Review: We Celebrated Baby Loti’s First Birthday @ Aquarius Cove

We celebrated Baby Loti's first Birthday at Aquarius Cove, at Carpenter Street,  

Similar to most first time mummies, the first baby must do big big grand grand kind. Machiam do like wedding banquet.

Then the daddies will (similar to wedding banquets) tio scold and niam. So after all the researching, venue viewing and looking at the prices. We settled for Aquarius Cove for our Baby First Birthday Celebration.

Reviews

So, this review came 6 months late as it was held in July. We were busy back then. So now more free liao, cos Loti goes Childcare liao. 

We promised the manager to give a review, and he also 夺命追魂 remind us.

ps: We don't have much pictures, because no time to take picture. But you can google around lah. 

Cons

This is like an AAR session. Or review you can call it.

We have both good and bad reviews on Aquarius Cove.

No pram allowed in the premises 

Imagine you have friends that have newborn which needed to sleep. And you invite them for the event. They came at the first hour, u cut cake at the 2nd hour. 

They have to carry the baby through out the event without the pram. 

This is like you go jiaks wedding banquet, for the 3 hours you are carrying the baby on the carrier. 

I was quite shocked to know that during the event itself and need to apologise to my guest for that. 

To me, if you cannot even accommodate stroller in an event. This place is not worth to be consider an event venue for kids. 

You may argue that but kids playground where got people bring kids come and sleep one. Ya, but this one is event. The guest give you face then come one.

Toilet not on the same level

So toilet are situated probably all levels except the 5th level which is the play area. 

You have to either climb the stairs down with slippers provided or exit the place via the main door, take the lift down to those levels. 

Nothing critical on it, but it was noticed that some kids and parents didn't wear the slippers down to the lower levels and were on socks at the toilet.

Imagine the kids very urgent, they go toilet still need to observe such practice. Then after that, wear the same socks to the play area again. 

That truly defeat the purpose of having socks only on the premises. 

Keep Promoting 

You hold your private event to have some private time.

While having small talks, alot of the groups were being 'sales-pitched' by the manager to have our small talks sessions back again at the venue. Name card giving etc.

Honestly, sibei turn off lah. You do your sales pitching else where or when you are being approached. Not at some person's event while most of the guest are having their small talks. 

I understand that you need to promote your events etc. But not such a way that when guests are having their chat sessions and interrupt them on it. 

Very Salesy

Lastly, the whole approach is very sales oriented. 

From sales pitch to closing you and also after sales communication. 

So we visited the venue alone at 7pm where they were about to close. We appreciate that they waited for us despite the late timing.

My mistake is I didn't go up with her because I already gave up on rejecting her on several proposal she has for the venue.

So since this location seems ideal and one of the lower cost. 

We decided that we can go ahead with this venue. And she kena pitched to be 'sales closed'. 

If she make the deposit before 12 midnight. She will get to enjoy the full menu items instead of 8 items. 

So, being very gian png and prone to sales tactic. We agreed and make the 50% deposit. 

Wrong choice la. 

Before the deposit and during the viewing session, she was told that there will be a staff doing a headcount count using a clicker. 

That didn't occur to me much until sometime and I started asking questions. 

Why are you using a clicker and doing a headcount count at the event? 

​So my wife started asking him and a lot more questions that led to us being more pissed off. 

First, you are only allowed 10% extra headcount and keep on saying don't wan any dispute. 

I feel all these terms and conditions are not clear at all. Then how to charge, charge how much etc? 

Don't wait till we start probing, then all the terms and conditions come up. 

So if you cater to 50 pax of people, the 56th pax come, you (probably) will be charged. 

But the food is catered based on 50 pax. So does my 56th pax that is being charged have food to eat? Because if you go by per headcount, you should have food for my guest like a buffet concept.

Means unlimited food izzit?

We didn't have a chance to be charged. Is either they close one eye or we fall within the range also. 

2 Kids are consider 1 Adult

And that adds on to your catering list. 

Wah piangz, how do you determine your guest to come with or without their kids. So which means kids 3 to 12 are consider half a headcount. 

The adults portion headcount already a number to crunch liao. Now you add on to the further crunch of parents because they want to optimise the guest vs food ordered. 

This part I don't understand. But I thought we already book the whole venue? How many people come is our problem what? 

Food Estimation and Crowd control. 

If you have estimated on 60 guest. You will book 50 guest. Because 10% - 15% is due to aeroplane reason.

So if you book 50 guest come 60, u be charged. But if 40 guest come, will there be a discount? 

Further more, is also the food wastage. You have a guest list of 60, later you book 60 then 50 people turn up. 

You waste 10 pax of money and food. 

Thirdly, when we probe further on what about those that say they come and go. 

