Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel

A Venue As Unique As You Are

Holds ceremonies and receptions

4.8

Praised by couples for:

Amenities

Helpful staff

Guests comfort

Our wedding at the Desmond was everything I dreamed of and more. I fell in love with the space years ago and never forgot how beautiful it was. From the first meeting, we knew it was the venue for us. Yes, it is pricy - but they were able to customize our day and package to fit our needs exactly. The food was INCREDIBLE, which we were skeptical about without having tastings ahead of time. However, the best part of everything was the service. The amount of staff members who specifically found me in my suite or anywhere else on the grounds on wedding day to check in with me was amazing! The entire day was a well oiled machine and I couldn't be happier.

Cassidy F.

5.0

We had the absolute best experience working with The Desmond Hotel for our wedding!! From our initial meeting to the day of the wedding, the planning process was smooth and enjoyable! They made us feel special (thank you, Joanne and Samantha!). They did their best to accommodate all of our requests and worked with us to make our dream wedding come true. Having staff help with set up and clean up made our day so enjoyable! The staff transformed the courtyard into a magical ceremony space with a beautiful, intimate cocktail hour in the Koi pond. Our guests loved the outdoor nature feel with the comfort of being indoors for our late-October wedding! Our guests also LOVED the food! We didn’t taste it before our wedding, but we were so happy with how delicious all the food was! The Fort Orange ballroom was a perfect size and space for our reception and it transformed from elegant dinner party to dance party so well! We cannot express our gratitude enough for the Desmond staff and the incredible experience they provided for us and our guests. We had so many guests come in from out of town and it was our priority that they have a comfortable and enjoyable stay for our wedding. Mr. D’s was a perfect place for our after party and guests loved having breakfast there the next morning! The Desmond far exceeded our expectations!!

Sara C.

5.0

Amanda Stankavich

MANAGER

Typically responds within 24h

Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel is a landmark hotel and upscale wedding venue located in the Albany, NY Capital Region known for hosting milestone celebrations for over 50 years. Its seasoned staff are committed to making your event look and feel like a one-in-a-million experience. Here you can comfortably welcome up to 540 of your closest family and friends in a memorable setting. The hotel offers two unique indoor landscaped courtyards to choose from for your ceremony site. Covered from the elements, you can feel confident of a perfect gathering regardless of the weather in a gorgeous indoor garden terrace setting. A large koi pond, brick pathways, atrium skylights, and over 30' high ceilings make for a sentimental backdrop for your “I do’s”. Three enchanting ballrooms of various sizes await for your reception, each of which have a modern and sophisticated ambiance. Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel offers three wedding packages to help you to streamline your planning process and a la carté add-on options to customize your special day. What’s more, you will receive the assistance of a dedicated on-site wedding coordinator for your event. Completely customized menus can also be created if you wish with the assistance of our catering event planners. Accommodations in the hotel can be arranged for guests with a custom wedding block, and complimentary 24-hour shuttle service is available to the Albany Airport for out of town guests. Each wedding includes a private hospitality suite for the couple and wedding party, as well as a complimentary overnight guest room for the newlyweds. Additional events can be hosted including your rehearsal dinner and next-day brunch, keeping your entire celebration under one roof so that your guests never have to travel. Whether it is an intimate space for 40 or a large reception for 300+, Crowne Plaza Albany - The Desmond Hotel is the perfect spot for you.

52+ years in business

Speaks English

Small team (2-10 members)

Amenities + details

Amenities

Ceremony Area

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

Liability Insurance

On-Site Accommodations

Outdoor Event Space

Reception Area

Wireless Internet

Ceremony Types

Civil Union

Commitment Ceremony

Elopement

Interfaith Ceremony

Non-Religious Ceremony

Religious Ceremony

Second Wedding

Vow Renewal Ceremony

Settings

Ballroom

Garden

Hotel

Restaurant

Venue Service Offerings

Bar & Drinks

Cakes & Desserts

Food & Catering

Planning

Wedding Design

Service Staff

Transportation

Shuttle Service

Any questions?

Meet the team

Amanda Stankavich

Catering Sales Manager

Amanda has been with the hotel since 2013 and loves working with couples to make their special day a reality. She has experience working with diverse couples including Pakistani, Punjabi, Mehendi, Haldi, Pithi, Sangeet, and Nikah cultural wedding traditions.

4.8

out of 5.0

21 reviews

Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

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Cassidy F

4/17/2025

Our wedding at the Desmond was everything I dreamed of and more. I fell in love with the space years ago and never forgot how beautiful it was. From the first meeting, we knew it w...

as the venue for us. Yes, it is pricy - but they were able to customize our day and package to fit our needs exactly. The food was INCREDIBLE, which we were skeptical about without having tastings ahead of time. However, the best part of everything was the service. The amount of staff members who specifically found me in my suite or anywhere else on the grounds on wedding day to check in with me was amazing! The entire day was a well oiled machine and I couldn't be happier.

