Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Birch Hill Catering in Castleton On Hudson
Categories
Location on the map
Castleton On Hudson, Rensselaer County, New York, US
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Phone: +1 518-732-4444
Site: http://www.birchhillcatering.com/
Site: http://www.birchhillcatering.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:9AM–12AM
- Tuesday:9AM–12AM
- Wednesday:9AM–12AM
- Thursday:9AM–12AM
- Friday:9AM–12AM
- Saturday:9PM–12AM
- Sunday:9PM–12AM
Comments (39)
I had the perfect wedding day and Birch Hill Catering is one of the main reasons that happened. And I know most brides said that but I am not kidding when I say perfect. it exceeded expectations in every way and Bridget from Birch Hill made sure the day went off without one hitch. Everything from the high ceilings, to the aesthetic, to the delicious food is still being raved about by our friends and family. As a catering hall its stunning but as a wedding venue they make the process sooo fun and easy I had 0 bridal freak outs!Bridget worked with us from start to finish, was prompt in all of her answers, made time via phone calls when we could make it in person (its a 2 hour commute for us), and was so organized and professional that I felt like I didnt have to think at all. Not only did she help settle myself and the bridesmaids just before the big walk down the aisle but she was there throughout the entire night to make sure everything went smoothly.This venue was perfect and for those looking to save on a huge flower/decoration bill this is the place. We had minimal decorations because the venue itself is STUNNING! And I cant stress this enough - the food is like no other wedding food you will ever have.Do yourself a favor and have your wedding at Birch Hill. As a couple you will adore how perfect your wedding will be and as a bride you will feel relaxed knowing people like Bridget are behind the scenes.
In June 2019 my fiancé and I contracted with Birch Hill for a traditional wedding with 150 guests. When the Coronavirus closed down wedding venues for the foreseeable future, Birch Hill couldn’t promise to provide the traditional wedding we had contracted for. When we asked for a guarantee that Birch Hill could provide the wedding as contracted for, they wouldn’t do it and therefore we asked for a refund of the money we had deposited.Birch Hill has refused to refund our deposits and continues to do so, even though they can’t fulfill their side of the contract. To make matters worse, they informed us they were in the right in refusing to return our deposits and told us if we didn’t believe them to check the language of our contract on their wedding portal. Subsequently, we opened our contract in the portal and found that Birch Hill had substituted a new contract which was vastly different than the original one we signed back in June 2019. The new contract was much more favorable to Birch Hill’s position on the issue of their inability to perform on the contract.When we brought to their attention the fact the contract had been drastically changed, Birch Hill apologized and said there must have been a computer glitch. Thankfully, we safe kept a copy of our original contract, otherwise we would have been left to the mercy of an organization which could have done such a thing.Since Birch Hill refuses to return our deposit, even though they can’t provide the wedding we contracted for, we have had to retain an attorney to seek legal redress. This has already been a devastating experience for us, and Birch Hill’s refusal to properly refund the money we deposited has made matters worse. We are stunned that a business involved in the hospitality industry would treat us this way.
Went to Birch Hill Catering for a wedding venue tour and it was amazing. I had a great experience, I was treated very kindly. Sarah Special, the Events Sales Manager was very nice, attentive and super informative. She took her time to go over the expenses and what is included in the wedding package, unlike any other wedding venues who just Rush over it. I can’t wait to celebrate my special day at the stable barn next year ❤️ ps. Their winery is to die for, their ciders and organic wines were delish!
We worked with Sarah Connor, and OH MY GOD is she the B-E-S-T!! Seriously, we cannot say enough amazing things about Sarah. Without her, I dont think our day wouldve been as great. Even in the short amount of time my parents spent with her the day before the wedding, they were raving about her. I am sure another consultant wouldve done a great job, but we LOVE Sarah and are so thankful that she was our coordinator for our wedding. I dont know that I couldve made it out of the limo without her. We also loved the Columbia Ballroom, and even though we had to have our ceremony inside when an outdoor Birdcage wedding was planned, we were not disappointed at all. That ballroom is beautiful, and the ceremony was lovely inside. Thank you all for everything put into making our wedding an amazing time.
