Salem Waterfront Hotel

We hosted our rehearsal dinner and after wedding brunch here. While we are happy to say that the hotel itself was good enough, DO NOT EVER step foot into the Regatta Pub Restaurant. I have never been so appalled by a group of "professionals" in my entire life. We were told that the pub would be happy to accommodate our wedding guests and party for drinks after our wedding (of course, when trying got get us to sign a contract), the staff was downright nasty when we arrived. I walked in, in my wedding dress, and the host looked at me annoyed and told me "bar closes in a half hour". The bartenders, particularly a woman were so unprofessional it actually made my friends and family members uncomfortable. At one point, after buying many drinks, one of my friends simply gave her a 2 dollar tip for a beer (despite tipping her other times throughout the process of buying drinks) she looked at him, disgusted and said sarcastically "gee....thanks for the two dollars". She then proceeded at the end of the night to walk outside and yell at everyone to get out right after last call. Unfortunately, it was a very negative ending to our beautiful wedding day. While it didn't ruin our day, we are surely trying to forget the last hour or so of the evening. Unfortunately, this experience was so incredibly negative that I can't even give the hotel a good review, that's how bad it was. The sad thing is, we had a friend who similarly had her wedding party stay here, and she reported the same experience to me occurring THREE YEARS prior. I was hoping that it was just bad luck, but it couldn't be more true. This tells me that there is a management problem. For that reason, I would never recommend that anyone have any part of their wedding at this location. Which is a shame, because our other experiences at this hotel were pretty good. I am only giving two stars because of the other staff that were pleasant. If not for this experience, my score may have been higher.

If you are planning a wedding, avoid this hotel. All of our wedding related stress stemmed directly from the planning team at the Salem Waterfront Hotel. They are terribly unorganized, and poor communicators. Over the course of a year of planning, we had 3 different coordinators (one fired for ineptitude, one quit, one who came on 2 weeks before the wedding without a clue). Given 18 months heads up that we needed over 70 rooms, we ended up getting 25 because they booked three wedding blocks in the hotel for the same weekend, forcing us to scramble and find rooms for guests all over a 20 mile radius. This would have been fine, had they just told us they booked additional wedding blocks. Instead, we found out the hotel was full 9 months before the wedding, before invites had even been sent, when our bridal party began calling and getting turned away. As far as a hotel, it's fine. Nothing special but if you need a place to sleep, it'll suffice.

We threw my sister's wedding shower here in the Compass Room. I really had trouble finding a venue in downtown Salem that was affordable, and from the minute I contacted this venue I felt comfortable and accommodated. Rose took over the event planning for Perri, who left the company, and the transition was seamless and comforting. Upon arrival, our bartender Sarah, servers Julia and Chris, and Ryan the GM all chipped in to help with decorations and setup. When do you see the GM polishing decor and blowing up balloons for you?! We were so impressed. The place was absolutely wonderful, I can't say enough. We lucked out and got a beautiful day, and the Compass Room opens out onto a small patio we hadn't planned to decorate. Staff suggested we put linens on the table, and scrapped up decorations, chipping in to make the space usable and beautiful. From start to finish, this was a perfect experience. We were so grateful for the help and especially to the staff. I can't say enough about their service.

Everything from start to finish was super easy working with Rose and this venue! We came in with short notice and few ideas, Rose and her team made it happen. We never felt pressured and always felt like we were being taken care of. The venue/hotel itself is beautiful, the food was delicious, everybody who works here was friendly and our package was a great value. We are so happy we chose this venue to host our wedding!

Dear Rose, You made all of our dreams come true! All of the planning leading up to Erin and Chris's wedding made for a magical day. Your enthusiasm, professionalism and attention to detail helped to make the day/weekend so special. I can't thank you enough! Also, please let the chef know the food was so delicious! ALL of the staff, servers and everyone at the hotel were so polite and accommodating. Please extend my sincere thank you to each and everyone of them. Best of luck to you and your future endeavors! We will be spreading the word about the Salem Waterfront Hotel. Warm Regards, Dianne Cairney and family

What an amazing night!! We had my daughter’s quinces at the Salem Waterfront. It was a long and stressful planning process, but Rose, Wayne, and the entire staff there were extremely helpful every step of the way!! The food was excellent and the space was perfect!! I can’t say enough how happy we are to have chosen such a great venue. My daughter and her friends can’t stop talking about it. THANK YOU!!!

Rose O'Malley was an unbelievable wedding coordinator at the Salem Waterfront hotel! She was so attentive, on top of all the details, available at all times. She couldn't have been more helpful as we planned for our special day. Between our tastings, details meetings and phone calls she made wedding planning such a breeze. I wish we could do it all again just so we could continue to work with her! All of our guests were blown away by this AMAZING celebration that just wouldn't have been the same without Rose's help! I haven't stopped receiving texts and calls from family and friends about how fabulous everything was. I am so grateful to Rose and the staff at the hotel. We will never forget our wedding day. Best day of our lives! XO

