Say I'm cheapo, I'm fine with it, but this time I really regret the choice I made just to save a few hundred bucks. For my family gathering last Sunday, the venue I chose was "Window on the Park" since they have a promotion for OCBC card-holders, 1-for-1 buffet lunch / dinner. This offer seem really attractive for a group gathering.
I remembered clearly it was a Monday (3rd Sept) which I made my first call to Hotel Inn Orchard to make my reservation, I was told that reservation for 18pax cannot be made just by calling, I will need to make a 10% deposit in advance, and they will send me a credit card authorization letter via email.
I waited for the email that day but I didn't receive any update from them, so I called again the next day (4th Sept). I was told the reservation I wish to make (reservation for 30th Sept) was way too early in advance, that why they haven't send me the authorization letter, but they promised to send the email over later in the day since I wish to confirm my reservation ASAP. I wasn't expecting this excuse from them, but I accept their lame excuse since I had too many issues on hand to take care, I just want to strike off as many items on my to-do list ASAP.
My wait continued, I even gave them a few days buffer to get back to me but I never hear from them. I decide to stop calling them this time as call conversation might not be recorded, I wrote in a complaint email to their direct hotel room reservation email address instead on 7th Sept.
I should have done that earlier, I finally receive the an email reply the next day. The confirmation was pretty smooth via email communication so I decide to forgo what had happened earlier on, but I must mention I was very disappointed in their customers' feedback management. The email I received from them was purely on the table reservation issue and they did not address to my unhappiness toward their poor customer service.
On 30th September itself, me & my guests arrive on our gathering session. The whole dining experience was horrible. When I first step into the restaurant, the place was so warm, my toddler was sweating thru out the whole dining session, to the extend, my guests had to request for a fan around our sitting area.
I'm usually very excited to enjoy the spread during any buffet session, I hold on to my plate and make my round, for the first time ever I don't know what to eat. The spread they offered was so limited, and the appearance wasn't appealing at all. Not just the appearance, the food was cold and the taste was bad too. The first dish I tried was the pumpkin soup, I can't believe that the soup was totally tasteless, just like drinking thick, orange-ish plain water, even my toddler refuse to take a second mouth after her first try, that is how bad it is.
Their laska and mee-rebus taste was pretty acceptable, but the server really spoil the dish. The feeling that the server gave me is like I'm visiting a very popular hawker store with an attitude aunty taking my order, the feeling was exactly like if you are not happy with my attitude, go somewhere else to order your food.
As a host of the gathering, I was really embarrassed, many of my guests came up to me asking how much am I paying for per pax cost. The reply I got from them was luckily is a 1-for-1 deal, if not it really not worth paying 70++ per pax, they even feel I'm paying too much for this type of foods and standard at a 50% discounted rate.
I'm very sure, this gonna be my very first and the last visit to "Window on the Park". Even if any friends planning to hold their wedding banquet at this hotel, I will definitely advice them to think twice before they made the decision. Can't believe I gonna attend a wedding banquet there sometime soon later this year, I'm so not looking to the dishes I gonna expect that day.
Anyway, everything I mention above is solely based on my very own experience, personal review, I believe each individual have different preference, go and try it still if you want.