We chose Birch Hill Catering as our venue for our wedding this past weekend and could not have been more pleased with the service that we were provided. Our wedding coordinator, Sarah, was with us every step of the way and was available for every question (no matter how small or silly). Our guests have been raving about the food (especially the brisket!) and we were so impressed with Sarah and her right hand man Jordans attention the entire day. There were a few hiccups in our day, beginning with some rain that did not want to let up. Sarah and her team handled our change of ceremony location flawlessly and everything went off without a hitch despite the damp conditions!
My wedding reception took place last year of April. It was an awesome experience. The venue is gorgeous and all of my family and friends loved it. The white peacocks, fireplace and the ceiling. I also want to thank Sarah for working with me so patiently. I switched a few things around but she stayed calm and didnt let me feel that I was having a bridezilla moment. Thank you Sarah and Birch Hill. I will say that it can get a little pricey but oh well. Its the experience that counts.
We tried their food at a wedding show and was unimpressed, but decided to use them because they are cheaper than other places. I also have a friend who attended a wedding that used Birch Hill for their venue, and she confirmed that the food was not impressive.Furthermore, after placing our deposit of $750, we found that due to financial changes in our personal lives we could no longer afford this type of wedding venue. In more than 1.5 years before the wedding date, we told them we will not be using them anymore and asked for our deposit back. Even after they rebooked our date, they only refunded us $100. No other industry besides the wedding industry allows companies to treat their customers so poorly and would give such little/ no money back after changes in plans.Due to their inflexibility, poor quality food, and treating my fiance and I as just a number, I definitely do not recommend this company to anyone.
If you are looking for a wedding location in/around the capital district look no further. You cannot go wrong with Birch Hill! My husband and I were married this weekend, on 7/14/18. We had the pleasure of working with Sarah Connor throughout the past year to make our wedding dreams come true. Sarah and her staff not only met our expectations, they EXCEEDED our expectations from the moment our weekend started. Our ceremony was held in the Conservatory Ballroom and our reception in the Columbia Ballroom. The ceremony was originally supposed to be outside at the Birdcage but when rain was in the forecast we decided to move it inside, the night before. Sarah made sure to make us feel confident in the last minute change and turned what could have been a stressful situation into something beautiful. Throughout the planning process Sarah was super friendly, honest, accommodating, knowledgeable and easy to get a hold of! She answered all of our questions and concerns with confidence and a smile. Sarah made sure I felt comfortable and supported every step of the way! As time grew on and we got closer to the wedding, Sarah went as far as to leave her personal plans to make sure we got what we needed. I already miss working with her! On our wedding day Sarah and her team executed plans FLAWLESSLY. After hearing “something will go wrong on your wedding day…” over and over again of course I was just waiting for something to go wrong, but NOT ONE THING did. The attention to detail was not only seen by us but also by all of our guests. From following us around with food and letting us use her as our personal table during cocktail hour, making sure we never had an empty glass, to checking in with us throughout the entire night to make sure we were having a great time, the team at Birch Hill was superlative! One of our guests is a wedding planner and she made sure to let us know how blown away she was by our venue coordinator (Sarah Connor) and her staff. Oh and the food… our guests are still full from all of the delicious food at our wedding. I cannot say enough AMAZING things about Sarah Connor, Jordan (who took over when Sarah left and whose last name I did not catch) and their team!!
There is only one word to discribe our wedding day at Birch Hill Catering . . . Perfect! From the setting, to the food, to the great service our guests were given, everything was spot-on. I cant say enough about Sarah Connor, our wedding planner, and her staff. Sarah catered our, and our guests every need. She was on hand for the entire ceramony and reception, making sure everything ran smoothly and everybody was happy. Thank you Sarah and Birch Hill Catering, We couldnt have asked for a better Day!
