Hotel Marina El Cid BRIDES

[DinaQtobe]

Originally Posted by Avborges 

 

Hi Julie, 

 

El Cid charges $100 outside-vendor fee to use a different photographer.  However, if your photographer is also a guest at the resort, this fee is waived.

 

Also, if you and all your guests stayed a combined 30 nights in a Platinum room, the $70/$80 meals are free - regardless of the number of guest... and it would also include your guests not staying in platinum rooms.

 

I think I am confused.  If your guests stay 30 nights (combined), regardless of room level, the cost per meal is waived?  I am hesitant of the El Cid because of the high extra cost/guest.  I don't think that many guests will upgrade to a platinum room (certainly not enough to get to 30 rooms), but I definitely think we will have over 30 nights  booked.  It would definitely make me rethink the El Cid.

[2013Bride]

Hi there brides! I am confused by that as well.  I was told if we book 10 or more platinum rooms for our trip (which we did) that our wedding meal would be free.

[Avborges]

I spoke to Deyanira and if you book the Premium or Elite wedding packages, the meal will be free if you have a combined 30 nights booked under a platinum junior suite.  Our travel agent has done several weddings there and he confirmed that it doesn't matter if you have 3 rooms booked for 10 nights each or 10 rooms booked for 3 nights.  With a combined 30 nights, the meal is free.  

 

This is from an email I exchanged with El Cid:

 

2) We wanted to be extra sure that if we book at least 10 platinum rooms, we can have a free private reception at the El Cid regardless if we have 10 or 50 guests without having to pay for the $80pp rate.  For have the free reception the couple have to complete  30 room nights in platinum rooms.

 

And this is from their wedding package:

 

 

Your Wedding Banquet is our gift to you when your guests (10 rooms or more) stay with us for a minimum of 3 nights in Platinum Room accommodations.

 

[Avborges]

Originally Posted by DinaQtobe 

 

 

I think I am confused.  If your guests stay 30 nights (combined), regardless of room level, the cost per meal is waived?  I am hesitant of the El Cid because of the high extra cost/guest.  I don't think that many guests will upgrade to a platinum room (certainly not enough to get to 30 rooms), but I definitely think we will have over 30 nights  booked.  It would definitely make me rethink the El Cid.

Hi Dina, 

 

We are only offering the Platinum group rates to our guests and we have been advertising the amenities that comes with it.  Of course we won't force anyone to book platinum but they will have to find out about the other accommodations on their own.  However, the price difference is not much and we think most people will be attracted by those add-ins.  Now let's say we have 25 nights booked under platinum and 5 nights booked under non-platinum.. in that case, Matt and I will upgrade those 5 nights to platinum because the difference would still be less than paying 60 guests (double occupancy) for the $70 or $80 meal.  It would cost me $800 to upgrade 5 rooms with 2 adults for 3 nights while it would cost me $4800 to pay for all my 60 guests the $80 meal.

 

We did the math and under our group rate, the difference between someone staying at the lowest level room and the platinum is $104 per person for 3 nights.  The difference for the next level but still below platinum is $80 per person.  You just really have to do the math to see what makes sense for you and your fiance.  I hope this helps..  

[Avborges]

Hi everyone, I have emailed Deyanira today because I needed to clarify this.  Here's our exchange:

 

1)  Once we have met our 30 combined nights at the Platinum rooms, will our guests booked under non-platinum rooms (if any) be able to attend our wedding reception free of charge as well?  I would think so since the contract states a free reception but I just want to be sure. Once you had completed the 30 room nights in Platinum rooms. The rest of your guest or family will be available to reserve any category of room.

[Ktomash]

Yep, I want to assure you all again that this is the case!  Here is my correspondence with Deyanira:

 

To further clarify regarding the premium or elite wedding package:
If we have 30 rooms (60 guests) and 5 rooms are booked in platinum rooms for 7 nights each (35 nights total) then we do not have to pay the $4,000 fee for the extra 50 guests ($80 x 50 = $4,000)? You are right you just have to pay the wedding packages selected.
 

[Avborges]

Originally Posted by Ktomash 

 

Yep, I want to assure you all again that this is the case!  Here is my correspondence with Deyanira:

 

To further clarify regarding the premium or elite wedding package:

If we have 30 rooms (60 guests) and 5 rooms are booked in platinum rooms for 7 nights each (35 nights total) then we do not have to pay the $4,000 fee for the extra 50 guests ($80 x 50 = $4,000)? You are right you just have to pay the wedding packages selected.

 

::sigh::  Glad you are also confirming!  I can use all the peace of mind I can get!  Soooo excited about El Cid!!!  

[2013Bride]

Thanks so much for the confirmation ladies!  I have 60 people coming and only had 9 platinum rooms booked for 7 nights so was just going to pay for the 10th platinum room but now I see I don't have to, yay!! What a relief that we are covered!!
 

[Avborges]

Originally Posted by 2013Bride 

 

Thanks so much for the confirmation ladies!  I have 60 people coming and only had 9 platinum rooms booked for 7 nights so was just going to pay for the 10th platinum room but now I see I don't have to, yay!! What a relief that we are covered!!

 

yes.. you are well on your well to enjoy a free 4-course reception dinner!  Congrats!  When is your wedding and how long did it take for your guests to start booking?  I'm getting married June 15 and sent out the STD last week.. so far no one has booked... 

[2013Bride]

Originally Posted by Avborges 

 

yes.. you are well on your well to enjoy a free 4-course reception dinner!  Congrats!  When is your wedding and how long did it take for your guests to start booking?  I'm getting married June 15 and sent out the STD last week.. so far no one has booked... 

Thank you, Congrats to you as well!!  My wedding is still quite some time away, November 12, 2013 (11/12/13!)  My best friend is a travel agent so she had her eye open for great deals for some time now, and ended up finding a really awesome group rate through Westjet (I am from Canada ) So we had all of our guests place their deposits as of Nov 17th, with final payment due until September of 2013.  I had sent my invites out and started to worry myself, because nobody was booking.  Several people waited until the last minute and about 70% of our guests booked the week the deposit was due, so it all worked out ha ha.  So I would just give it a bit of time if you just sent your STD's out last week, they will come around!!!   You must be getting excited though!