We just had our wedding here on 11/11/17 and it was magical! Rose Omalley, the wedding specialist, was a dream to work with! She came in half way through the planning of the wedding as the previous wedding specialist had left....which I must say is not an easy task to do. However Rose did it with ease and grace and made my day even more perfect than I could have ever imagined. The weather was COLD but the entire staff at the Waterfront worked together to make sure my bridal party and I were well taken care of during the photos outside. This included trips on the golf cart to and from the photo spot and even to the point where Rose took off her own jacket and gave it to me! The banquet room looked phenomenal, all the walls were draped and the lighting was dim and intimate (just how i wanted it) it fit my large guest list (193) comfortably - as this was an issue me, Rose and the banquet manager Ryan looked over and worked on to make sure was perfectly done - which it was!!! The ceremony itself was like floating in the clouds! With the white draping all around us, it seemed like it was just me and my husband to-be there, but in reality there were almost 200 people watching us. The Salem Waterfront was just sensational in making you feel like you were in a dream! After the ceremony, we got the Regatta Pub for cocktail hour. Rose also planned to have the compass room (complimentary!!!!!) as the overflow for guests and photo booth during the reception - at first I wasnt sure about the idea but I am so glad I listened to Rose because it did help break up the large group of guests! I am so happy and greatful I had my wedding here! Another thing I need to add is the food was lovely.....most of the night was blurr because it went by so fast....BUT....i remember eating my clam chowder and chicken madeira....so amazing and delicious...hats off to the chef! As for the rest of the staff at the WATERFRONT HOTEL thank you for making my day so special...I know my guests had an absolute blast. Last thing I want to say is to Rose specifically - you are a rockstar and absolutely amazing at your job. Coming in half way through the planning of a girls BIGGEST DAY is not an easy task to take on and you had to do it with a bunch! But as I said before you did it gracefully and to me BEAUTIFULLY. You made my day better than I would have ever imagined and THANK YOU for being honest and up front with me the entire time, as I trusted you from the very beginning. You will go far in this industry and Im so happy I got to work with you!!! Best of luck to everyone at the Waterfront and again THANK YOU!! Lauryn G

Thank you so much to the Waterfront Hotel and Rose especially for making our day so special. We were extremely concerned about the rainy day forecast, but the hotel did everything in their power to make our ceremony perfect. Rose and her team listened to exactly what I wanted and transformed the dancefloor into an intimate and gorgeous space for our ceremony. I could not have been more thrilled! Not only was everyone so accommodating on the day of our wedding, but the planning with Rose leading up to that day was wonderful. There was a transition in staff during our planning, but Rose did everything in her power to make us feel comfortable and confident in her abilities, which we were! From little details, to major conversations with our vendors, she was there every step of the way. Even after the wedding day she has been following up to check in on us and make sure we are doing well :) The bridal suite was wonderful as well. We got ready there all day, plenty of space for 3 hair and makeup girls to come in and do their magic on 10 bridesmaids and mom! Thanks again to the whole team, cant wait to come back for a visit :)

We chose to stay at this Hotel for our wedding at Misselwood, and we couldn't be more happy that we did! We booked a suite so the girls and I could get ready in the morning. We also had some friends and family stay as well. The Pub was a perfect location for the guys/dads to meet up and relax while us girls were doing our thing. The day of, Ryan was amazing. We had lunch and mimosas sent up. My hair dresser asked him for a taller chair and he brought a few right up. The suite was large with good lighting (perfect for hair/makeup team), the bed was super comfy. Breakfast and mimosas were perfect! Let's be honest, location is key and the hotel is right downtown, close to everything and right next door to Finz where we had our rehearsal dinner. Highly recommend!

I wanted to write more but the Knot severely limits you, here is a summary! My husband and I LOVED our wedding day at the Salem Waterfront Hotel (Ceremony and Reception both on site). The ease of having everything in the same location was great and our guests raved about hotel and overall wedding experience. (NOTE- If you have an onsite ceremony they might tell you no cars will be in parking lot on wedding day, this is a lie, they blocked off plenty of spaces and none of my photographs have cars in it, but YES there are still cars farther down in parking lot. The cons... My husband and I picked this venue because we liked the idea of having someone on site running every aspect of our day at the hotel (we learned not all venues offer this) and we liked that this person was the same one helping us through the whole wedding planning process (also not the case at some venues). We had started working with Caitlyn Ward and with the glowing Knot reviews of her she was a big reason we picked SWH. Our frustrations came when Caitlyn chose to quit her job at the hotel mid-process to start her own wedding planning business and left us at square one with a new wedding coordinator, Rose O'Malley. FYI, married friends told me coordinators at all venues quit often, so don't be surprised if the person you plan your wedding with is not the person there helping you on the day of! Our frustrations with Rose were as follows (Reason for 4 stars!) She was very slow to answer e-mails/calls and didn't pick up the pace till a few weeks before the wedding when we had hoped everything would have been settled and discussed. We had family in town and did not enjoy having to drive up to Salem to discuss last minute details two nights before the wedding! She YES'd us on a lot of things cause she was new and still learning hotel rules and we later found out we couldn't order certain food or drinks or place certain decorations in locations as she had promised. Rose was too worried with pleasing the bride and said YES to too many things which hurt her/us. Our advice is TRIPLE check everything she says you can do and DO NOT decorate, order, create anything until you are 100% sure you can do it. (I.e. we brewed our own beer for cocktail hour but instead had to give it to guests off site at rehearsal dinner). On the day of my wedding I was relaxed and definitely enjoyed myself but Rose came over a few times to check in on timing of events and alert me to some small issues (Couldn't use golf cart as told to get to photographers chosen location off site). Luckily, I am calm but everyone knows you DO NOT bother the bride on her wedding day. Rose should have told these small issues/details to my family or friends or simply figured it out herself. Our last concern was Rose refused to own up to any of the mistakes she made. No one likes hearing (on their wedding day no less!) that an issues/mistakes are their fault (or another vendors fault) when it was clear that this was not the case. Again I look back on our day fondly and loved every minute at the hotel. If you/family/friends have the time/energy to plan more of your wedding than is already expected of you then definitely pick the SWH. (I.e. I coordinated most communication between my vendors and Rose. My mom hung decorations at ceremony to ensure they got placed! My brother checked placement of decorations etc. day of.) Hopefully Rose has grown into her role and some of these issues above are now non-existent! :)

What can we say! The day was fantastic thanks to Rose O'Malley and her staff at the Salem Waterfront Hotel. The weather did not cooperate, but the day went off without a hitch. Thanks for making Abby and Andrew's special day so magical. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Rose!