They didnt want to give us a refund due to covid. They cant give us the wedding we paid for or wanted and they refuse to help us in anyway. They waited till the crashed a $6,000 check to tell us we can only have 50 people and that we have to wear masks now when they just told us we can have 140 people and masks arent required. This place is hands down the worst venue Ive ever heard of/been to. If I hear anyone EVER talk about getting married here, Im gonna tell them not to and how this place likes to rip people off. Such bull $%!+.
As a recent wedding guest, I found the overall venue quite picturesque. The reception room was spacious easily accommodating both standing and seated guests. The hors doeuvre fare presentation was eye appealing and very tasty. Passed fare seemed sporadic and sparse but overall, the cocktail hour was excellent. Staff very friendly and attentive.The dining room was beautifully set with a warm, inviting feel. Unfortunately, the food was a disappointment. As a guest with food allergy, specifically onions, which was noted on my RSVP card, my salad arrived with fresh red onion which I immediately asked the harried server to take away. I informed him of my allergy, he asked if Id like a replacement to which I stated if it wouldnt be inconvenient. Never received. When he came to get entree orders, I reiterated the onion issue as I had selected chicken bruschetta. He said hed make sure the kitchen was aware. It took forever to finally get a dried out plain chicken breast with slices of Roma tomato and some drizzled mozzarella over very stiff, pasty mashed potatoes. The 2 broccoli florets were good. My husbands steak was tough with mostly grizzle and fat.This was a large wedding and it appeared you were very under staffed for a sit-down plated meal. Dishes with uneaten food were left on tables right up thru end of event, of which many comments were overheard. Some tables didnt get their food until close to cake cutting time.As a chef with my own catering business, I understand some of my comments may be taken as picayune. Food allergies, disciplines, restrictions, however, are a very serious issue. The way mine was handled (and hopefully there were no others) was inexcusable which turned the entire experience into a 3-star, at best.
Couldn’t recommend Birch Hill enough. Stunning location, delicious food, and exceptional waitstaff. Sarah was my absolute hero from beginning to end. She was on top of every last detail, and thanks to her attentiveness I had the most relaxing, enjoyable, amazing wedding weekend. Thank you so much!
The room was very hot and we were told that they turned off the air conditioning. I had many people complain of the temperature in the room. Food was okay. Cuts of beef were not consistent. One of my guests plate was taken away before he returned to the table. I wasnt informed of this until after the wedding. Im sure they would have replaced it, but why take it in the first place? It wasnt touch.
On behalf of the Rho Sigma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. We would like to formally thank you and your staff for allowing us to utilize your space and host our 2017 Miss Black & Gold Scholarship Pageant.The ballroom looked absolutely beautiful and the event was very successful. I want to highlight the hard work of Bridgette and Jordan. Jordan especially was highly impressive on the night. My chapter specifically wanted to highlight his enthusiasm and passion that he had for us in order to fix and tend to any issue that we had throughout the event, I have personally never experienced such customer service at any other establishment Ive hosted at.This Scholarship Ball is annual and we are definitely looking to continue to work with you and Birch Hill in the future. Again, we thank you for giving us this opportunity, we wish you the best in the upcoming semesters.
My experiences with Birch Hill Catering and there staff have left a positive impression on me forever.They cater to all your needs for any and all events not just weddings.So let your self be free and imagine an event with nooo limit and your loved ones or buisness staff or friends will remember the event forever. You have the professionalism of a family buissness for 80yrs of serving PERFECTION!!!! they know how to serve and will make every food dish amazing to the palate.Book your event today . Enjoy what i have enjoyed being a part of and you will be remembered!!!!.....
Used Birch Hill catering for a work breakfast event. They were very professional and almost every staff member checked in with me throughout the event to make sure that I was happy with the service. Both presentation and quality of food was great!
I was so glad I had my wedding at Birch Hill. The barn looked amazing, the staff was helpful, and all my guests loved the food. It was the perfect place for my perfect day!
