Review of White Lotus Event Venue - 7.5/10
I'm finally…read moregetting around to writing a review.
First off, White Lotus and White Orchid are owned by the same people, which was confusing when trying to book. White Orchid was harder to reach, so I ended up going with White Lotus, which shares a space with India Oven.
The Good:
Beautiful Venue: My wedding was a dream come true, and the venue itself was stunning.
Good Customer Service: Two people, Nitu and Vinny, made the process smooth and stress-free.
Nitu, the logistics coordinator, was polite, patient, and very responsive from the beginning. She gave us a thorough tour, answered all our questions, and helped with two date changes when we needed to accommodate out-of-state guests.
When Nitu went on maternity leave, Vinny took over. He was equally helpful, allowing us to cater our own food by switching to a Friday booking instead of Saturday (since saturday is only if you catered from them), and he provided floor plans and quick responses via text and phone.
We visited the venue three times after booking, and Vinny was always accommodating. He also adjusted the temperature and lighting on the day of the event to our liking.
Smooth Rehearsal & Event Day: The rehearsal a few days before went smoothly, and Vinny remained attentive throughout the event.
The Not-So-Good:
Cleanliness Issues:
The bar area was a mess--sticky drink stains, dirty cups, and old rags that were dry and stiff. There were stacks of dirty cups meant for use that we had to throw away.
When we complained about the bar's condition, the response was simply, "I don't see anything wrong." Since nothing was done, we had to clean it ourselves, throwing out trash and clearing out the open, dirty cups that were supposed to be used for our event.
When they brought out the silverware, the forks and spoons were left on the floor, and shockingly, there were cut fingernails inside the utensil bin. With no time to waste, my team cleaned what they could.
The bridal suite was not cleaned properly--it wasn't vacuumed, and the mirrors and vanity drawers were dirty.
Unprofessional Staff:
Some of the staff, hired for floor assistance and cleaning, were sitting at our guest tables during parts of the event.
Chairs were being stacked early--even before our event ended, the crew started putting away chairs while guests were still dancing and enjoying the night.
Side Note:
While communication with Nitu and Vinny was good, some details, including pricing and hours, changed depending on who we spoke with. Certain things needed to be written down and confirmed on the spot to avoid misunderstandings later.
Availability & Communication After Signing the Contract:
While Vinny was responsive and helpful before signing the contract and making our deposit, his availability and urgency noticeably decreased afterward. Maybe it could have been the busy wedding seasons?
Scheduling became more difficult--initially, it was "Yes, we can do this and that", but as our wedding got closer, it became "Call when it gets closer," and then, when we did, we were told "No, we have other events on those dates."
While these may seem like small issues, it added a lot of stress, especially with a large bridal party and guests coming from out of state. We ended up playing it by ear for some parts, which wasn't ideal when trying to coordinate schedules.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I'd rate White Lotus a 7.5/10. Cleanliness could definitely be improved, and it makes me wonder about the condition of the food preparation areas we can't see. The venue itself was beautiful, this venue could easily be a 10/10.