My husband and I got married at the Salem Waterfront Hotel on August 26, 2017 & it was better than we ever could have imagined. The venue itself is stunning ( so many awesome spots for pictures), but the quality of service & food were second to none. We had the pleasure of working with two amazing wedding coordinators Caitlyn Ward & Rose O'Malley who both went above & beyond for us. Rose took over as our wedding coordinator a few months prior to the wedding & she made sure that everything we had been planning for the past year went exactly as planned. Rose was so easy to work with as she is extremely sweet, organized, & professional. She always answered any question that we had in a timely manner ( which is huge for the bride) and made sure that any requests or last minute changes were fulfilled. She made us feel as if we were the only couple she was working with. The Hotel & rooms are absolutely beautiful, many guests stayed for the weekend & enjoyed site seeing in downtown Salem & the great food from the Regatta Pub ! It's been a month since our wedding & our guests are still talking about our big day ! My husband & I truly had the most amazing experience! Thank you to the staff at the Salem Waterfront Hotel for making our day the best ever !!!

My wedding was in the first week of September at the Salem Waterfront Hotel. When we first came to the hotel we both fell in love with it. It was a beautiful space and the package they were offering was great, but the really reason why we picked this venue was because of the wedding coordinator Caitlyn. She was amazing, until she left the hotel for unknown reasons. We ended up getting stuck with Peri that is now a coordinator at the hotel. Peri did not review our file when Caitlyn left because our bill was completely wrong and we are getting double charged. When we first were given a contract we’re were given a bill break down along with it from Caitlyn. The cost on this bill included taxes and fee’s that were being charged and says it clearly on the breakdown. The total price on the breakdown was the price that was quoted on our contract and what we agreed upon. I was in constant communication with Peri leading up to our wedding asking her if we had any outstanding bills and payments. She advised us that we were great and that we even overpaid! A week after our wedding we receive a bill from her saying she had made a mistake and forgot to charge us! The bill came to $7000! Peri said that she forgot to add fee’s. But it was already included in our payments from the breakdown we recieved! We also fulfilled payments on the total amount contracted on in the time frame we were suppose to which is why our wedding even took place on our day or else it would not have happened! This is something the hotel should take care of and review and not us! In the end this will most like end in litigation (since they have their attorney calling us) which is something we don’t want and should not have happened only if the hotel staff would review what was left to them from Caitlyn. If you contract with the hotel you should make sure you keep all your bills and break downs like I did Incase this happens to you. It’s a shame this is happening because it was a beautiful and memorable day for us and now this is just ruining it for us! I wish we would have been able to stay with Caitlyn in the end.

Where to even begin?! This Venue was absolutely perfect, Rose the wedding coordinator was there with me every step of the way and was truly my guiding light through the entire week leading up to the wedding! The week of my wedding the weather was looking like it was supposed to rain (the ceremony was slated to be outside) Rose got news that the manager of the hotel wanted to move the ceremony inside but Rose knew how much I wanted to keep the ceremony outside and personally called the owner and got the go ahead to keep the ceremony outside! She is so professional and truly one of the sweetest people! all of the staff at this venue were so nice and catered to my every need! the entire day of the wedding flowed flawlessly and my guest can't stop talking about how perfect everything was! I would recommend this venue to any bride who is looking to have her fairytale day because this venue truly made my wedding dreams come true!

My Wife and I got married at the Salem Waterfront Hotel August 12, 2017, and everything was just perfect. We started planning two years in advance and had the pleasure to work with Robyn, Caitlyn, and Rose; all three wedding specialist are great, experienced and professional. Rose took over as our coordinator, she put our minds at ease even after last minute changes and she made sure everything went exactly as planned for our big day, definitely went above and beyond. We loved the food, and we still getting great compliments from some of our guests about it, specially the passed hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour. The Platinum Package was priced reasonably, and the hotel was very flexible some requests we had for our big day, specially Linda who also went above and beyond to make sure we did not have to worry about anything and enjoy our wedding day. Bridal suite was spectacular specially after turn down service ;-) The entire staff at the hotel was great and we highly recommend this for a wedding venue or any other special event.

We got married at the Waterfront Hotel last month, and it couldn't have been more perfect. The two BEST things about the Waterfront were the coordinator Caitlyn and the food, both of which were spectacular. The package was priced reasonably, and the hotel was very flexible with a few special requests we had for our big day. I don't have a single negative thing I can say about this venue. Highly recommended!

My wife and I got married at Salem Waterfront Hotel in November 2015 and we couldn't have asked for a better venue for our ceremony and reception. Caitlyn Ward, a wedding planner at the hotel, helped us with all of the wedding planning and we loved her!! We highly recommend Salem Waterfront Hotel and Caitlyn!

We had our wedding here laat weekend. It was amazing. We were engaged for a few years and Caitlyn Ward who is the coordinator was there for me from start to finish with any questions or concerns I had. I couldn't have done it without her. She was with me up until the last second walking threw the doors. I recommend this venue to anyone looking for an amazing location, great food and an incredible people who are there for you.

