Reviewing Natalie Zima, General Manager & Lori Tangen, Catering Manager, Best Western® PLUS Stoneridge Inn and Conference Centre
Review is written by Staff @ The Ring and is based on • Interviews with this vendor
If you’re looking for a location for your wedding that will have your guests raving for months afterwards, London's Best Western PLUS Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre is a great option, especially for its convenient location and the fact that it offers a ceremony and reception location, plus a place for you and your guests to stay when the party is over.
The Best Western PLUS name is known for its exceptional quality and service. London's Best Western PLUS Stoneridge Inn - with its fourteen years of experience catering to London weddings - is no exception... Just ask anyone from their long list of satisfied couples! To keep up their already fantastic reputation, Stroneridge has recently added to their existing quality by updating all seventy-one of their guest rooms to include pillow top mattresses and new duvets for added comfort. All-Inclusive Packages combined with their reputation for flexibility make planning easy at Stoneridge. A perfect-sized ballroom is available for just about any wedding ceremony and reception, whether large or small. Stoneridge also features 'French Service' for the wedding meal, and cozy accommodations for your guests. And to top it all off, you can exchange vows in The Rose Chapel (just steps from the Inn) before posing for wedding photos against rich backdrops of outdoor waterfall gardens or one of the three large stone fireplaces indoors adorn the Inn. There are countless reasons to love this location. Here's more than a few or ours...
Personally speaking...
The staff at Best Western PLUS Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre pride themselves on the quality of their service and their flexibility in offering it. They strive to make each wedding a memorable day for the bride and groom and their wedding guests. They accommodate each couple's vision of their wedding including themed weddings, if that's what you're planning. The staff told us that most of their couples end up designing an event that is a combination of traditional and contemporary and that they're delighted to work with all brides - no matter what their style is. "From high budget to tight budget, large wedding or intimate; we can custom design a wedding reception for every kind of bride," says Natalie.
"It’s great to be involved with the most important day of their lives so far," Lori told us when we asked what part of her job inspires her most. "It’s fun to personalize their wedding... helping them to create their vision." Most wedding plans are done face-to-face with Lori and her staff, or many details can be sorted out via email as well.
Planning a Stoneridge wedding...
Best Western Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre offers many options for your wedding weekend, including the ceremony, reception and accommodations for you and your guests. Stoneridge is a great option for brides who want the convenience of an all-in-one location venue. They say that they make sure to keep up with changing décor and replacing outdated and tired out guest room accessories, which is why they just recently renovated all of their guest rooms so you can rest assured you'll be comfortable after your long and exhausting wedding day.
Choosing your space
Receptions at Stoneridge come in many different forms. All the ballrooms are tastefully decorated in soft tones with decorative wall sconces, crown moulding and black chairs. Accommodating between 60 and 220 guests, each of the three ballrooms have handicap-accessible washrooms, are individually climate-controlled and are equipped for DJ’s with a podium and microphone.
Choose between The Town and Country Ballroom (3300 square feet, up to 220 guests) with large windows overlooking the waterfall and gardens, The Somerset Ballroom (2106 square feet, up to 120 guests) with a large stone fireplace and sage green walls, or The Townsend Ballroom (1521 square feet, up to 60 guests), which also has a fireplace and two large chandeliers. The Townsend Ballroom adjoins The Somerset Ballroom and many brides opt to combine the use of these two smaller rooms, using one for the cocktail reception or ceremony and then the other for the sit-down meal and dance.
A historic ceremony site
The Rose Chapel at Best Western Stoneridge is a new feature for their wedding services, but an old fixture on the grounds. This classically restored, century-old, non-denominational venue can host ceremonies of up to 120 guests. Located on the grounds of the Best Western Stoneridge, the Rose Chapel is perfect for couples who are hosting their reception on or off site and even as a back-up location in case of inclement weather for your outdoor ceremony.
The chapel is full of bright, natural light so it's also perfect for photo opps, and the convenient location is within twenty minutes of most reception venues within London and St. Thomas, including the full service hotel and banquet facility at Best Western Stoneridge. "There are many innovative ceremony options from the very basic to the most elaborate," says Natalie.
Wining and dining...
