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dnelson
03-22-03, 11:37 AM
By CARA MATTHEWS
THE JOURNAL NEWS
nyjournalnews.com
March 22, 2003

Back in January, Lake Carmel native Bonnie Luft thought she had plenty of time to fine-tune the details of her May 24 wedding and reception.

But that changed Jan. 11 when her fiance, Robert Kissmann, a 24-year-old U.S. Marine Corps reservist, was called to active duty. His orders were for one year and his destination, Kuwait.

Two days later, Luft, Kissmann and about 60 friends and relatives attended Patterson Town Hall for a last-minute wedding ceremony. Luft wore her wedding dress and Kissmann his dress blues. A friend of Luft's held an informal reception at her house. Kissmann, a New Fairfield, Conn., resident, shipped out the next day.

Bonnie Kissmann, 23, then sought to get the $5,000 deposit the couple put down last year, assuming that the owner and management of the Grand Hotel and Conference Center in Poughkeepsie would understand that the cancellation was beyond the newlyweds' control. That hasn't happened.

"Everybody else was definitely working with us and said if we wanted our money returned, just to call them," said Bonnie Kissmann, who now lives in Wappingers Falls.

Joseph Bonura Jr., a manager of the Grand Hotel and son of the co-owner, said it isn't the company's policy to return deposits. Because of Robert Kissmann's situation, the hotel made an offer to hold the money for a future party, he said, but a letter stating that was returned unopened.

"We're patriotic people. We're a family business. We care," he said, adding that the offer still stands.

People cancel weddings all the time, and the nonrefundable deposit is the hotel's way of protecting itself, Bonura said. The May 24 date has not been rebooked.

"We're not trying to play unfair here," he said. "I want to do their party. I want to do a great job. I don't want them to be upset with us."

The Web site for said hotel is HERE





Here you go.

banquets@pokgrand.com
reservations@pokgrand.com

dnelson
03-22-03, 12:59 PM
Check this out. What A bunch of Marines can do.
http://www.pokgrand.com/release.asp

wrbones
03-22-03, 02:50 PM
They're screwin' people, normally after a certain point, the deposit would necessarliy be non-refundable as the hotel would have already ordered and paid for materials. Two or more months notice is plenty of time. If the hotel has already ordered needed materials for the reception, they've screwed up. Plenty of time to rescedule the facilities and return the deposit for ANYONE, especially those who are in the service.


I've worked catering and hotel meetings and banquets of all kinds. That company is taking advantage of EVERYONE!!!!