1. Ms. Nicka Diwatin as Banquet Sales Coordinator
We contacted several hotels in Quezon City and Nicka was by far the most responsive and accommodating among all the hotels’ representatives handling email inquiries. When we visited the hotel for the first ocular check, Nicka showed her hospitality and eagerness to “sell” by showing us the place including the rooms and function room, the former being a key differentiator and key factor in our decision making.
Despite no commitment has been reached, Nicka diligently answered all our questions, concerns and ideas. By that point, it was an easy decision to choose Cocoon Boutique Hotel both as our wedding venue (including food and beverages) and as the place to stay before the wedding, on-the-day preparations, and first night right after the wedding.
2. Hotel rooms as venue for wedding preparations
We stayed in the two-bedroom master suite where there is a spacious adjoining area for our families and guests which is perfect under our circumstances and preference.
As much as we’ve loved everything Cocoon had offered, some of the critiques we have are:
a. The two bedrooms are different (not alike, not equal) and did not offer the same features with each other. One of the rooms is bigger than the other, which is perfect for the preparations of the bride, particularly the set up for hair and makeup. The other room is smaller which is perfect for the groom. Unfortunately, the key difference is that the smaller room can accept more light and is better for some of the photoshoots of the bride and the groom.
b. The adjoining room is perfect for a small family and a setup without entourage. However, it may not be able to accommodate a larger crowd.
3. Function hall as venue for reception and wedding ceremony
The setup we intended is 2 long tables with the length of 15 pax and the gap between the 2 will serve as the aisle where the bride and groom will walk on. The venue was able to accomodate the setup intended for 60 pax. Although parts of the venue are tight and narrow, it is enough to let people know that goal is to make the ceremony a very intimate one. There are no wasted spaces and for the whole event, all our family and friends are in a somewhat tight space that the only thing they can do (during lunch and while waiting for the start) is talk, socialize and get to know each other.
Also, noted that we commend the following:
a. Despite booking only Function Hall B (smaller than A), there is no booking accepted on the other function hall, which will make the entire 6th floor crowded.
b. Cocoon was very flexible on the time slot we preferred. They accepted the event from 12nn to 4pm.
c. Cocoon was also flexible on the menu so we were able to split the menu. 75% of those listed on the menu were served during lunch time and the remaining menu items were served during merienda.
d. Cocoon were so gracious that unexpectedly, they waived some of the fees that could have otherwise been charged to us, such as corkage for wine used during the toast.
4. Hotel room and other facilities and hotel spots as venue for photoshoot
As mentioned above, there is a difference between the two rooms in the two-bedroom master suite and the bigger room between the two is not good for photoshoot due to the limited lighting.
The hotel lobby offers beautiful scenery that can be used for photoshoots. The greens on the hotel entrance are also serviceable.
Unfortunately, these could be the only spots in the hotel that can be used for photoshoot but it is noted that the 6th floor was not considered an option as it was used as the wedding venue.
5. Cocoon Boutique Hotel as a wedding caterer for food and beverages
The consensus feedback is that the food is delicious. In our opinion, it could compete with the top caterers more sought after during such events. Unfortunately, the bride and the groom were not able to eat during the event but we tasted the food during the food tasting and during our meetings held at Cocoon.
6. Hotel rooms as a place to stay before and after the wedding
Cocoon’s rooms are very nice and could compare and compete with the top-ranked or popular 5-star hotels in the Philippines in terms of aesthetics, design, tidiness, and room facilities/features.
Breakfast offers one ala carte meal of your choice along with a buffet of different breads and jams, cereals, soup, various options for drinks, salad and fruits. Unfortunately, the breakfast buffet is not at par with the popular 5-star hotels which are of international branding. Still, there’s a vast choice for the ala-carte meal which is part of the room charge.
701
192
44
11
8
