six instances, the guests who requested double beds were put in rooms with single beds and guests who requested single beds were put in rooms with double beds. Also, in most instances rooms were not ready at 3:00pm as promised. This was a major inconvenience for my guests. My parents,for example, began traveling at 4:00am and had to wait 3 hours after arriving at the resort, before they could check into any room. They then had to wait another two hours to be switched to the correct rooms. This is quite an inconvenience for anyone, but especially so for my elderly parents. 2. Communication with Romance staff was poor. I asked on several occasions about reservations, among other items, and never received confirmations. Instead, when we arrived onThursday, I was told that I had a reservation for 15 people at 7:30 PM. The time of notice was at 6:30PM. First, there weren't 15 people in my guest party there at that time and secondly, it was short notice. Nonetheless, the two of us were able to make it. All other reservations were shared with me on Friday.  3. We expected a Caribbean BBQ. I imagined a grill with grilled food. I was wrong. I also imagined lobster, but found out on Friday that it was illegal. Again, short notice. Instead, I was offered shrimp for $3 pax less. Seems like I should have been offered more for the inconvenience and price difference. I also requested chicken and no pork. To our surprise, pork chops were on the bar. As well as a rice dish that was cooked in pork. Many of my guest have dietary restrictions and pork is not a food option for them.These mistakes left the menus I purchased unreliable and inaccurate. Moreover it made the meal unsuitable for some of our guests. While they did bring chicken out after I brought it to the attention of the Romance Center, most of the guest had finished eating by that time and we were preparing to cut the cake. 4. The Dominican Trio was scheduled to perform during the first hour of our dinner reception. To my surprise, they were playing at the cocktail reception. When I mentioned this to the wedding coordinator, she started arguing with me in front of my guests on my wedding day. I angrily walked away from her. This ruined the playlist that I had prepared as now my guests were forced to listen to party music during the first hour of dinner.  5. For the ceremony, I asked that the programs be placed in the chairs. Instead they were left in baskets on the bridge where few could see them. Now, we are flying back with half of them. I will have to mail them to guests who requested to keep them as mementos. This is incurring undue and excessive costs. 6. The music for the ceremony was not played in the order requested. I confirmed this several times with the Romance Center staff. I even made a playlist and CD with the songs in order. I actually received a call to my room an hour beforehand. Yet they still messed up the songs. Both prior to the ceremony and at the recessional. 7. Due to the change in venue, the lighting I requested could not be offered. Therefore, a return was due back. It was agreed that a portion of that amount would be credited to my room. However at checkout, I still had to call for that to happen. I will be calling the Romance team for the remaining balance due back to me.  8. The reception started late, well after 7:30. Because of this our photographer was not able to stay throughout the first hour of the reception. While we paid for an hour of reception footage, we did not get an hours worth. In fact, he was unable to get any candid photos of our guests. Also, while we paid for a three hour reception, we did not receive a full three hours of reception time because of the late start. 9. When my husband asked if the cake could be wrapped by the Romance Team, he was informed that it could. However, it was sitting in the Romance office unwrapped and open to elements.  10. Wifi in the hotel was horrible. We were told that hotel worked in our rooms. Then we were told that it was being repaired. Yet, it never worked in our rooms or our guest rooms.  11. We believe that it is of upmost importance to communicate fees associated with guests from other hotels. I was not made aware of this fee until days before. I was under the assumption that it was the price listed on the planner.  However, one of my guests paid almost $300 to visit our hotel during unofficial wedding events. 

  Hi, Unfortunately I experienced alot of the same issues you did :-( I was wondering why they changed your location and why you couldn't use the lighting. They had all of our things set up at the Olympus terrace (outside) and decided to move everything inside once it actually started raining. With that said, I couldn't use the overlays that I paid extra for or the Chinese lanterns. However they are giving me a hard time for a credit/refund. I've been going back and forth with them via email and they aren't budging (but neither am I!) also, who have you emailed? I've emailed Massiel from the romance team and Lara from Caribbean Celebrations. I've also emailed the manager of the hotel, Domingo, but haven't heard back from him. Maybe there's someone else I can contact. Thanks! Darlene

[shaeshae18]

Originally Posted by darleneg2b 

 

 

Hi,

 

Congrats on your DW!!! While I do not regret having a destination wedding I would highly suggest selecting a different resort!!!! PPR is not at all what you pay for!

 

Hope this helps!

 

xoxo,

Darlene

 

Oh no!! Really?  It has such great reviews. I wish more ladies would post reviews on the reviews section of this site, bc it has like 92% good reviews or something. Have you been to any other resorts in the DR that you would recommend?

[angelnjewels]

Originally Posted by shaeshae18 

 

 

Oh no!! Really?  It has such great reviews. I wish more ladies would post reviews on the reviews section of this site, bc it has like 92% good reviews or something. Have you been to any other resorts in the DR that you would recommend?

When i went to visit during the winter it was very nice. We had minor issues with the rooms but overall we chose to have it there. I am also concerned about the reviews being that we have already picked this place.

[Demetrice Smith]

Hi demitrice, I'm sorry about your experience... I have a few questions: What package did you get? We did the Fantasy a la carte package. I did not like the decor for the other packages and they charged for each substitution. A la carte was our best option for personalization. How many people did you have? There were 31 adults and a baby. How did you work the BBQ... Was it the night before you wedding or during your wedding? The BBQ was scheduled for the wedding, but due to the weather and change of venue, it was only a buffet. Did you have a DJ or a sound system? We used a sound system. I am so nervous right now because of the bad reviews... How did the hotel staff treat your relatives? I think in having second thoughts.... Sorry, I didn't intend to scare you or anyone else. I just wanted to make everyone aware that it is far from "perfect". Despite the mistakes, we all had a fantastic time. If I had to do again, I will probably go somewhere else or have a different type of wedding. The mistakes are understandable, but the responses to my concerns are not. Be aware, communication is poor and review your wedding with them line by line. I hired a planner and thought that it would be seamless. Not! Have your wedding outlined from beginning to end and it should go well. They met with me and took notes on something the size of a napkin. So, don't depend on them for each moment. Was It a good environment or the family? How was the vacation overall? The good is good, the waiters and housekeepers are friendly, the salon is awesome, and the place is beautiful. If it was a vacation and not a wedding, I would have very little complaints. Everyone had a great time. Is it worth it to have your wedding their? It is very difficult for me to answer that because I'm sure all resorts have their issues. Sorry I woke up with tremendous anxiety! So sorry, that was not my intention. So sorry.

[darleneg2b]

Oh no!! Really?  It has such great reviews. I wish more ladies would post reviews on the reviews section of this site, bc it has like 92% good reviews or something. Have you been to any other resorts in the DR that you would recommend?

I didn't mean to be a "Debbie Downer" but if you still have time to make a decision I would research a little more. There were some positives.... The resort itself was beautiful, rooms were very nice as well, and the ladies at the spa for hair and makeup are wonderful!!!! I've been to other resorts in DR but never dealt with the wedding department so I wouldn't know which to recommend. I've heard the Majestic Colonial or Elegance (sorry can't remember which one) is great. But I've also heard that the resorts in Mexico do a great job with DW! Hope this helps! xoxo