The Knot Magazine's New "Best of Weddings 2007" Names Casa Monica Hotel Best Reception Site in Florida

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL (May 7, 2007) – The AAA Four-Diamond Casa Monica Hotel has been named the number one reception site in Florida by The Knot's Best of Weddings 2007 magazine. Voted on by its readers, the historic Casa Monica Hotel received a perfect score of 100 from real brides and grooms.

"We host many weddings and strive to treat each wedding as the unique, special occasion it is. We are honored that so many brides consider the Casa Monica Hotel to be the best reception site in Florida. Receiving a perfect score validates the hard work and extraordinary service our entire team provides for brides and grooms,” says Marc Bauer, General Manager.

Set in the quaint city of St. Augustine with its cobblestone streets and horse drawn carriages, the Casa Monica Hotel is the choice for destination weddings. The property is also a perfect honeymoon setting, offering luxurious romance packages.   Weddings at the Casa Monica Hotel are the ultimate in romance and Old-World charm. Wedding specialists guide brides and grooms every step of the way while providing the perfect backdrop on the day of the wedding with lush tropical gardens and flowing fountains for ceremonies and receptions alike. Enchanting ballrooms are transformed into each bride's dream setting. Many also host garden weddings, an event under the luxurious pool deck canopy, as well as tented receptions, intimate celebrations - even an Arabian Nights wedding fantasy!

The property's 95 Cordova restaurant is a popular spot for proposals and rehearsal dinners. 95 Cordova Executive Chef Thomas O'Quinn and his talented team prepare personalized, gourmet dishes for all of the special occasions surrounding the wedding day.
To learn more about hosting a wedding at Casa Monica, please call Michelle Thall at 800.648.1888 or visit www.casamonica.com.

About Casa Monica Hotel
Built in 1888, the historic Casa Monica Hotel features 138 oversized guest rooms with plush furniture, down bedding and a Bose® CD/radio, over 12,000 square feet of meeting space, 24-hour fitness center, business center, outdoor garden-style rooftop pool, valet parking, 95 Cordova Restaurant, Café Cordova and a full-time concierge.

Within walking distance from shops, art galleries, museums and restaurants, the Casa Monica is just minutes from all that St. Augustine has to offer its guests. Historic St. George Street features tours, trolley stops, shopping, antiques and eateries for everyone to enjoy. Historic sites like the Castillo de San Marcos and the City Gates, and much more are all stops on most trolley tours.

About The Kessler Collection
A member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, the Casa Monica Hotel shares the legendary name and refined standards of Richard C. Kessler’s hotel collection. Kessler’s luxury hotel collection includes the AAA Four-Diamond Beaver Creek Lodge, Beaver Creek, CO; the AAA Four-Diamond Celebration Hotel in Celebration, FL; the AAA Four-Diamond Grand Bohemian in Orlando, FL; El Monte Sagrado in Taos, NM; the AAA Four-Diamond Mansion on Forsyth Park, Savannah, GA; Columbia Place luxury condominiums, Savannah, GA; and Grand Bohemian Hotel & Residences, St. Petersburg, FL – scheduled to open in 2009.

Kessler’s Grand Theme Hotel collection includes the Doubletree Castle Hotel in Orlando, FL; Sheraton Studio City in Orlando, FL; and Sundy House, a Kessler managed property in Delray Beach, FL.