AMAZING all around. The food was absolutely incredible and VERY fresh. They spared nothing and provided top quality food and generous portions. The wait staff were top notch and available at all times. They were friendly, accommodating and very professional. This is a great place to have an event. I would definitely book again. Thank you !
Had a great time at the Martel weddinh!! Food was great as well!! Service even better!
I highly recommend Birch hill. We had a great event. All the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. Food was great! Thanks!
It was a beautiful banquet room. The staff were awesome and so was the food! A lovely experience!
Great venue, food was fantastic!! Bridget took very good care of us!!
The venue is so beautiful, the food is delicious and the staff are very accommodating!
The venue is epic!! The Bride and Groom were amazing.
Beautiful Venue! Great staff. I recommend it for a wedding.
Great place! Lovely grounds, nice facilities and great food.
Beautiful grounds, nice and clean facilities, and the greatest staff around!
Beautiful location, slightly tricky to get to
Happy friendly staff.
Total reviews rating 4.1
39 Reviews for Birch Hill Catering 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-10We got married in the conservatory ballroom at Birch Hill in April of 2022. We fell in love with the room the first time we saw it and were so happy to spend our special day at Birch Hill. Jessica Ryan was our wedding coordinator and she did an AMAZING job navigating our many questions and concerns. April weather can be pretty unpredictable and Jessica and her team made sure we had every option to have as much of our wedding outside as we could/wanted. They were super accommodating to all dietary and mobility needs that our wedding guests had. The food was delicious and the staff at Birch Hill is unmatched. Jessica and Sarah made sure that we always had what we needed throughout the day and made sure our day ran as smoothly as possible. We didn’t worry about anything the whole day! We can’t recommend Birch Hill and the staff enough!
Review №2
2021-11-29Had my wedding here last summer. Beautiful place but terrible experience with staff, specifically the wedding coordinator.She didn’t account for our most recently updated head count and ended up not putting out enough chairs for the ceremony, or the dinner. And then came up to me, the bride, and told me it was our fault for not doing assigned seating at dinner that ten of my guests had nowhere to sit. And then demanded more money DURING THE RECEPTION for us “having more people then agreed on” even though we had confirmed several times in the weeks leading up to the wedding. Made for a stressful experience. Rest of staff was very friendly and accommodating, and the food was delicious. Just beware if you get paired with Jennifer Wachter.
Review №3
2021-05-04I had my wedding here and this place was absolutely perfect. Jessica was amazing I had so many last minute changes and the weather ruined our original plans but it was still beautiful. I highly recommend this location for the views but the food was truly euphoric. My guests loved all of the food. Thank you Birch Hill for giving me my dream wedding!
Review №4
2018-05-11First and foremost, Bridget Gardy, our coordinator; is amazing!She makes it so easy and is always on top of everything. I have also worked with Jessica who Is in training so I know from experience their staff is extremely organized and a joy to work with.From picking out vendors, to choosing table clothes and setting up the décor, they are there for you 100%.The ambiance in every space is beautiful and great for photos. The Columbia ballroom was where we had our reception and it blew everyone away! It has a beautiful back drop of white lights and the ceiling is covered in Beautiful drapery that took my breath away when I first saw it. Not to mention the fire wall outside…yes it is a wallThat is lit on fire…very cool! The food. Everyone raved about the food! From the rehearsal dinner at the gorgeous Lodge,to the wedding, people could not get enough. They make everything tasty and present it all very nicely. They have so many choicesand also accommodated our vegan and gluten-free Guests. Our open bar included an array of choices when it came to beer and wine as well.And the cake is included in your package which includes Local bakeries that will not disappoint!I honestly found Birch Hill to be the most beautiful and reasonably priced venue in the area and don’t know why anyone would want to get married anywhere else. Every person I spoke to after the big day said it was the best and most organized wedding they had ever been to. They also have a free wedding show every year so you can explore the space and taste the food! Could not be happier with our experience!
