Problems at the Royalton

amendolab Posted: Jan 31, 2007 11:03 AM

Problems at the Royalton

I have to vent!!! I have read and heard nothing but great things about The Royalton and i was positive and comfortable with all of my planning with them until recently. The owners are great and easy to speak to, they seem to be accommodating and eager to please, however the man that i actually booked my wedding with who does all the coordination with me has been a totally chauvanistic, arrogant, abnoxious jerk. He is totally unapproachable and impossible to interact with. He is acting like he already has his money and our business so now he is going to take advantage and disregard me. I call to ask a simple question and he is so irrationally aggressive with me that i can't help but to cry in fear of what is to come. He is nicer to my father, i'm guessing b/c he is a man and it is his name on the contract. I don't know how to communicate with this man!!! I have talked to other professionals in the bridal industry and they say this is an increasing trend with The Royalton. I hope they are wrong. All i know is business or not, wedding or not, i am another human being and i refuse to be treated this way. I will let you know how this all ends up and if these anticipated problems are false. Any advice or thoughts?

Kara and Todd Posted: Jan 31, 2007 11:15 AM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

Call and speak to the owners immediately. DEMAND that someone else be put in charge as your BM due to this behavior.

Follow that conversation up with a letter detailing exactly the problems you had with the BM.

The owners should be willing to accomodate you since you are spending so much money there... and since the best advertising of all is word of mouth.

At this point, speak to someone over his head. I wouldn't put up with that for a minute.

AlliCatB Posted: Jan 31, 2007 12:00 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

OH MY GOD - I have to tell you, we went to the Royalton and LOVED IT. We were about to book with them, went to a food tasting and everything, and then the man you're speaking of gave us a contract with a different price quote than he and I had discussed. We were sitting there in the middle of the food-tasting dinner when he realized we're getting married the Sunday of memorial Day weekend....! I watched him mildly panic and then change our quote to Saturday night prices. He had told me originally it would be $100-something pp ($110?$120?, I forget) because we were getting married on a Sunday and then gave me a contract stating it was $165pp.

I hadn't wanted to pay that much per person, and more importantly, when I pointed out the inconsistencies, he started lying in front of the owners and saying that he 'would have never quoted me a lower price for Memorial Day weekend.' Um, yes moron you did. Look at a calendar next time.

I liked him at first. We were very chummy, discussing his wife and new baby but then he got all whacky. The owners tried to make it better and offer us a free ventian hour with the $165pp quote but I was so irritated we left and booked with Woodbury Country Club.

amendolab Posted: Jan 31, 2007 12:09 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

Thank you. I think you are right about asking for someone else to coordinate with. To be honest i haven't flat out said to this man i don't like the way you are talking to me b/c i am mostly dumbfounded and on the verge of tears and i am doing all i can to hold it together on the phone at work. I think i need to get my head straight and say this to him first and see how he responds. What do you think? Do you think it would be weird to go over his head without confronting him myself first? I just don't want to cause future problems since i am still getting married there after all....

amendolab Posted: Jan 31, 2007 12:14 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

Wow! You got to do a tasting! They told us that they don't do tastings until at the time of menus and that there chef is amazing and used to work at Tavern on the Green. How was the food? I noticed too that for us he tried to cut 1/2 hour off the wedding and i brought this to the owner's attention to be fixed. I could see what you said happened with him and the dates mix up. He was great at first, no problems, but now after all this i could picture in my mind exactly how your meeting with him went.

DandS Posted: Jan 31, 2007 12:19 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

I would definitely say something to him first. The last thing you want to do is cause any friction between you and this guy if it can be avoided. Talk to him and tell him that you do not like or appreciate the way he is speaking to you and that if things do not change you will be speaking to someone higher than him. You are spending way too much money to be treated like that. You are giving this place thousands of dollars for one nights event, so they should be kissing your @ss until the second you walk out of that building on your wedding night (whether they like you or not). But speak to him first and see where that gets you. If you get nowhere with that conversation, then demand to speak to the owner. Good Luck and please keep us updated.

menc Posted: Jan 31, 2007 02:13 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

You have FM

habs Posted: Jan 31, 2007 02:28 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

Ivori Posted: Jan 31, 2007 04:09 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

I would definitely talk to Gerard first. I know his dad just passed away recently and maybe his dad being so sick just got to him. I the would speak to one of the owners.

What kind of things did they promise and didn't follow through with.

They also told us a tasting wouldn't take place until we were ready to discuss menus.

I hope we don't have to worry.

maybride75 Posted: Jan 31, 2007 04:29 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

the fact that someone is unproachable is definatly not a good thing that would make it very hard to do buisness with. but anyhow like the girls here said i wopuld call and ask to speak to someone other than him. you shoulkd asdk for someone else to be in charge of your day. cause thast kind of treatment i would not tolerate

LBride Posted: Jan 31, 2007 09:30 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

I had my wedding there and know many others and no one has had such severe complaints before. My wedding is over and Gerard and the staff are still answering my questions and contacting me with answers right away. I think they are one of the only places that take the time to answer and handle brides concerns and questions when they come up. Many of us on here had great experiences with them when we've had questions about service, rumors, etc.

LBride Posted: Jan 31, 2007 09:40 PM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

Posted by amendolab

Wow! You got to do a tasting! They told us that they don't do tastings until at the time of menus and that there chef is amazing and used to work at Tavern on the Green. How was the food? I noticed too that for us he tried to cut 1/2 hour off the wedding and i brought this to the owner's attention to be fixed. I could see what you said happened with him and the dates mix up. He was great at first, no problems, but now after all this i could picture in my mind exactly how your meeting with him went.

FYI the food is amazing...

amendolab Posted: Feb 01, 2007 09:53 AM

Re: Problems at the Royalton

I posted as a new topic by accident, sorry i am not used to how this chatting works. I wanted all royalton brides to know that i spoke with one of the owners regarding the communication issues that i had and all seems to be resolved. Apparently the man that i am woking with had some personal things going on. He called me as well to make things right between us. Thank you for all your advice. It really helped to feel like i had some support from people going through the whole planning process.