AVOID AT ALL COSTS. The most arrogant people in the hospitality industry
If you want to deal with some of the most arrogant, dismissive and unprofessional people I have ever encountered in the hospitality and events industry, then by all means book your special event at 34 Mayfair.
Our wedding reception dinner was cancelled just two weeks before our wedding. Rather than showing empathy, accountability or a genuine desire to help find a solution, the Commercial Director of the business showed indifference and arrogance that was frankly astonishing given the significance of the event they had agreed to host. Here is what happened exactly:
We initially chose 34 Mayfair for our wedding reception because of its reputation and the quality associated with the Caprice brand.
Our initial enquiry was for 23 May 2026, however this was subsequently changed and confirmed by the venue for 16 May 2026 via email. Following this confirmation, we attended a venue viewing, paid our deposit, signed the booking agreement, engaged suppliers, discussed entertainment, and continued planning our wedding on the understanding that the booking was secured.
Several months later, we were unexpectedly contacted at 6 pm on a Friday and asked to confirm whether our event was actually taking place on 23 May. This came as a shock, as the venue had previously confirmed 16 May and had continued planning discussions with us on that basis. Had the date not been available, the consequences for our wedding would have been significant. To them, this was so simple, and our event manager didn’t even reply to our email or gave us a call that day. Such a coward way of handling things.
While the venue later acknowledged there had been an internal error, we found the handling of the situation extremely disappointing. Rather than taking ownership and working collaboratively towards a solution, the communication felt defensive and dismissive. At no point did we feel reassured that the seriousness of the mistake was fully understood.
As discussions progressed, further inconsistencies arose regarding guest numbers, fees and other aspects of the booking. One of their colleagues promises and assured us different things while showing us the room and these were later denied. We were also asked to agree to terms that did not appear in the signed agreement. And this was “pay us 15% upront” When we questioned these points and sought clarification, the response from senior management was ultimately to cancel our wedding reception booking altogether. This is literally a contract dispute and dictatorship, showing no remorse towards the meaning of the event specifically.
The most disappointing aspect was not the mistake itself, but how it was handled. Mistakes can happen in any business. What matters is how they are addressed. For a wedding, clients place an enormous amount of trust in a venue. We expected accountability, empathy and a genuine effort to resolve the situation. Instead, we were left having to secure an alternative venue at short notice after months of planning.
We have incurred additional costs and significant disruption as a result. Whilst a refund was offered, this does not change the fact that a confirmed wedding booking was cancelled by the venue following a series of internal errors and miscommunications.
Based on our experience, we cannot recommend 34 Mayfair or Caprice Holdings for events. I will never forget the ARROGANCE of the commercial director, and the customer care we received here, especially from such a famous hospitality group. You suck 34!