It was such a blessing to have our wedding ceremony at Willow Valley Chapel and cocktail hour/reception at Doubletree Resort by Hilton Lancaster. Our first impression in meeting Doubletree’s venue coordinator, Jamie, was that she was very confi...dent in her work but did not necessarily listen intently to the vision we had for our wedding. At first, communication was quite slow—but shortly before our event, with the efforts of our offsite wedding planner, things improved. Throughout the process, Jamie insisted our wedding day would be perfect, and dismissed our worries along the way. Thankfully, the faith she had in her team worked in her favor, and Doubletree did not disappoint!
We worked with Britney in group sales to reserve rooms for our bridal party. She was helpful, courteous, and patient as we decided how to best accommodate our guests. Britney was just the sunshine we needed when other wedding tasks were beginning to feel cumbersome. Her sweet demeanor and positive attitude are certainly an asset to this venue.
Front desk employees graciously distributed hotel gift boxes from the bride and groom to all guests in our room block. They showed enthusiasm about helping our guests feel welcome.
Set-up/clean-up crew (Brian, James, Justin, Sam) prepared the Terrace Room for our rehearsal dinner and worked tirelessly to clean up Friday night events in preparation for our Saturday wedding. They meticulously set up our tables in both PA Ballroom and Palm Court, with special attention to a unique sweetheart/head table set-up. When we recognized them for their efforts, they were appreciative and humble.
The serving staff led by Tony was top notch! He was extremely professional and personable, checking in on us throughout the meal to ensure we had everything we needed. The staff was efficient in delivering passed hors d’oeuvres, salad, entrée, dessert, coffee, and late-night cookies and fruit.
The chef is clearly a culinary expert, as alongside his talented staff he prepared the most delicious menu for our wedding. Our menu included: (hors d’oeuvres) chicken cordon bleu bites, crab dip, bruschetta, shrimp cocktail; garden salad; (choice of) beef tenderloin with bordelaise or chicken caprese; mashed potatoes and steamed carrots. We also had a late-night snack of Doubletree cookies and the most beautiful assortment of fresh fruit. Many of our guests commented about the freshness, presentation, and taste of the food. Everything was high quality, and we could tell it was prepared with care and love.
From an early morning start of getting ready in the Terrace Room, to a picturesque ceremony in the Willow Valley Chapel, to a wonderful cocktail hour and reception—everything about our day was memorable and perfect. While we would like to award Doubletree Resort by Hilton Lancaster five stars, interactions with the venue coordinator were stressful and the lack of communication was disheartening, causing us to withdraw one star. However, with all dissatisfaction aside—we are most grateful to the Doubletree team for working to make the wedding a day we will always remember and a beautiful start to a wonderful life together.