Do not hire!!! They are con artists and thieves.. they will take your money and run... I paid for a wedding video that I never got and look at the reviews I’m not the only one.. it’s been 4 years and still they will not give me my money back... disgusting individuals they need to be put out of business

I got married at the Salem Waterfront Hotel in June of this year with 200 guests. My four star review is for the overall hotel and service we received. If this review was just for Caitlyn it would be 10 stars, but unfortunately there aren't just 100 of her working at the hotel! Caitlyn was absolutely AMAZING for the entire year plus leading up to my wedding. I can't tell you how much easier she made my life and how helpful she was. However, there were quite a few things that could be improved the actual weekend of the wedding. - check in and check out - the front staff was confused and not helpful to the guests who had reservations. I got so many calls about non existent reservations, etc. which is the last thing you want to be doing on the night before your wedding. Check out - no one helped me and made sure I got everything from the night before. My husband and I had to drive back over an hour and a half round trip to come back for our wedding cake that no one brought out for me from the fridge. Someone should have been there Friday when we were checking in and on Sunday as we were checking out specifically dedicated to the wedding when there are that many people. (I'm pretty sure we were one of the largest weddings they've ever had) - the woman also rudely told me I couldn't come into the back room to get all of the wedding stuff on Sunday morning even though A. all of my stuff was back there and B. I had already been back there with Caitlyn multiple times - the pub was not prepared for the brunch crowd on Sunday at all and were rude, flustered, and took forever. I told them we were having a farewell brunch in the pub and they were obviously not prepared. My dad (who footed the bill for the whole wedding) had to wait 15 minutes just to get a coffee...a lot of people actually left our brunch to go eat somewhere else because it took so long for people to come up to them and we wanted all of our friends together so we could say our goodbyes. - cleaners didn't clean up all the drinks out of the bridal suite in between getting ready and the end of the night even though my wedding planner was in the room and specifically asked them to before they left - After Caitlyn left for the night the banquet manager was no where to be found so there wasn't anyone really to help us. My wedding planner had to keep asking people to go get him and he wasn't very helpful or communicative. They weren't very careful with packing up our items at the end of the night and just threw my bouquet in a box where it was ruined. - The AC was basically non existent, we were all so sweaty (again which makes me believe they don't typically have weddings that big) - Mimosas when we were getting ready - we had to keep calling and looking for them, It would have been awesome if they were there the whole time. - We had to rent or buy a lot of stuff for the wedding, having to pay to upgrade everything they offer even in the most inclusive package was frustrating and got very expensive. I think the hotel should invest in some of that or spell out all of the charges that you will likely opt for in the beginning. Overall, I still would have chosen this hotel for my wedding and it was an incredibly beautiful day. I gave this feedback to Caitlyn as well, but I know as a bride that read every single review, if I had known about these issues before I would have made sure it didn't happen, so hope this helps someone else!

We based our August 2016 wedding weekend out of Salem, blocking guest rooms at Salem Waterfront and hosting brunch there too. We were very happy with the experience as were our guests. The Waterfront staff were wonderful for both the lodging and brunch. Out of town guests were very impressed. Caitlyn is kind, professional, and excellent to work with.

We based my daughter's wedding weekend out of the Salem Waterfront Hotel and everything worked out beautifully. Caitlyn was terrific to work with. The wedding itself was held elsewhere but we had an amazing brunch the next day which was delicious and relaxing. Great time all around and everyone was very professional and friendly !

Wonderful Experience! I had my wedding rehearsal, rehearsal dinner and a block of rooms for my wedding which was at Misselwood. Caitlyn and her team were amazing to work with! They were very accommodating and were great with providing details leading up to the events. During the rehearsal and dinner they were so generous and nice and made it an absolutely fantastic experience.

The hotel did a fabulous job with the set up for our wedding reception. They always made sure we had everything we needed and they made us feel very comfortable. Caitlyn Ward was our coordinator and did a fantastic job, even to the point of wiping the cake frosting off of my shoe when it fell during our cake cutting! We had a great experience at the Salem Waterfront Hotel and recommend it for anyone looking for their dream wedding!

We got married at the hotel in January of 2016. Caitlyn Ward the event coordinator was amazing! She and her staff were excellent, all our guests loved the rooms, the food and overall experience at the hotel. Dan and I would recommend the Salem Waterfront Hotel to anyone looking to host an event. Planning a wedding takes a lot of time and can be stressful, but Caitlyn made it so easy. Thank you everyone for making our wedding so special and fun! Amanda and Dan Face

On July 30, 2016, my husband and I got married at the Salem Waterfront hotel. We would highly recommend it! From beginning to end, the staff made us feel incredibly welcome and well taken care of. In a time of crisis, they responded with panache and care. Here's what happened. My then fiance and I were planning our rehearsal dinner elsewhere. At 9:00 on the night before the rehearsal, our venue fell through. I immediately reached out to Caitlyn, our coordinator, who reached out to the chef and other necessary folks, told us not to worry, and scheduled time with us the following morning. Over breakfast, we made decisions about food, beverages, etc. And that night we had a wonderful rehearsal dinner that people raved about. That was the beginning of a beautiful weekend with our friends and families. The food was great (way better than catered food should be!) We made lots of unusual requests throughout the process, even on the morning and afternoon of the wedding, that were accommodated every time with a smile. For example, we decided that we wanted our friends and family who stayed at the hotel with us through the event to be able to have drinks on us any time prior to the wedding in the hotel bar. We devised a plan to give out rubber bracelets that the hotel staff knew entitled those guests to charge beverages to our central bill. I know that must have been a pain for them, but they did it as if it was no big deal. Salem Waterfront also recommended vendors that we immediately connected with and delivered exceptional quality results. From the cake bakery (D'Amicis in Lynn), Rouge Cosmetics in Salem, Sound City DJ and photographer and the balloon people (Balloonatics in Saugus) we could not have been more pleased with the overall outcomes. Caitlyn and the rest of the staff have made us feel so at home that we have stayed there many times before and after the wedding. The facilities are beautiful and convenient and the service is exceptional. And our guests were impressed, even my mom :)