Sara C

12/30/2024

We had the absolute best experience working with The Desmond Hotel for our wedding!! From our initial meeting to the day of the wedding, the planning process was smooth and enjoyab...

le! They made us feel special (thank you, Joanne and Samantha!). They did their best to accommodate all of our requests and worked with us to make our dream wedding come true. Having staff help with set up and clean up made our day so enjoyable! The staff transformed the courtyard into a magical ceremony space with a beautiful, intimate cocktail hour in the Koi pond. Our guests loved the outdoor nature feel with the comfort of being indoors for our late-October wedding! Our guests also LOVED the food! We didn’t taste it before our wedding, but we were so happy with how delicious all the food was! The Fort Orange ballroom was a perfect size and space for our reception and it transformed from elegant dinner party to dance party so well! We cannot express our gratitude enough for the Desmond staff and the incredible experience they provided for us and our guests. We had so many guests come in from out of town and it was our priority that they have a comfortable and enjoyable stay for our wedding. Mr. D’s was a perfect place for our after party and guests loved having breakfast there the next morning! The Desmond far exceeded our expectations!!

Any questions?

Brigid F

11/10/2024

I can not recommend them enough! Joanne and everyone made the process so easy. The staff were so kind and helpful. The place itself is so beautiful, I barely needed decorations. I ...

live over 3 hours away, and still had such a smooth planning process because of Joanne and her crew.

Josh F

10/06/2024

The crowne plaza was amazing to work with all the way through prep and day of coordination. We couldn't have asked for a better experience, above and beyond expectations Great val...

ue for the price and strongly recommend to all

Audrina H

5/11/2023

This venue was the perfect place for us to have our wedding. We ended up having a wedding weekend (rehearsal/wedding/farewell brunch) with most guests arriving from out of state. T...

he convenience of being so close to the airport and having everything onsite made for a virtually stress free weekend. The staff is amazing - the catering team is awesome, and Joanne and Emily (banquet coordinators) were with us every step of the way. The space is gorgeous and all of our family and friends commented on how beautiful it was. If we had to do it all over… we’d pick the same venue!

LeeAnn M

1/03/2022

Our cocktail and wedding reception was at the Desmond. We worked with Jack Roddy and Amanda who were both very detailed, professional and easy to work work. They thought of everyth...

ing, worked with outside vendors and were very accommodating. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was beautiful. The feedback from guests who stayed at the hotel was very positive. Highly recommend!

Caitlin S

1/27/2021

Amanda and all of the Desmond staff made our wedding weekend perfect. From the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner all the way to the day after breakfast was amazing. We did not have to...

leave the hotel for anything which was perfect for out of town guests. The food at all three events was great and the newly renovated ballroom and guest rooms made getting ready and the ceremony/reception beautiful. I didn’t worry about any of the small details, Amanda and the rest of the staff took care of everything.

Lauren S

5/06/2018

The Desmond (& Amanda) were very accomodating to our requests for our wedding day. They were very helpful in setting up all of our decorations, ensuring that everything was in the ...

right place, and that nothing was lost or broken. They did a tremendous job at laying out and designing the reception and cocktail hour -- our 120 guests were not squeezed into corners, and there was enough room for multiple bars in the ballroom. They truly took great care of everything, allowing us to just enjoy the night with our guests with no worries about where to be and when. We couldn’t have asked for a better cocktail hour and reception, everything was absolutely perfect!

Bailey S

9/12/2017

We held our wedding at The Desmond Hotel a couple of weeks ago and were completely blown away by the entire experience. It was everything we wanted and more. From our rehearsal, to...

the wedding to a brunch the day after - they went above and beyond to make sure our special day was everything we dreamed of. Amanda, our sales coordinator, was terrific - we can't say enough about how helpful she was from the day we booked all the way through to following up the day after to make sure we were happy. She was so thorough, organized and patient - even with my one million questions leading up to the event. She made sure that every detail - down to the accent linens and menu placement were perfectly arranged to the way we had discussed in the months leading up. She made us feel as if our wedding was as important to her as it was to us. We had many of our guests stay at the hotel and they were treated wonderfully. Notably, we got lots of compliments on the shuttle service to the airport - everyone found it incredibly easy and helpful. If you're looking for a venue in the Albany region where you can have your guests stay on site and want a terrific experience for all involved, I can't recommend these guys enough!

Response from Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel on 09/12/2017

Thank you so much for taking the time to submit a review and share your experience with us...

! We are happy to hear your great comments about Amanda and the rest of our staff, and we are happy that we were able to be part of your special day from start to finish. Thank you for choosing The Desmond, and best wishes!