Best Western Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre is known for its excellent food. "The Executive Chef is continually developing innovative menus and will personalize the menu to suit the unique choices of each bridal couple. Any special dietary or cultural requirements can also be accommodated," says Natalie Zima, General Manager. Combine this with an excellent wine list to complement the food and your wedding meal is complete.
Best Western Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre offers the ultimate dinner service. "We offer French service, which means each guest is served individually from a silver platter," explains Lori Tangen, Catering Manager. "Meat is served first, then starch and vegetables." Complimentary centrepieces, lanterns with tea lights, create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
All Inclusive & À La Carte
Stoneridge is well known for their All Inclusive Packages that include perks from beginning to end - as well as all applicable taxes and gratuities! For $88 to $120 per person (depending on the meal you choose), you'll get a cocktail reception one hour before the meal is served, the full three or four course meal, three 750 mL bottles of wine per table, a four hour host bar following dinner, complimentary late night tea and coffee, complimentary cake cutting service, chocolate fountain and a king size room for the bridal couple.
If you choose an 'À La Carte' menu for your meal instead of an All Inclusive Package, prices range from $28 to $45 per plate.
When it comes to serving alcohol to your wedding guests, there are many options for the bar ranging from host or cash bar to toonie bar to a combination bar (part cash, part host with tickets). The bridal couple can supply their own wine for dinner, provided you have your own Special Occasion Permit for the time during which the wine will be served. A corkage fee will apply.
Creating comfort... renovations & updates for your added comfort
The accommodations at Stoneridge continue their tradition of great service and reputation for superior quality. There are seventy-one newly decorated guest rooms for you and your guests to retreat to. But the décor isn't the only thing that's been updated as the rooms also now include brand new pillow top mattresses and triple sheeted duvet bed coverings for extra comfort and relaxation after the celebration is over. All guest rooms are non-smoking and feature one king size bed or two queen size beds and wedding guests receive special room rates and complimentary continental breakfast.
Pasto's Grill is Stoneridge's on-site restaurant that is a great place for a rehearsal dinner, for your guests to enjoy drinks or a light meal. It has a bistro-style feel and Lori says that people love its, "... casual elegance and superb food."
Details, details, details
• While it's best to book your wedding 1 year in advance, call to check availability if you are working with less time, says the staff. They'll do their best to accommodate you.
• There is a non-refundable deposit of $500 due when booking your wedding.
• Another $2500 is due 3 months before your wedding date, and the remainder is due 15 days before the event.
• Stoneridge's All Inclusive Packages include all applicable taxes and gratuities. Additional taxes may apply to 'À La Carte' packages.
• When you have your wedding at Best Western Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre, you have the freedom of choosing and bringing in your own decorator, florist, disc jockey and wedding cake.
In other words...
"Thank you so much for helping to make our wedding reception so beautiful. It was a pleasure to work with you, the service was excellent and we really enjoyed it." - Jordan & Carolyn
"Just a short note to thank you for your assistance in helping Rebecca and George plan and organize their wedding reception. The food was delicious! The staff was friendly and attentive! Accommodations were great! We would recommend this hotel to anyone. Thank you again." - Barb & Gary
"George and I would like to thank you and your entire team for all of your hard work, ensuring that our wedding reception was everything we had hoped it would be. The food was excellent, the service wonderful and the entire staff made everything look effortless. A special thanks to Laurel, who took care of the head table with extra care, even packing us a 'to go' bag... which we thoroughly enjoyed. We received so many wonderful comments from our guests who were thrilled with the facility and we have been telling as many people as possible that the Stoneridge is the place to be. Thank you again, we really appreciated everything!" - Rebecca & George
"Jeff and I want to extend our deepest thanks for everything you did to make our wedding day so beautiful! Your personal effort was outstanding and made the 'planning stage' stress-free; and you rose above and beyond on the day (and night) with such an attention to detail, that made our day so special!. All of your staff deserve a pat on the back for such wonderful service. (Special thanks to Steve, always making sure we had everything we needed!) Both of us (and all of our guests) were so impressed by Stoneridge, from food and service to atmosphere and accommodations. Thank you for making our wedding wishes come true!" - Jeff & Jenn
"Thank you for your attention to detail. The reception was everything we hoped it would be and more!" - Sarah & Peter
If you’re looking for a location for your wedding that will have your guests raving for months afterwards, London's Best Western PLUS Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre is a great option, especially for its convenient location and the fact that it offers a ceremony and reception location, plus a place for you and your guests to stay when the party is over.