We didn't have our wedding here, but a farewell brunch, after party, and room block. Kaitlyn is absolutely wonderful to work with and incredibly responsive. The room block went very smoothly, we just wish we could have booked more, but our guests were slow to book. The hotel front desk was great and even was very attentive to our guests that arrived to the hotel on our wedding day just to take the trolley to our wedding venue. The brunch was perfect. Simple and easy and a great way to say goodbye to a few guests that Sunday. It is also the reason why we could get the room block a year in advance. The after party is our only complaint. The bartender was not the nicest. We were a lot of people, but we the hotel offers to host such an event, they should know what to expect. If we did it again, we would have the room block and brunch at the hotel, but move the after party to Tavern in the Square. We had our welcome party there and it was perfect. Overall, very nice and I would recommend using for a hotel room block and brunch!

We had a room block at the Salem Waterfront Hotel for my wedding in June 2016. From the very beginning, we knew we were in good hands with Robyn and Caitlyn - who answered all of our questions quickly and helped us not only reserve the room block but also helped us plan the best rehearsal dinner and post-wedding brunch! The guests loved the ease of making reservations - the suite we had was perfect for getting ready in (and for pictures!!) - and both events that we held there went off without a hitch. It was fun going down to the Regatta Pub to meet our family and friends too. I 100% recommend having your wedding party and guests stay here and hosting one of your events at the hotel.

Caitlyn Ward was the coordinator for our daughter’s wedding accommodations at Salem Waterfront Hotel. She was nothing short of outstanding. We had a multi-day event including accommodations for local and international travelers, evening ‘meeting and greets”, Sunday Brunch and an off sight ceremony. Her attention to detail and experience allowed us adjust to every possible challenge. Her knowledge of local vendors and services provided unlimited resources for us to care for the guests. Caitlyn is the consummate professional and was a trusted partner in a very special day for our daughter. I highly recommend the Salem Waterfront Hotel for all of your wedding and event needs.

I had my wedding here in May and everything was amazing. Caitlyn Ward was my coordinator and she made sure everything went exactly as planned. My husband is in the military and we had to reschedule the wedding due to a deployment and Caitlyn worked with me on changing all of the vendors to a new date and replanning the entire wedding. As for the actual day of the wedding I couldn't be happier. Caitlyn ensured everything ran smoothly and I wasn't stressed about anything. Also the food is to die for. We had filet mignon and chicken saltimbocca with clam chowder and caesar salad. Our guests raved about the filet mignon and clam chowder. The venue has a great location because it's walking distance from many attractions in Salem. Many out of town guests came and stayed for the weekend to explore the town.

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect in planning a wedding, and three days after our wonderful day, I can not express enough thanks for the staff and venue at the Salem Waterfront Hotel. We had our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all on site, as well as about 52 rooms for our guests over the weekend. The staff was wonderful and very diligent about making sure all of our wishes were taken care of. Caitlyn Ward is hands down one of the most personable, organized day of coordinators. She took care of every detail, and the details we didn't care about, she simply gave us hints of what she would do. She was amazing. Caitlyn worked with us for an entire year, and never made us feel as if we were asking too much. Our guests all commented on the food, especially the clam chowdar and the spring rolls from the reception. Kevin, our fun and fantastic bartender, took care of us not only at the Regatta Pub, but also worked our reception. The only time there was a line at the bar was during the first 15 minutes of cocktail hour, and we had some heavy drinkers at our wedding. Everyone at the front desk was pleasant and willing to help with restaurant recommendations and other sites of Salem since about 90% of our guests were from out of town. Caitlyn, Kevin, and the rest of the staff at Salem Waterfront Hotel made my husband and I feel like we were the most important people. They always remembered us through the year of planning and did everything they could to make sure our day was magical. When we were leaving on Sunday morning, Caitlyn came out to see us off, and Tim (my husband) gave her a hug and told her we were going to miss her. I reiterated that sentiment and asked if we could still come up and hang out with her. She told us anytime. I would recommend Salem Waterfront to anyone looking for a great full service venue on the North Shore. Its walking distance to a ton of great sites, shopping and restaurants, but most of all they will make you feel like royalty for your big day. Amazing job Caitlyn and Company.

We got married at Willowdale Estate (Topsfield MA) and used Salem Waterfront for our entire wedding party, and for getting ready at. Not only did they accommodate us through the entire planning process (which included several frustrating guestroom changes, adjusted events, and planning hiccups from our end) they personally took care of every issue with patience and professional kindness - that we so appreciated during the stress of wedding planning. The night before our wedding they had placed me (the bride) in a room I was unhappy with and within 5 minutes they had me moved to a beautiful suite, with all the amenities I could have possibly wanted the morning of my wedding. Caitlyn and Ryan were both wonderful to work with, and we can't thank them enough for giving our guests a fabulous place to stay and being flexible/helpful/responsive during our planning process.