Linda S

7/16/2016

Our daughter and son-in-law's wedding, rehearsal dinner, and Sunday brunch were all hosted at the Desmond Hotel in Albany, NY in June 2016. We were thrilled with the Desmond exper...

ience from our first meeting with Connie to the last guest's departure. Without reservation, we recommend the Desmond for your special day. In addition to Connie, whose sage advice to "breathe" was always timely and welcome, we loved working with Patty, one of the waitstaff. Patty served our family at the tasting, the rehearsal dinner, and the reception. At each event, she attended to us with warmth, attentiveness, and friendliness usually reserved for family. The Desmond's proximity to the Albany airport was very convenient, and the variety of venues within the hotel itself made each event fun. The bride and groom were provided a complimentary bridal suite with circular staircase, which was used for gorgeous pictures and relaxation with small groups of friends. The food at each of the events was delicious and beautifully presented. Although the Desmond itself is worthy of a great review, it's the people who work at the Desmond that made our daughter and son-in-law's special day exceptional. Connie provided support and guidance throughout the weekend, especially appreciated at the ceremony and reception entrances. She organized our unruly group in a tactful but firm way; she remained calm during a Code Yellow (young flower girl needed a diaper change just prior to her ceremony entrance); and she seemed to be everywhere at once, ensuring that the bride and groom were satisfied and able to enjoy their day. Enjoy your special event at the Desmond and be sure to ask for Connie and Patty!

Kerry P

1/13/2016

The Desmond was a wonderful one-stop shop for our wedding. We had the reception and the next morning brunch. Most of our guests were from out of town and stayed at the Desmond. ...

Everyone enjoyed their stayed and said that the service was great. The reception went off without a hitch and the brunch was wonderful.

Molly M

11/11/2015

The Desmond staff could not have done more to make our Wedding Day more perfect. Every detail was thought of and looked after. Coming from abroad to have our wedding around my fami...

ly, made the process stressful, but the Desmond made it easy. Connie was a dream to work with - attentive, responsive, helpful. The food was amazing from the cocktail hour to the dinner. The waitstaff were always there to pour a drink or bring the food warm and cooked to perfection, but you never felt their presence. It was a dream come true. Despite having a small wedding of only 100 people, the room felt full for the reception. I think that we got an amazing experience for our money. I would tell anyone and everyone to have their wedding or any other event at the Desmond.

Ashley S

10/27/2015

I was the bride, and my now husband and I worked with Connie. If you are having an event there at all, I would absolutely recommend you working with Connie. We held the cocktail ho...

ur in where the koi pond is, and it turned out AMAZING. Our reception was held in the Fort Orange Ballroom, and was beautiful. The only problem I really had was that the waiters were very quick to clear your plate, as well as clear your drink. I did not eat much, just because if I got up, my plate was cleared. The steak is cooked to be medium, so people with picky party-goers may want to skip the NY Strip Steak.

Mia M

1/16/2014

Heather and Don were a total pleasure to work with. Everything was absolutely perfect, and they made sure of it. They were prompt with answering questions and took care of everyt...

hing...going beyond their responsibilities and acting as "wedding planners". They made what could have been an extremely stressful day and absolute pleasure!

Lynn P

7/23/2013

The Desmond was fantastic. I thought I was biased thinking it was the best wedding ever but I have heard from all my guest it was the best wedding they have gone too. Heather and L...

indsay were amazing. Everyone actually was. The food was fantastic as well. Honestly it was so perfect. More than I could have dreamed for! Highly recommend the Desmond for your wedding.

Haylee J

11/11/2011

My husband and I had our reception at the Desmond. It was incredible! The atrium looked absolutely stunning for the cocktail reception and the ballroom was simply gorgeous! Erinne,...

the wedding coordinator, made sure everything was perfect. She was fantastic to work with and made sure my husband and I were worry-free on our special day. I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful, spectacular reception. It was a dream a come true!

Anonymous

10/04/2011

My mother hosted my bridal shower at the Desmond hotel, and it was held in the indoor courtyard. We worked with a wonderful woman there who has since left the company. The food was...

amazing and it was a great atmosphere. A minor complaint was that we only had 1 server for over 50 people and we were told there would be 2 minimum. But our server was excellent and we didn't feel that we only had one.

Sarah B

8/23/2011

The service was great and the wedding went smoothly. The only problems were in the hotel's part of not having rooms ready and handing out too many gift bags per party. Their weddin...

g service was outstanding!

Erin M

12/14/2010

The Desmond provided first class service for our wedding. Their attention to detail was second to none and the staff was attentive and continually went the extra mile to make our ...

day smooth and without a hitch.

Gina L

11/12/2010

The Desmond was one of my top choices for a reception given the location and you can get a lot of pictures, but it was expensive and we wanted a lot of outdoor pictures, so we chos...

e downtown albany instead.

KRISTEN B

5/20/2009

easy to work with beautiful indoor setting food was amazing.

Service area & Contact info

660 Albany Shaker Road, Albany, NY

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(800) 448-3500

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Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel

Amanda Stankavich

Manager

Typically responds within 24h

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Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel

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