The Best Western PLUS name is known for its exceptional quality and service. London's Best Western PLUS Stoneridge Inn - with its fourteen years of experience catering to London weddings - is no exception... Just ask anyone from their long list of satisfied couples! To keep up their already fantastic reputation, Stroneridge has recently added to their existing quality by updating all seventy-one of their guest rooms to include pillow top mattresses and new duvets for added comfort. All-Inclusive Packages combined with their reputation for flexibility make planning easy at Stoneridge. A perfect-sized ballroom is available for just about any wedding ceremony and reception, whether large or small. Stoneridge also features 'French Service' for the wedding meal, and cozy accommodations for your guests. And to top it all off, you can exchange vows in The Rose Chapel (just steps from the Inn) before posing for wedding photos against rich backdrops of outdoor waterfall gardens or one of the three large stone fireplaces indoors adorn the Inn. There are countless reasons to love this location. Here's more than a few or ours...
Personally speaking...
The staff at Best Western PLUS Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre pride themselves on the quality of their service and their flexibility in offering it. They strive to make each wedding a memorable day for the bride and groom and their wedding guests. They accommodate each couple's vision of their wedding including themed weddings, if that's what you're planning. The staff told us that most of their couples end up designing an event that is a combination of traditional and contemporary and that they're delighted to work with all brides - no matter what their style is. "From high budget to tight budget, large wedding or intimate; we can custom design a wedding reception for every kind of bride," says Natalie.
"It’s great to be involved with the most important day of their lives so far," Lori told us when we asked what part of her job inspires her most. "It’s fun to personalize their wedding... helping them to create their vision." Most wedding plans are done face-to-face with Lori and her staff, or many details can be sorted out via email as well.
Planning a Stoneridge wedding...
Best Western Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre offers many options for your wedding weekend, including the ceremony, reception and accommodations for you and your guests. Stoneridge is a great option for brides who want the convenience of an all-in-one location venue. They say that they make sure to keep up with changing décor and replacing outdated and tired out guest room accessories, which is why they just recently renovated all of their guest rooms so you can rest assured you'll be comfortable after your long and exhausting wedding day.
Choosing your space
Receptions at Stoneridge come in many different forms. All the ballrooms are tastefully decorated in soft tones with decorative wall sconces, crown moulding and black chairs. Accommodating between 60 and 220 guests, each of the three ballrooms have handicap-accessible washrooms, are individually climate-controlled and are equipped for DJ’s with a podium and microphone.
Choose between The Town and Country Ballroom (3300 square feet, up to 220 guests) with large windows overlooking the waterfall and gardens, The Somerset Ballroom (2106 square feet, up to 120 guests) with a large stone fireplace and sage green walls, or The Townsend Ballroom (1521 square feet, up to 60 guests), which also has a fireplace and two large chandeliers. The Townsend Ballroom adjoins The Somerset Ballroom and many brides opt to combine the use of these two smaller rooms, using one for the cocktail reception or ceremony and then the other for the sit-down meal and dance.
A historic ceremony site
The Rose Chapel at Best Western Stoneridge is a new feature for their wedding services, but an old fixture on the grounds. This classically restored, century-old, non-denominational venue can host ceremonies of up to 120 guests. Located on the grounds of the Best Western Stoneridge, the Rose Chapel is perfect for couples who are hosting their reception on or off site and even as a back-up location in case of inclement weather for your outdoor ceremony.
The chapel is full of bright, natural light so it's also perfect for photo opps, and the convenient location is within twenty minutes of most reception venues within London and St. Thomas, including the full service hotel and banquet facility at Best Western Stoneridge. "There are many innovative ceremony options from the very basic to the most elaborate," says Natalie.
Wining and dining...