The staff at the Salem Waterfront Hotel helped make our November 2015 wedding amazing!!! We worked with Caitlyn and she was excellent!! She was very attentive to our many questions, she offered great ideas, and was wonderful to work with during the planning! On the day before and the day of the wedding, she was extremely helpful and took care of everything for us! My mother and I designed and brought in most of our decorations and centerpieces, and Caitlyn and the rest of the staff were meticulous in setting everything up exactly the way we had imagined! The waitstaff at the hotel were also excellent - very professional and kind. The food was delicious - our guests talked about it long after the wedding was over! The front desk staff was helpful and our guests enjoyed having a room block at the hotel. We also had a brunch the next morning at the hotel, and the great service continued there too! We are beyond happy with how everything turned out for our wedding reception!! We highly recommend the Salem Waterfront Hotel as an excellent wedding reception venue!

I did not have my wedding here but I had a room block and a farewell breakfast at this hotel. This review is of the management and not of the individual staffers. The staff that was working the front door were fantastic and the wait staff at our breakfast were good as well. The first issue was a guest booked a room with them and when they called back to confirm their room was all set they were told the original price that was confirmed to them via email would not be honored. It was only a $5 difference but they insisted they had to charge the extra $5. The second issue was a mix up in reservations and on my wedding day my husband had to figure out why my great uncle was being kicked out of his room. They also charged my credit card that I used to book my room for the farewell breakfast despite being given a different credit card and being told the grooms parents were paying. The additional fees for the breakfast were outrageous as well. Room fee, service fee, etc etc. Despite having numerous rooms filled up with our guests and spending thousands on breakfast they would not give me an extra hour to check out because they had too many rooms to clean that day. All around terrible customer service. Go to the Hawthorne!

We were married in Topsfield but had many out of town guests - we loved Salem for our central location & the Waterfront Hotel was perfect! The rooms were updated, clean and had reasonable rates for peak season. The Bridal suite was perfect size for 8 bridesmaids, MOB & myself to get ready in - I had a hair team of 4 stylists and 2 make up artists. We hosted Welcome Drinks at the Regatta Pub (the outdoor patio was perfect for an August night), the grooms party had breakfast & watched English Premier League soccer there on the morning of the wedding. We also used the hotel for Sunday brunch which was perfect. Would highly recommend for your wedding guests to stay & other wedding weekend options!

My husband and I had our wedding here this past April, and I can honestly say it was the best choice I made. Everything was so perfect. Beautiful location. Perfect for pictures. Robyn and her team are amazing! She coordinated everything so beautifully. So much more than I could even imagine. The food is outstanding. Everything was cooked to perfection. I was so happy on how everything turned out. The cocktail hour is unbelievable it is set up so nicely and lots of space. It was the happiest day of my life and I am so happy with my choice. I would highly recommended The Salem Water Front Hotel and Marina for a wedding. They make everything so perfect for such a special day!

We reserved a wedding room block at the Salem Waterfront Hotel, plus we hosted a brunch the morning after the wedding at the hotel. We had a very positive experience working with Salem Waterfront. Caitlyn Ward was extremely friendly, professional, and helpful with the planning and logistics. Guests really enjoyed their stay at the hotel. The hotel has a nice, sunny, welcoming feel to it and it’s very conveniently located to all that Salem and the North Shore have to offer. The brunch was in the Compass Room, and it was the perfect way to send off our guests after the wedding. I would recommend Salem Waterfront to anyone looking for rooms for their guests in the Salem area.

On August 1, 2015 my husband and I got married at the Salem Waterfront Hotel and it was with out a doubt the best day of our lives. We definitely give a lot of credit to the hotel staff and event coordinator, Robyn, for making it more special than we could have every imagined. Everyone was so friendly, helpful and accommodating from the very beginning stages of the planning. Not only is the staff extraordinary, but the location is and scenery is absolutely stunning. The marina and warf are so picturesque and truly unique in such a gorgeous way. Also, there is so much to do in Salem, that not only is the location beautiful, it is also very convenient and fun! We have had so many people tell us it was the best wedding they have ever been to. I HIGHLY recommend hosting your wedding day at the Salem Waterfront Hotel!

We got married here a little over a month ago--our wedding was amazing and unforgettable! Caitlyn was so amazing to work with I miss hearing form her already! She made the day and everything leading up to it completely seamless. I honestly have no idea what we would have done without her! The staff was wonderful at the reception and everything was very clean. Our rooms were great although we didn't spend much time in them. Everyone here worked so hard to make our wedding day amazing and they succeeded :) Can't thank you enough!!!

December 2014 we had a double wedding for my daughter and my husband's niece! It was a great night and a great location at the Waterfront Hotel! Robyn offered suggestions to make the day special and handled all the requests I made with such professionalism! The night sparkled and so many guests remind me of how fun they had! The wait staff set up and take down were tremendous ! The set up folks were so terrific and talented in getting it all done! The lobby was great for photos as was the pool area! We had an incredibly spectacular event and would definitely return for another special occasion!

I recently had a winter wonderland wedding at Salem Waterfront back in December, my mother and I worked closely with Robyn to create the wedding of my dreams! Robyn had fantastic ideas, and the hotel lobby had been decorated beautifully which made the pictures one of a kind! Everything couldn't have been any better!

Our wedding on June 6, 2015 went super smoothly with Robyn leading the charge! It truly was the best time and was way more than I ever expected or hoped for. The venue was beautiful and the outside location for the ceremony really was the icing on the cake. Robyn suggested some great vendors as well and I found it very helpful that they knew the venue and the staff very well so everything went flawlessly. If we were to go back there is nothing we would change about the food or the location!