Review №5
2021-12-05Really disappointed with my experience. I had planned a party at Birch Hill. I was very excited and it all sounded good in the beginning. But they day of the party was not what I was promised. We were suppose two servers, and head server and the planner. But only one stayed throughout the party. They didnt help set up or clean up as promised. And another party showed up to the Pavillion we were in an hour before our party was over. We all were so uncomfortable, we packed up and left. Wont ever work with this place again.
Review №6
2020-10-16In this year of COVID-19, we decided to pare down our guest list for our daughter’s wedding and change the venue to our house. Birch Hill was fantastic to work with – they were flexible in this oddest of years and worked with us to make it a very memorable experience! Jessica, Jordan & Gage did a fantastic job and were so responsive and helpful – impeccable service. The setup was beautiful and they helped us make the quick decision to have the ceremony and reception outside and said they would only need a few minutes to move everything inside if it did rain – it didn’t and we had a fantastic, outside, October wedding! The food was delicious and the choices for beer, wine and soda were great. We would definitely recommend to our friends and family to use Birch Hill!
Review №7
2018-03-27I had the pleasure of working with Birch Hill to plan our fraternitys 150th founders day formal and it was a very special one indeed. They were very accommodating to all of our needs, wants and concerns. The food was prepared to perfection and the ballroom that we were in was especially elegant. We are set to hold our next founders day formal at Birch Hill Catering next year as well.
Review №8
2020-09-26I was torn between 3 and 4 stars. Sarah Connor our planner from Birch Hill was 5 stars all around so planning our wedding was easy and she took very good care of our table personally for the reception. I received some complaints from my family after the reception of not getting refills on the appetizer after asking and some of the chicken being very under cooked. For example my dad had white chicken all the way through but my moms was almost raw in the middle. The corn bread was also inconsistent, the first batch was fantastic but later batches were undercooked goop. The wait staff didnt tell people what the food was so some people didnt realize the pretzels had delicious beer cheese and it wasnt always located next to the pretzels, some tables had the cesear dressing next to them. They also didnt state the food on the buffet line while scooping, the macaroni and cheese was delicious but some people did not get it because they thought it was macaroni salad. The bartender was great and made drinks quickly.
Review №9
2020-08-04I definitely think our experience is worth sharing so other couples do not have to do through what we did:Our experience did start out positive. The sales team is very friendly and Sarah was very responsive. We booked our wedding in mid-March, right before the Covid-19 shutdowns. For various reasons, we picked a date in July, just 4 short months away, and it was the last date the venue had available after someone else canceled the date the same week we inquired.We didnt want to cancel our wedding but after reviewing all of our options, it was the best one for us. Our guests would be traveling from 5+ states, some of the guests would be considered high risk, a family business is involved and so on.Birch Hill offered to postpone the wedding. We did not feel like 2020 was a safe bet due to the circumstances, nor were there any other Saturdays available. If we were to move the wedding to 2021 we would forfeit our deposit and the per person cost would increase. Not very accommodating.For all these reasons plus some, we did not think postponing was an option for us. We were passed onto the owner, Steven, who was incredibly rude and talked down to me over the phone. They are treating all couples as the same, instead of case by case. We thoroughly explained our situation and it did not matter. Steven showed no hospitality and instead accused us of underpaying our deposit, explained how much money he lost for holding the date for us, and to consider my deposit to cover my one email chain and one phone call with the salesperson. Mind you, we paid online and the venue set the amount to be paid, we were a short term booking, and I sincerely hope Sarah is making as much as Steven claims she is!All in all I am glad to not be giving this business more money. I am not typically a person to let things get to me, but Steven had me in tears on the phone. He was so rude and I cannot believe he is running a hospitality business. My fiance had a call with him after me and was also astonished with how he is choosing to handle this and treat his customers. We understand everyone is impacted by the current situation, but we are incredibly disappointed we could not come to some mutual agreement regarding our deposit, instead of Birch Hill choosing to keep 100% of it.
Review №10
2021-12-30We set up an appointment with Jessica to see the venue for our wedding. She suggested the time, we took off work to accommodate, and she didn’t show. Very unprofessional, do not recommend!