I chose this venue for my sister's baby shower, and unfortunately, our experience was very…read moredisappointing.
When booking, we discussed renting the downstairs space because we had elderly and handicapped guests who could not easily access stairs. Based on the listing photos and our text conversation with the owner, we understood we were renting a different area than what we actually received. When we arrived, both my sister and I immediately realized the space was not what we had expected. The area we were given was the entryway/lobby area, not what we believed we had reserved based on the listing and our communications.
When we expressed our concerns, the owner initially acknowledged there had been a misunderstanding regarding the space and even discussed refunding us before the event. However, with guests already traveling and arriving--including family from out of state--and less than two hours before the baby shower, canceling simply was not a realistic option. We chose to continue because we wanted my sister to have her baby shower, not because the issues had been resolved.
Unfortunately, the room itself was only part of the problem.
Our contract allowed us access before the event so we could decorate. However, when we arrived, the venue was still being cleaned. We were unable to begin decorating on time because the owners were still cleaning the rented space. They remained in the venue through the beginning of our event, further delaying setup and making preparations much more stressful than they should have been.
The building was also very warm. The air conditioning had not been running before we arrived, and despite being turned on later, the room never cooled below 77°F during the event. With a room full of guests, it was noticeably uncomfortable.
After the event, I reached out in hopes of finding a reasonable resolution. Rather than addressing my concerns about the delayed access, the venue not being event-ready, or the temperature, the conversation focused almost entirely on the room selection. The owner also listed several "upgrades" as compensation, including setting up tables and chairs, upgraded chairs, and access to a small private room typically used as a bridal suite. However, none of those were services we requested, and they did not address the actual issues we experienced. In fact, we had to rearrange the tables ourselves because the setup interfered with decorating.
Guests began arriving while the owners were still on-site finishing the cleaning, which meant we never had the uninterrupted setup time we had reserved.
What was especially frustrating was the inconsistency in communication. Initially, the owner acknowledged there had been a misunderstanding regarding the space. Later, she denied there had been any misunderstanding at all and instead stated it was entirely our fault. She also repeatedly claimed we had been offered an opportunity to tour the venue before booking, but after reviewing our text messages, I could not find any such offer before the event.
This review is not because I wanted a larger room for a lower price. It is because I expected the venue I rented to be accurately represented, clean, ready at the agreed-upon time, and reasonably comfortable for my guests. Those expectations were not met.
The baby shower itself turned out beautifully because our family worked hard to make the best of the situation, but the venue created unnecessary stress on what should have been a special day.
I hope this feedback encourages improvements in communication, clearer descriptions of the rental spaces, and ensuring venues are completely cleaned and ready before renters arrive.
