Inn at Bay Harbor, an Autograph Collection Hotel

engths. Though the white chairs Ms. Howlin speaks of were not featured in any resort marketing materials, they were found on the websites of previous event designers from prior years and Ms. Howlin demanded we pay to provide the chairs she wanted despite multiple email correspondence about the chairs before committing to the Inn, and a signed contract from the groom noting acceptance of the chairs that were included in the reception fee. She made threats at that time to trash the resort online and was aggressive with many of our team members. In an attempt to remedy the situation, I became involved in the discussions and we agreed to remove and store, at the resort’s expense, the chairs previously agreed to by the bride and groom. We also had the vendor of the Chaivari chairs deliver them to our loading dock so we could move them in and out of the venue to prevent any additional charge to the bride and groom. The accounting issue Ms. Howlin speaks of was isolated to a food charge that was supposed to be applied by the dozen and instead got charged per person. This was our error, and it was rectified as soon as our Event Manager became aware of the situation. The bill was adjusted and resubmitted. In an effort to prevent future situations and allow our brides and grooms more options, all weddings moving forward can opt to use the chairs included as part of the reception fee in The Sagamore Room, or rent up to 175 Chaivari chairs for an additional $1,000 fee, which includes set-up. As the President and General Manager of the Inn at Bay Harbor and with over 35 years in the hospitality industry, I am extremely proud of the women who lead our wedding team. They work diligently to plan and stage memorable events and are clear, confident communicators who work directly with our wedding guests and receive compliments consistently. We are honored to be the site of more than 40 weddings each year, and we look forward to working with future brides and grooms to make their dreams a reality at the Inn at Bay Harbor. Respectfully, Michael Costello

r guests. We can certainly have them completed prior to arrival and if this was a request you had made I’m sorry it wasn’t done before you checked-in. I have shared your comments regarding your cooler with our housekeeping and front desk managers. This should not have been moved out of your suite nor should you or your husband have been made to feel like this was your fault. The managers have already addressed this with their teams so that we can learn from your experience. We are currently in the process of a full scale renovation with the lobby, Vintage and Sagamore restaurants, Inn Café, and 35 of our guest suites already being completed. Over the next two winters we will continue renovations focusing on our Spa and fitness center first and then the remainder of our guest rooms. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us. If you would like to discuss this in greater detail please do not hesitate to call us here at the Inn.