Our rehearsal dinner in the Compass Room, consisting of about 36 people, was delicious, easy to plan, and budget-friendly! Blocking off rooms for guests (including 'honeymoon suite') was simple and our guests were extremely happy with the hotel, location, and staff. Not to mention the pub which we all partied in after the rehearsal dinner! Robyn made the whole process of the dinner and the blocks so easy for me. She responded to all of my confusing emails so quickly and answered all of my questions. She even fulfilled my mom's (very last-minute) request of a breakfast buffet in the pub for Sunday with friends and family. I would highly recommend the Salem Waterfront for both a rehearsal dinner as well as room blocks!! You will not be disappointed!

I had a room block at the Salem Waterfront Hotel for my wedding in Topsfield and my husband and I stayed in the hotel as well. We had such a fantastic time during our stay and heard only good things from our guests that stayed as well. You can't beat the location in Salem, walking distance to all the best restaurants & shops, right along the water. The staff were attentive and helpful, the accommodations were clean and comfortable. On the night of the wedding we came back and were able to make it to last call at one of the neighboring bars in Pickering Wharf which was fun and the night after the wedding we rented a boat out of Pickering Wharf for our visiting guests and then spent a few hours at the hotel's regatta bar (their outdoor fire pits are so fun to gather around with a large group!). We would recommend the hotel to any couples getting married in the North Shore area - it's convenient, with great amenities and wonderful service!

We had my daughter's wedding here and it couldn't have been better. The wedding coordinator, Robyn, was phenomenal and helped with everything along the whole journey in such a timely manner. The food was great, the venue was clean and the staff were friendly. We felt this was an excellent value for the money.

Flawless! My daughter was married at Pickering Wharf Salem, MA in August 2015 and the reception was held at the Salem Waterfront Hotel. Working with Robyn Sheather, (wedding consultant) was a pleasure from the first moment a year in advance to the final event. Robyn was thorough, insightful, and made the process as pleasant and relaxing as possible. The venue was beautiful. All of our requests were fulfilled beyond expectations. The hotel was accommodating and pleasant to all our invited guests. The Grand ballroom held our 125 guests with great comfort and airiness. Our meals ( Filet Mignon, Salmon) were delicious and served promptly and hot. The Pickering Wharf ceremony location, prepared with some additional decorating and flower arrangements was beautiful, especially with the Friendship of Salem ship docked in the background. Passers by, during the ceremony were extremely courteous and respectful. I was proud to welcome our out of town guests to the Salem area and the SWH for what proved to be an outstanding weekend of great pride and joy, and I believe a most memorable day for my daughter and son-in-law. Highly recommended. John Y.

My daughter was married there on 4/25/15. Here it is Sept and wedding guests are still talking about the wedding and its venue! Our families and extended families always tended to celebrate our weddings somewhat locally and Salem was never an option until my daughter did much research to find something different than what we were used to. However let's face it, they were looking for a great venue that was unique to them that provided: décor, reasonably priced, quality, ambience and a hotel for our guests to stay. WE GOT ALL OF THAT AND THEN SOME CHOOSING THE SALEM WATERFRONT HOTEL!. As the father of the bride unfortunately more often than not most fathers of the bride don't have deep pockets and price does matter. SWH beat EVERY venue's quotes and when my daughter presented the quote to me I couldn't believe my eyes. I was skeptical, so I visited the hotel and spoke with the wedding planner (Robyn) and it was the real deal. A payment plan was worked out and instead of being in hawk with credit cards I was setting up payments. Also SWH/Robyn worked with me and was EXTREMELY accommodating on my payments when it was a bad financial month for me. I cannot stress that enough, how stress free that part of the experience was. From a father's perspective I got # 1 out of the way, so let's talk about the event now. A great happy hour for our guests in a separate room which opened out to the outside on a deck where we had hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, while the wedding party were carted off to the picturesque Pickering Wharf out at the sailboat and snapping pictures overlooking the ocean. It was just a great atmosphere and set the tone. The food, "oh the food!!!!!!" Most of the guests had the filet mignon. I had a 1/2 dozen people come up to me, unplanned and not at the same tables with virtually the same line to me which was uncanny.....why would we go to Capital Grill when we can get a better steak here! That was no knock on Capital Grill's quality, but a kudo for SWH (and it is less expensive). The hall set up was spectacular, the bride obviously has a lot of input to what she'd like, but Robyn and the Hotel made it happen. On the day of the wedding while we were in the "happy hour room" Robyn had time to show two young couples planning to be married the hall and its set up. It was both their first visits that day to SWH....both put down deposits and booked immediately! The wedding went off without a hitch, wedding planner was awesome, staff were friendly and engaging. Bartenders earned their money. All I know if this place was around when I was married it would of been my choice as well. I have an EXTREMELY large family and have attended between family and friends I'd say close to 100 weddings in the last 30 years......this one at SWH was definitely in the top 3 for sure in every aspect of what you are looking for. (but I can guarantee you swh beat the price) For all you folks that are reading this review out there that have written a review. As you know we don't get anything for writing this from the venue. We do it to thank them (in this case SWH) for giving my daughter and son-in-law a positive experience they will never forget for as long as they live.....and to make sure folks out there have the opportunity to experience this as well. I cannot recommend the SWH enough and you'd be crazy not to check them out. Thanks SWH and Robyn for the memories! Tim R

