Lodge on the Desert

iple times, we finally got an automated response that informed us she no longer worked there. We then had to contact the “new” coordinator and set up an appointment with him on February 7th to create a whole new contract. Arthur was able to send us over the new contract which we signed and sent over right away. Communication was extremely scarce and we typically had to reach out first to get a response, it made us very nervous due to our experience with Gisela. By April 11th we had reached out twice and were promised that we would receive the “sertify” to pay our deposit. Arthur never sent it and I had to call the front desk in order to learn that he no longer worked at the Lodge and had never finalized our contract. They didn’t even give us the curtesy of an automated email this time. When I spoke to the “newest” coordinator she was incredibly insincere and offered no solutions after we’d been strung along for 7 months. She also claimed there was no record of us in the system despite there being 7 months of emails and two contracts created by their employees. Whatever drama is happening behind the scenes to create such high turnover rates and only be able to hire inexperienced people, is bleeding into their ability to professionally handle the execution of their events. I still cannot understand how we were never contacted about any of the employee changes. I am so incredibly angry and confused at how terrible this process has been. The apprehension and anxiety we have that they could do this to us again has ultimately led to the decision to not use them as a venue. I caution all couples from ever doing business here as I guarantee they will ruin your big day as they have done to ours. So much valuable time has been wasted on this venue and we are now 10 months from our wedding date without a venue. I cannot stress this enough, DO NOT GET MARRIED HERE.

rked with and was caring, responsive and so kind as we were planning our wedding weekend for our several out of town guests. My now-husband and I stayed in the Casita Suite during our wedding weekend and it was nothing short of magical! All of the rooms at Lodge on the Desert were gorgeous and spacious and we loved getting to run into our wedding guests at the free breakfast (delicious!) and by the pool. We even ended up having our first look at Lodge on the Desert before going to our wedding venue and our pictures turned out so beautifully. This hotel is gorgeous and the staff are friendly and helpful. Thank you again Gisela and all!!

d wedding. Wedding of our dreams! The Wedding Venue: The venue itself is worth staying at - it's a historic adobe lodge with so many nooks & crannies filled with beautiful cacti. Our guests loved hanging at the pool and ordering their DELICIOUS margaritas before the wedding.   It's in the middle of Tucson - but a short drives away from the Saguaro National Parks and fun restaurants, especially the restaurant Locale which is a few blocks away. We encouraged guests to explore the rest of Tucson by creating a weekend of activities for them to join (ie hike, brewery, etc). The lodge gives the bride & groom the most beautiful room at the lodge - it has a HUGE patio with a gorgeous view of the mountains. It was large enough for the entire wedding party to hangout and eat lunch before pictures. That way, everyone could hangout in air conditioning while we all take pictures in the cacti garden down below.  The cacti garden below is beautiful!  The Staff: Karen, the wedding event manager, was amazing to work with. I had many many questions to ask her while planning the event from a distance, and she always answered very quickly! We scheduled a tour/tasting 4 months before the wedding, which was incredibly helpful to decide on the final menu, etc. They were incredibly supportive - I had no worries leading up to our wedding day.  She even helped with the rehearsal the night before the wedding, which was very helpful.  The Wedding Space: It's a beautiful grass courtyard with sparkly lights hanging (we also opted for the lights on the courtyard tree to dance underneath - incredibly magical!).  The wedding was entirely outdoors.  We got married with the Catalina mountains in the distance.  The staff was incredibly accommodating to make sure the tables were set-up how we'd like + went above and beyond to pick out the perfect table linens. We hired a mariachi band during the cocktail hour, which added a lot to the "fiesta" theme. The Food: We chose the Mexican taco buffet and all the guests raved about the food - the Tres Leches Cake and churros are to die for.  We served pitchers of margaritas and chips/guacamole during the cocktail hour. Overall, I would rate the lodge 10/10 to anyone that is looking to plan a wedding. The venue is beautiful, the staff is amazing...and you will be able to enjoy every moment of your wedding because everything is absolutely perfect.

th Ashley, but we started working with Karen, the Sales & Events Manager, two months before our wedding day. Karen is communicative and responsive. Since we don’t live in Tucson, all communication was handled via email and Karen sent pictures of the Catalina Room, different chair options, etc. We finalized the food order (hors d’oeuvres and plated dinner) about 1.5 months before our wedding day and then when we arrived in Tucson, we picked the linens in person. The night before our wedding, we were informed that we’d only have 1.5-2 hours for set up, so we did have to ask our florist (Mayfield Florist) to push their delivery time back. Overall, this was a pretty minor hiccup. On our wedding day, Karen worked with my Matron of Honor to make sure the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception set ups were all to our liking. Our primary server, Mindy, was a gem. She made sure everyone who wanted a drink always had one in their hand. :) The food and drinks were all delicious. If you’re thinking about getting married in Tucson, Lodge on the Desert is a wonderful choice. Our family and friends agree too! We highly recommend Lodge on the Desert.