Hi all BTBs
Just want to share some of my experinces with regards to wedding banquet packages at Swissotel/Fairmont. This is purely to share my personal experience for your info when you negotiate with them, not to impact your decision.
I was hunting for an ideal venue to hold my wedding dinner for 2010. Since we have 40+ tables, we need a bigger ballroom, so we shortlisted Grand Copthorne, Merchant Court, Regent, Marriott, Hyatt and Swissotel/Fairmont. Out of these places, Swissotel/Fairmont provided the worst package...
I was initially attracted by their pricing, which was a bit cheaper than the other places I shortlisted, and the fact that they have a lot of rooms to choose from. Don't be lured by it. There are a lot of hidden things not covered in their standard package. If you are considering them, please be mindful of:
1) I was shocked to learn that their pricing do not include food tasting (reason: some of our clients have tasted our food, so they do not need it...), while ALL other hotels I went to gave it as part of their standard package.
2) There is only 1 projector provided in the 'wishes'. If you need another, and it is likely that you need since there are 2 screens in most rooms, you have to rent from them at about S$300++.
3) Look carefully at the alcohol pricing. No free flow beer (reason: we have many couples who do not encourage drinking - huh????), waiver of 1 bottle for wine corkage (not free wine hor...). 5* hotels like Marriott and Regent can be 'pushed' to provide free flow of beer and 1 bottle of wine per table, so they are quite 'stingy'.
4) Car park lots might be a problem. They are very stingy about upping the complimentary lots. Since the area is a shopping place, and there can be many weddings in 1 day in the Convention Hall and the restaurants, it's one area to think about.
Erm... and my opinion of the wedding specialist... not going to name names here (not so nice), but I must say that she's not professional. Wanted to meet us before 6pm (reason: we work office hours???), when we arrive, she was late by about 15min, did not give any reason, did not even give us the package and her namecard, just rattle off the items they can't compromise. Faintz!
There are more to it. Anyhow, after adding all the additional items, we realised that the pricing is more expensive then others. Also, our confidence level in the wedding specialist is super low... can't trust my big day in that person!
I was contemplating between Regent and Marriott. In the end, we opted for Marriott, which is in a better location then Regent. Both offered similar pricing as Swissotel/Fairmont, but both were more flexible and generous. More importantly, the wedding specialists at both hotels were very professional, helpful, accomodating, understanding and give the feel that you can trust your big day in their hands.