You advise us to tell them don't come even our parents also. 

Headcount are counted the minute Guest Step in.

Wah piangz first time do évent ah ? You think jiaks banquet meh? Even banquet also never charge come and go guest. 

This event, you go by headcount and yet come and go guest are charged the minute they stepped in. 

Your friends got attitude problem. 

So sway sway, that day maybe sibei popular day (usually weekends) are popular. But people sibei give you give you face then they pop by and say hi.

But never eat yet kena charge. Imagine 20 of these pop by friends how? 

Wow! What a reply! Friends specially drop by to say hi, kena say got attitude problem.

And best of all, keep saying wanna avoid dispute as you have cases before. 

Means so many cases already you didn't say everything upfront. Until deposit made liao then all the terms and condition come.

For parents who are on 'lean' methodology. You make such an event planning an unhappy one. 

You make us or probably other guest to be managing this worse than a wedding banquet. 

Cannot Cater more than 60 pax.

We booked 60 pax of adults. Together with kids we probably have 70ish.

It is already very packed already. Imagine at the peak there should be 50ish pax at one time. The view is unable to hold so many guests. 

There are 4 big banquet tables that can seat probably 40 pax. But buffet, where got ppl slot in nicely for you at 10 pax a table. Max can only seat 30 pax. 

Then the rest of the 20 people seat where? On the floor ah? 

There are kids tables and chairs provided too. But this is an event place leh. Want the adults to seat how long? 

At least give us some advice on number of guest that the premise can hold. 

Kids play area 

Small leh.

I think max also 10 to 15 kids. Then jam up already. 10 is a comfortable number.

Cannot la. If you have more than 10 kids in the party, you may want to think about it. 

Valet parking 

We were told got valet parking. And I only got to know this after the event when my friend was chatting to us about it. 

Because we told them got valet parking. But the valet service start at 6pm.

Our event starts at 4pm and end at 7pm. The main crowd comes at 5pm.

At this congested place, 5pm already parking competitive liao. Your valet parking at 6pm.

It clearly for your dinner guest leh. Not the 4pm to 7pm.

No one tell us about it.

The whole planning and pré event post sales is a sibei unpleasant one. We even have thoughts to give this up because of such shitty replies.

But because the deposit made. So suck the thumb deep deep. 

Pay money still need to endure such nonsense.

The reviews online wouldn't helping too. I wonder if those facebook reviews are authentic. 

So I went on to check out the qoogle reviews on Qianxi and Aquarius Cove. True enough, alot feedbacks on the sales process.

Pros

Clean

Because you must be on socks at all time. The staff keep bio your feet one. 

So hygiene standard is there apart from the go toilet problem. 

Operations are well managed. 

We had bad experience on the pré event post sales process already. So, wasn't expecting much for the event day itself. 

But on the event day, there are staffs stationed to clear your plates

The plates they used are washable or reusable like those you eat at Banquet. Same like the socks bioing, you finish jiak ur food.

You put the empty plate on table. They will clear for u.

Swee!

Good Service

They gather guest during cake cutting.

The staffs will help you to gather the guest for the birthday song. And also offer to help you cut cake. 

Value add. But not critical.

Because we are already prepared to do it. Cutting cake is my forte also. But if someone can help me and distribute the cakes.

Why not? 

Food

Food is from Qianxi group restaurant. 

It taste good. In fact, the Hong Kong mee is nice, the cereal prawn and popiah also. 

So I heard the popular dishes ran out. I didn't get a chance to see. But it is a good gauge on how yummy the food is. 

Drinks Unlimited

No doubt the food is limitation. But the drink is unlimited. So not to worry on guest don't have enough drinks like most events do.

Event at 7pm, i go take drink. Still have. 

This one exceed my expectations but hor, we only know it when we asked if can bring cartons of mineral water. 

The staff say cannot because they sell there also. And drinks are free flow. 

So above all, the most important question. 

Our Cost

We opt for the 60 pax one. So it is $2050.

Excluding the cost of socks $2 for maybe 10 pax, because some guest never bring their socks.

We brought like 20 pairs of socks. So almost half the guest list never wear socks .

Will I recommend or book my event there? 

Nope. 

I probably not put myself in such situation. And even for the good points they have, I believe there are better event venues out there. 

It is machiam ran like a wedding banquet.

You can call us "neow", but our concept of organising a Birthday Party is not like a banquet.

A party is more fun and casual, people come and go etc.

No need keep track of attendance who got come who never come. Or those come awhile.

And the "keep promoting" part is very turn off.

You go wedding dinner, did you see the banquet or the sales person keep promoting one anot?

Here's some more reviews from Google

So if you are reading my review on Aquarius cove and you happen to encounter a similar or not similar thing. 

Let us know in the comments.

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