My husband and I got married at the Salem Waterfront on August 1, 2015, and it was more than I could have ever dreamed of! The food, scenery, accommodations, service and most of all the staff were above and beyond. Robyn Sheather was amazing to work with! She helped make the day go so smoothly and was so responsive to all my questions throughout the planning process. She really was a huge reason why I did not feel nearly as stressed as I thought I would. The majority of our guests stayed at the hotel and all the staff was so accommodating. Having our wedding at a hotel was the best decision we ever made for convenience. The Salem Waterfront Hotel is a fabulous location with so much to do with a wide variety of restaurants, museums, and shops. And of course the location is perfect if you are looking for a beautiful ocean backdrop. There are so many really awesome spots to have photos taken, and the outdoor ceremony set up overlooking the Marina is perfect. Our guests can't stop talking about how much fun our day was. So many people have told us it was the best wedding they've ever been to and it will be difficult to top our wedding! If you're looking for a fun and beautiful location definitely consider the Salem Waterfront Hotel!

My partner and I's experience with the Salem Waterfront Hotel started off rocky. We ended up dealing with 3 coordinators as the first two left the hotel. As you can imagine, getting two calls to alert us of a change in Wedding Planner was a little unnerving. However, once meeting Robyn and the rest of the team, our fears were soon cast away. Robyn did everything in her power to comfort us, guide us, and educate us through the whole planning process. She made everything simple and easy and it allowed us to know that had we missed something, she'd be there to figure it out. The staff was beyond amazing. My partner and I work in hospitality, so for us, it was nice being on the other side. They always made sure we were doing well and being taken care of. All of our guests enjoyed the food and service. Salem Waterfront Hotel has some of the best banquet food I have ever tasted. I highly recommend this venue for anyone considering getting married outside of Boston. They are kind and warm-hearted and everything was reasonably priced. I would do it all again in a heartbeat (with the same bride of course!).

My wife and I had our reception here on May 24, 2014. It was literally the best day of our lives and that had A LOT to do with how wonderful the Salem Waterfront Hotel and Marina were (from beginning to end). Everything went so smoothly and our guests cannot stop raving (still!) about how beautiful and classy the venue/setup was. I cannot say enough about the Sales Manager Robyn Sheather. From the beginning, she made us feel at ease. The day before our wedding, we got a last minute call from the limo company canceling our vehicles (Lynette's Limo - NEVER use them as they were recently shut down by the Feds). As a result, our last minute limo booking had to end our service an hour earlier than originally planned. We were not taking our photos too far from the hotel (but far enough for two brides in poofy dresses to not want to walk). Robyn was so observant that she noticed when our limos drove away from the site of the photos and instructed the hotel staff to drive over and pick us up in the hotel golf cart. It was so sweet and our photographer caught a great photo of us driving away on the back of the cart. Do not hesitate to have your wedding here. It was worth every penny.

I recently got married at Salem Waterfront Hotel. I worked closely with Robyn who is the wedding coordinator. She was amazing every step of the way. I live in Texas and had to do most things long distance. She made sure everything was perfect and would send out friendly reminders if I was behind. The entire staff there was friendly and personable. The ceremony was outside on the water and they set it up perfectly. I couldn't believe how amazing the staff set up the reception. I was busy getting ready and just gave Robyn all my decorations. The place was fabulous. I feel like I am rambling on but I only have good things to say about this place. It was the wedding of my dreams.

The Salem Waterfront Hotel was the perfect venue for my wedding in July!!! Not only is every person that works there so friendly, Robyn the event manager is literally a godsend!!!! She was the only reason I remained sane during the whole wedding planning process. The venue itself is absolutely stunning, and the views are to die for. The food at our wedding was seriously the best food I've ever had at any wedding. Our guests are still talking about how amazing the baked haddock was!!! My husband and I looked at almost every venue on the north shore area and by far the Salem Waterfront Hotel was the best value. A lot of brides don't get the luxury of being a guest at their own wedding, but thanks to all the great people at the hotel, I was able to just show up and party! Please consider the Salem Waterfront Hotel for your wedding, you will not be disappointed!!!!

We had to change the venue for our Rehearsal Party 2 month before the wedding. Finding a place in such a short time had us very concerned. But when we walked into the Salem Waterfront Hotel and met Caitlyn we knew we would be OK. Caitlyn guided us along the way and was actually on site the night of the dinner. The food was exceptional the staff were kind and professional. We all had a magical evening. After the dinner we moved to the Regatta Bar and ended the evening sitting around the fire pits. Thanks for giving us such a great memory.

My husband and I got married at the Salem Waterfront Hotel September 2014 and it was beautiful. From beginning to end, Robyn and her team were so helpful, courteous and flexible! My husband and his family & friends are from San Diego originally, and we currently live there now too. Planning a wedding from 3000 miles away from our venue seemed like a daunting task to take on, but Robyn was so accommodating and up front about all our needs and wants. Everything went so smooth and I was not stressed at all! I couldn't have asked for a better weekend with friends and family. The venue is perfect if you're looking for a convenient, downtown spot where people can park their car for the weekend and have so much to do at their fingertips in downtown Salem with all the restaurants, nightlife, museums, shops etc. The food at the hotel was great and can be tailored to what you're looking for, the bar selection was extensive and our ceremony set up (outside) was perfect. There are some great spots for pictures right around the corner as well - so you don't have to go to location #2. Also, once our wedding concluded, everyone went (and walked) out to the bars for the after party! For my wedding where we had many guests coming from out of town, some never having been to Massachusetts, the Salem Waterfront Hotel was the perfect locale for us. A big plus, was that Boston was only 25 minutes away by train as well. I highly recommend this venue for any bride!