My husband and I got married at the Hermosa Inn in May, and we couldn't have been happier with our experience there. From the service to the grounds, everything was incredible. We only had about 20 guests, and everyone stayed at the Hermosa Inn, making for a really intimate experience. We wanted a venue that felt true to the old west, and one that wasn't cookie cutter--and the Hermosa Inn delivered. Here's what's what:
Grounds: Very lush and colorful, while still having a very distinct desert vibe. Lots of saguaros and other cacti. Impeccably maintained. It made the perfect backdrop for our photos.
Ceremony venue: We got married in the library. Beautiful, with rich, dark wood. Distinct old west vibe, but not in a cheesy way--it felt old west elegant. We only had 20 people, but that room could seat more, maybe 30 or 40, for a ceremony.
Cocktail hour venue: We did cocktails on the library and boardroom patio. It's a nice space that's in an L shape. It has a cute little fireplace (though in May, it was too warm for a fire) and a nice fountain. Perfect size for 20 people. I don't think it could comfortably accommodate more than that.
Reception venue: We used the boardroom for our reception. The table in there is gorgeous--rich, dark wood. It seats 18 or 20 comfortably. It was right off the patio where we had cocktails, which made for a seamless experience for our guests. There's a cute fireplace in the corner.
Food: Incredible! You know how so many couples say crazy things like "Ugh, we were too busy that night to eat" or "we didn't even get to enjoy our dinner at our wedding?" Uh, no. Just no. The food at the Hermosa Inn/Lon's is so good that any bride and groom would be insane to skip out on it. The passed apps we had during cocktail hour were great. For dinner, we started out with the salad with goat cheese, candied walnuts and raspberry dressing, which was nice and light. For dinner, you have quite a few options--filet, filet and shrimp, chicken, veal, etc.--that you'll need to narrow down to two choices in advance. We chose to give our guests a choice between the filet and shrimp and the chicken. I can't speak for the chicken, but the filet and shrimp were delish. I'm hungry just thinking about it now. We had a side of the basil mashed potatoes, which were incredible. Lon's also made the cake, which was great.
Service: Fantastic! Jackie helped us put the entire day together. She talked us through the venues, arranged our tasting, and made sure everything happened on time and exactly as we expected. She was awesome. Our banquet captain was really great, too. He was attentive without being overbearing, and he made sure the entire reception was seamless. Plus, all the other staff we interacted with throughout the entire weekend were fantastic, too. All of our guests had great feedback about the Hermosa Inn's service.
Rooms: My husband and I stayed in a deluxe casita, which was gorgeous. Light, bright and airy. Beautifully renovated bathrooms. Our patio opened up to a semi-private jacuzzi. Some of our other guests stayed in the smaller rancho rooms. They're okay. The bathrooms in those could use an update. They leave a house-made chocolate on your pillow during evening turndown service, which is cute.
Overall ambiance: It's a quiet place, which made it perfect for our intimate wedding. Our guests lounged by the pool all weekend, and seemed to really enjoy it. It's a slow, relaxing environment.
Overall, fantastic experience. While our wedding was small, they do larger weddings as well.