Best Western Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre is known for its excellent food. "The Executive Chef is continually developing innovative menus and will personalize the menu to suit the unique choices of each bridal couple. Any special dietary or cultural requirements can also be accommodated," says Natalie Zima, General Manager. Combine this with an excellent wine list to complement the food and your wedding meal is complete.
Best Western Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre offers the ultimate dinner service. "We offer French service, which means each guest is served individually from a silver platter," explains Lori Tangen, Catering Manager. "Meat is served first, then starch and vegetables." Complimentary centrepieces, lanterns with tea lights, create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
All Inclusive & À La Carte
Stoneridge is well known for their All Inclusive Packages that include perks from beginning to end - as well as all applicable taxes and gratuities! For $88 to $120 per person (depending on the meal you choose), you'll get a cocktail reception one hour before the meal is served, the full three or four course meal, three 750 mL bottles of wine per table, a four hour host bar following dinner, complimentary late night tea and coffee, complimentary cake cutting service, chocolate fountain and a king size room for the bridal couple.
If you choose an 'À La Carte' menu for your meal instead of an All Inclusive Package, prices range from $28 to $45 per plate.
When it comes to serving alcohol to your wedding guests, there are many options for the bar ranging from host or cash bar to toonie bar to a combination bar (part cash, part host with tickets). The bridal couple can supply their own wine for dinner, provided you have your own Special Occasion Permit for the time during which the wine will be served. A corkage fee will apply.
Creating comfort... renovations & updates for your added comfort
The accommodations at Stoneridge continue their tradition of great service and reputation for superior quality. There are seventy-one newly decorated guest rooms for you and your guests to retreat to. But the décor isn't the only thing that's been updated as the rooms also now include brand new pillow top mattresses and triple sheeted duvet bed coverings for extra comfort and relaxation after the celebration is over. All guest rooms are non-smoking and feature one king size bed or two queen size beds and wedding guests receive special room rates and complimentary continental breakfast.
Pasto's Grill is Stoneridge's on-site restaurant that is a great place for a rehearsal dinner, for your guests to enjoy drinks or a light meal. It has a bistro-style feel and Lori says that people love its, "... casual elegance and superb food."
Details, details, details
• While it's best to book your wedding 1 year in advance, call to check availability if you are working with less time, says the staff. They'll do their best to accommodate you.
• There is a non-refundable deposit of $500 due when booking your wedding.
• Another $2500 is due 3 months before your wedding date, and the remainder is due 15 days before the event.
• Stoneridge's All Inclusive Packages include all applicable taxes and gratuities. Additional taxes may apply to 'À La Carte' packages.
• When you have your wedding at Best Western Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre, you have the freedom of choosing and bringing in your own decorator, florist, disc jockey and wedding cake.
In other words...
"Thank you so much for helping to make our wedding reception so beautiful. It was a pleasure to work with you, the service was excellent and we really enjoyed it." - Jordan & Carolyn
"Just a short note to thank you for your assistance in helping Rebecca and George plan and organize their wedding reception. The food was delicious! The staff was friendly and attentive! Accommodations were great! We would recommend this hotel to anyone. Thank you again." - Barb & Gary
"George and I would like to thank you and your entire team for all of your hard work, ensuring that our wedding reception was everything we had hoped it would be. The food was excellent, the service wonderful and the entire staff made everything look effortless. A special thanks to Laurel, who took care of the head table with extra care, even packing us a 'to go' bag... which we thoroughly enjoyed. We received so many wonderful comments from our guests who were thrilled with the facility and we have been telling as many people as possible that the Stoneridge is the place to be. Thank you again, we really appreciated everything!" - Rebecca & George
"Jeff and I want to extend our deepest thanks for everything you did to make our wedding day so beautiful! Your personal effort was outstanding and made the 'planning stage' stress-free; and you rose above and beyond on the day (and night) with such an attention to detail, that made our day so special!. All of your staff deserve a pat on the back for such wonderful service. (Special thanks to Steve, always making sure we had everything we needed!) Both of us (and all of our guests) were so impressed by Stoneridge, from food and service to atmosphere and accommodations. Thank you for making our wedding wishes come true!" - Jeff & Jenn
"Thank you for your attention to detail. The reception was everything we hoped it would be and more!" - Sarah & Peter
