COUPLES BEWARE!
I have never experienced anything so horrifying like the events that played out on 10/12/24. The hotel lost power at 6am. Reception tent was damaged due to wind so ...we needed to move it inside. Come to find out, EMH doesn’t have a generator or backup water supply for their Carriage House OR hotel. Wedding party scrambled to find a place to shower and do hair/makeup, thankfully the Salon was local and they had power so we went there. The wedding coordinator, Linda, was MIA the entire morning. No communication with the bride or groom about what was at stake or how it was being handled. I (sister of the groom) had to take matters into my own hands when Linda informed me that EMH was going to cancel the reception if power didn’t come on by 3pm. Linda claimed to have called all around for backup reception spots but didn’t have any luck. Fortunately, within 45 min, I found a backup spot down the street with the help of family and friends. If it wasn’t for this village, there wouldn’t have been a reception. Meanwhile, other guests arriving at the hotel throughout the day (after flying in or driving 1-5 hours) found out at check in that there was no power, no water and they couldn’t stay at the hotel. To this day, GM, Joel Bourassa, has done nothing but undermine the circumstances. He has no compassion for our situation and is refusing to reimburse us for the tent, firepit and honeymoon suite deposits. He said verbatim that he is “not going to discuss this matter any further” with me. He’s taken no accountability for the negligence of his hotel. The breach of contract alone in regard to their Force Majeure is infuriating. It does not specifically state power outages which implies that the facility is prepared with a backup solution to electricity and running water. The clause also states “under the agreement, such party may cancel the agreement without liability upon written notice to the other party.” Neither the bride or groom (signers of the contract) were personally informed of the reception cancellation, or any details for that matter. The deficiency in lighting alone was a violation of New Hampshire's Code Admin. R. Lab 1403.20 as well as The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101, Life Safety Code. The hallways, exits and wayfinding signage were not illuminated throughout the day. Elder guests had to be escorted to the main level in order to see. Guests were using phone flashlights to find stairwells and rooms. Guests were unable to safely get from one room to the next, flush toilets, shower or wash hands. Having a generator and backup water supply in the White Mountains of New Hampshire is critical. I imagine if Joel responds to this review it will be along the lines of “the power outage was out of our control, the wedding was a success, and the staff did everything they could.” Wrong. Our friends and family stepped up. Joel has not trained his staff to handle crises or handle anything in a hospitable manner. Staff rolled their eyes in response to our concerns and seemed to have very little respect for us and upper management based on their comments that day. EMH wants your money, they do not care about you or your event. They cut corners, hide in crisis and completely disregard guest concerns. PLEASE, for your sake, safety and sanity, book your wedding elsewhere. *If you have already booked with EMH, I strongly encourage you to amend your contract for the security of your event and financial investment.