Hillside Gardens & Event Center

1006 S Institute St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, USA

Address:	1006 S Institute St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, USA
Phone:	+1 719-520-9463
Site:	hillsidegardensandevents.com
Rating:	4.5

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 5

Stephanie Sabo

My husband and I got married at Hillside 6 years ago. It was such an incredibly beautiful place for a wedding. We had almost no interaction with management other than paying them for the place so not much to say there. But we had no complaints about our wedding and have recommended Hillside to others often. Six years and two children later however.... My review of the place has changed entirely. We had attended the wednesday night concerts a couple of times prior to and after our wedding, but once we had children we were unable to go back as they were in bed early. This year we decided to take our 3 and 4 year old boys to the place their mommy and daddy got married for some food and tunes. Big mistake. Upon arriving it was evident that this was not a family friendly place. Several signs as well as hand outs state that children must be within arms reach of parents at all times. Clearly whoever made that rule doesnt have children. Plus, the entrance fee for children was just as much as adults. Which, lets face it, is almost unheard of. We immediately felt children were not welcome. On top of that, they clearly have several people on kid patrol. There were people watching our kids and the 6 year old of the couple we were with like a hawk. Every time they strayed out of arms length, (as kids tend to do!) there was someone swooping in ready to pounce. And pounce they did! Our kids were yelled at, as were we, on four different occasions for letting our kids walk around on the alter, walk on the stone benches, and touch the old rusting items (half buried in the dirt for the elements to destroy, but not okay if a kid so much as touches them). Seriously, we parents were scolded like 3 year olds by the most unbelievably rude people Ive ever encountered. One man came running down from half way across the venue as my boys were walking around the alter, and playing in the fountain, yelled at my kids to get off and then came to me and said "are these your kids? Why would you let them do that? Dont you think (the fountain) will fall over on them?!" Um no. I dont think 3 and 4 year old boys can pull over a stone fountain full of water weighing probably a few hundred pounds. He shook his head at me and walked off. This was after one lady literally stood inches away from my boys as they dared to come near a small table next to two chairs, and another lady yelled at our friend for showing his son a piece of old machinery, and then another lady yelled at us for letting our kids walk on the stone benches, again stating that they could tip them over and hurt themselves. My husband attempted to budge one of them and said MAYBE two grown men could accidentally flip them over. We left after that. Its such a bummer that such a great place that holds such beautiful memories for my husband and me cannot be shared with the family that was begun at Hillside. Bottom line - If you are planning to get married here, thats great- just dont plan on taking your future children back until theyre about 12. this is NOT a family friendly venue. Given how rudely we were treated, I wouldnt even say come on a night you can get a babysitter. Id say boycott this place and instead take your kids some place they are welcome. Sorry Hillside, you lost our business as well as our recommendations.

A Private User

Hillside Gardens is an absolute gem. I had my wedding there this past Saturday, and it was fabulous. We got so many compliments from our guests; I cannot say enough great things about the location. The sweeping mountain views, the greenery, the unusual vibe of the place are all fantastic elements. My husband and I really wanted to have a sophisticated, but not completely traditional event, and this place perfectly fit the bill. It is also a fantastic location if you want an outdoor event, but also feel you need the security of having shelter from the elements for your guests. I am so surprised to see all these reviews about Larry; to me, he came off as a bit cold at first, but knowing that he has had trouble with rowdy guests at events in the past, I figured he would be a bit apprehensive. Once we assured him that we wanted to hold a sophisticated, beautiful event and not a wild party, he immediately softened. Our guests were so happy that he was there tending to the bar on the day of our event! They thought he was so friendly and had some great conversations with him. He even came to me when I was sitting in the bridal cottage just before the ceremony (crippled with nerves, mind you) and asked if he could get me a drink of water or anything else that I might need. He even let one of our vendors who was worried about their time frame in early before the slot of time we had purchased. The event went off without a hitch, all of our guests said it was their favorite wedding they had ever been to, and I will always remember it as the best night of my life.

Jenni Bourque

I LOVE this place. My husband and I started looking for a place to have our wedding back in February or March. We contacted Hillside, and the owner showed up on a chilly day (and his day off) and opened it up for us so we could look around. Even though everything was brown, we fell in love. The quirky style of the garden as well as the amazing service we received on that first day was enough to have us back and signing a contract for a summer wedding (June 28th). Teri helped me out so much making sure my day was perfect. She made all of our bouquets and boutonnieres and had them ready for us the day of the wedding at the garden, which made my day so much less stressful.My husband and I both felt like we were family, and we never had to worry about any aspect of small details at the garden.They have fair prices, amazing photo opportunities, and hands down, the best customer service in town. My guests fell in love with Hillside as well and they are still talking about its beauty and the wonderful service they received. I cannot recommend Hillside enough. Thank you all for making Jason and Is day perfect.

sheryl matthews

My daughter was married there Friday night. The venue is amazing and the customer service was wonderful. The employees, with the help of Megan McLaren-Odom, Wedding and Event Coordinator, made it a story book wedding! The grounds are kept beautifully. I had so many compliments on it and the pictures are amazing! You have to make a reservation over a year in advance and there is a reason for that. They only thing I think they could improve on is to have a paved walk for the aisle just because it is hard to walk on in heels.

Kelly Tarantini

We had my daughters wedding there April 12, 2014 and it was absolutely wonderful. The gardens ( although we were in early Spring ) looked lovely and perfectly kept. The quirky vibe was perfect for truly amazing pictures and wonderful conversation secret spots. Terry was right there and always helpful and Larry who was our bartender did a great job keeping everyone happy. Thanks so much for a wonderful day and many beautiful memories.