Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

Has anyone ever heard of or been to a wedding at Areca in Plainview? I went to see the hall the other day and it really looked nice. I was wondering if the food and the service was good? Any help would be very much appreciated!

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

I have heard of Areca and wanted to see it when I was chosing reception halls.... that is until the BM decided to blow my appointment off (and it was very much HIS fault). If you really love it, then that's one thing, but at least one other bride besides myself had a VERY bad experience dealing with them, so I'd proceed with caution.

Having said that, I have also seen at least one bride have a very good experience with them in the past, and I think one of the newer brides also is using them.

GOOD LUCK!

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

I saw it in a magazine and called to get an appointment it took forever for me to get anyone on the phone and then when I did they were very nasty and short with me on the phone. I still tried to get an appointment to see it but they blew me off as if they didn't need my business. Good Luck!!

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

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Posted by o17range

I have heard of Areca and wanted to see it when I was chosing reception halls.... that is until the BM decided to blow my appointment off (and it was very much HIS fault). If you really love it, then that's one thing, but at least one other bride besides myself had a VERY bad experience dealing with them, so I'd proceed with caution.

Having said that, I have also seen at least one bride have a very good experience with them in the past, and I think one of the newer brides also is using them.

GOOD LUCK!

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I had the same EXACT experience. Andre left us waiting for half an hour. We finally left. We thought it was extremely rude. Plus we didn't like the fact that there were lots & lots of senior citizens milling around the lobby. I'm not sure if it's like that during a wedding (since we never had a chance to speak to Andre). He never even called to apologize and he did have my number. He took it when I made the appointment.

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

I wondered onto thier website and I stopped by on my way home from work one monday (figuring it was a restuarant, and before I called to make an appointment, I should see if I even like the outside. Well, the guard at the gate was sooo damn rude, I pulled back out and went home. These places charge outrageous amounts, and they act like they don't need your business....it's enraging.

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

I had my reception at Areca and I have to say, I did not encounter anything like what these girls did. They actually bent over backwards to make sure we had everything we wanted and needed. Andre and his co-management took over about one month before my wedding, so needless to say I was very concerned. I had absolutely no reason to be. They were very attentive, the food is absolutely delicious and there was plenty of it. Nobody had to wait for a drink or a refill, and dirty plates and glasses were removed promptly. Being we had a day wedding, we were able to have our CH in the restaurant, which our guests loved. They were even impressed by the bathrooms! If you have any specific questions, please FM me.

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

I heard the food was excellent. I thought it smelled alittle funny in the cocktail room though and the guy I met was really nice

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

Thanks for all of the info. I would greatly appreciate any info especially if anyone else has had a wedding at Areca or has been at a party there.

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

We had our engagement party at Areca--in the restaurant, the funky room with the Palm trees. It was an incredible party. The room is stunning and the food was outrageous. That having been said, there were a few annoyances en route to an awesome event.

When we got there on the day of the party they had put a big mural up in front of the windows to hide some chairs they didn't want to move. We were furious, because the biggest selling point of the room is the great view through the wall of windows. We complained, and they promptly took down the barrier and put the chairs into another room. They were very responsive to our needs, and it was a happy ending, but that was only possible because we got there early. If we had arrived on time, it would have been too late to fix the problem.

The security guards at the gate are often obnoxious.

Also, residents of the gated community pass through the lobby. That didn't bother me at all for an e-party, but that might be a concern if you are planning a wedding. My mother felt that the maitre'd wasn't enough of a presence, which again was not a huge drama for an e-party, but might be problematic for a wedding.

Overall, Areca is a teriffic venue. I never had problems with missed or late appointments, but there was some confusion along the way about certain planning details. We made a whole floor plan with the BM, but by the next appointment it was gone. We were told we could put the buffet in a certain place, and by the next meeting that wasn't possible. One server said she'd put the extra favors in the back, but by the time we were ready to leave, they claimed they'd all been given out, etc.

But none of these small misunderstandings marred the event. Andre and his staff run a very classy establishment. He was so flexible with the menu and very patient with our special requests. All our guests raved about the cuisine and the ambience.

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

I was very close to having my wedding at Areca. It came down to the fact that my parents did not trust the young staff, did not like the food we sampled, did not like the answers given about wine and alcohol selection, and thought the ballroom and dance floor were too small for the amount of people we wanted. However, my fiance and I loved the facilities, and thought that cocktail room was SO funky and different, and that the ballroom was beautiful also.
I suggest going there for dinner first (it's pricy and not complimentary like most places unfortunately), and making sure the staff gives you a secure and trustworthy feeling. There are young people running the place, but I certainly thought they were capable of hosting a great wedding - let me know what you wind up deciding!!

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

Thanks again for all of the information. I welcome both the negative and positive respones. Finding the right reception hall is a big decision and I don't want to regret it.

Re: Has anyone ever heard of Areca?

I'm getting married at The Hamlet Willow Creek. I looked at Areca b/c I liked their advertisement in a magazine. When FI and I went there the outside of the hall looked OK when going in. When we went inside it was really pretty but there was a guy sitting there in his bathing suite and flip flops. We proceed to look around and the ballroom was beautiful and I really liked the restaurant but when I asked if we could have the CH in there she said it wasn't possible. They wouldn't budge on the price at all....and at the time I was considering the bourne mansion and for just $30 more pp I could have had it there. All and all it is def. a nice elegant place to get married....the reason why I like the hamlet willow creek is b/c once again all the hamlets supposedly have great food and service. Willow creek looks out onto water and a golf course which I loved rather than looking at other people's homes. The price is great also.