

Kennolyn Hilltop Hacienda hosts weddings, retreats, birthdays and other special events at its Spanish-style hacienda property in the Santa Cruz mountains. Known for its gourmet catering (featuring fresh fish and locally-grown vegetables), the company can create customized menus and provide amenities for up to 300 guests.
Founded in 1946, Kennolyn Hilltop Hacienda is currently on its third generation of family ownership. General manager Pam Caldwell Nootbaar is the granddaughter of founders Max and Marion Caldwell, who originally used the 300- acre property to host children’s summer camps (Kennolyn Camps is still in operation). In 1995, Ms. Caldwell Nootbaar expanded the property to host special events.
Kennolyn Hilltop Hacienda adheres to environmentally- friendly business practices—75 percent of its 300 acres is undeveloped, it recycles and composts almost all of its wedding-related garbage (including food, flowers and paper products), and it strives to use non-disposable products whenever possible. The company also offers a 100 percent Green wedding package at no additional fee. To learn more about its various event packages and promotions, Ms. Caldwell Nootbaar invites potential clients to visit www.kennolyn.com.
“We’re dedicated to providing personalized service for our clients, and we cater to their needs to make sure their special event is everything they imagined. Our staff shares a common goal: to create lifelong memories for every person who visits our facility.”
Serving all of Santa Clara, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties including San Jose, Sunset District, Watsonville and Salinas.
Weddings
Corporate Events
Day Meetings
Fundraisers
Retreats
Special Occasions
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When planning a special event, make sure the venue works according to your plans, not theirs.
Before booking a venue for a wedding or other event, it’s important to ensure the facility can accommodate everything you want to do and has flexibility in case your plans change. “Some facilities limit the vendors or contractors you can use,” says...
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"I have used them for nine years. They are just comfortable and nice."
"It is peaceful.""Nice location"
"The location and the view""Nice, quaint area with a lot of nature"
"I liked how it was outdoors and surrounded by trees and flowers.""They were great."
"The woman we dealt with, Carrie, was great. Everything was well organized and really easy.""It was perfect. It was exactly what we wanted and needed. It was everything we could have hoped for."
"The overall location was perfect, and it had a view of the ocean. They had a back-up plan in case it rained.""I felt like I got really personal care from Carrie Geldos."
"I think it is really beautiful. They have a good view of the ocean from the redwoods.""They are really friendly, and they work with you. They make it unique and special for you. It is very beautiful."
"I liked being able to stay there for the weekend. It felt like having my own private venue.""Carrie, the wedding planner, was fantastic. She took care of everything."
"It was a great place. We liked the staff."
"The atmosphere, it was just very classy to me."
"They took care of everything. They were really friendly and professional. The food was exceptional."
"Everything was taken care of. We didn't have to worry about anything."
"I liked the view, the landscaping, and the architecture."
"They were thorough and organized. It was beautiful. The food was incredible. Carrie was awesome. We and all of our guests loved it. "
"I liked how everything was taken care of. We didn't have to think about anything."
"The coordinators were awesome, the ambiance was wonderful, and the food was great."
"I do a lot of events. I like the concerts there."
"The facilities are clean and the staff is friendly. Everything they promise is there. I think they are pretty darn good."
"We have a long standing relationship with them. They treat our family very well. We think they are great."
"We have recommended them to our friends. Carrie was unbelievable. She took care of anything and everything that we needed. We became good friends with Carrie afterwards. We just love that place."
"I liked the location and the fact that I didn't have to clean up afterwards. I liked the indoor/outdoor setup and the view."
"Their professionalism, we had some issues, but they fixed them right away and very professionally, which I appreciated. "
"Their hospitality and their overall willingness to help us out, they were able to provide whatever we needed to make our event successful."
"They had great customer service, the food was wonderful, and the facility was well maintained. They were really friendly, really approachable, and they responded immediately to emails and phone calls. I was really happy with everything."
"I liked the location and the facilities. I also liked their service. They were kind, friendly, and accommodating. They did a superb job, as far as I was concerned."
"The atmosphere"
"It was very personal. They took the time to talk with us and make sure that what we wanted for our wedding was handled. They were also very responsive. There was one incident at the end where it looked like they would change the wines that we ordered. I immediately called Carrie. She was able to fix it and get the correct wines for us."
"Just the whole set-up, I am still receiving compliments about how beautiful the wedding was. It was one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever been to."
"Their facilities are immaculate and well maintained. The staff is also very friendly. They care about you."
"The wedding coordinator that helped us and set things up was great. She was very helpful. Also, the location was very good, and the atmosphere was beautiful."
"The location"
"Their service was No. 1. We had a wonderful wedding there."
"The service was great. The timeline was followed exactly and everything turned out perfectly."
"How everything was organized and went smoothly"
"They were very caring and professional. They took care of our needs and it was a beautiful day."
"We loved the quality of the food. The whole experience at the camp was great. We had 60 people at the camp in the cabins for the weekend, and at the end we got married. The staff was very helpful and the central dining hall was a key part."
"Everything was great. I have to say the person who did the catering for our reception was absolutely amazing. People are still talking about the food. The whole staff was great. "
"I really liked the location and the helpfulness of the people. They were easy to work with and very accommodating."
"I appreciated the helpfulness of the site coordinator."
"The service was excellent. They anticipated everything that came up. "
"I would say that I liked the location and the service. All of our guests still talk about our wedding."
"I loved the great reception which overlooked the ocean. It was beautiful. After the reception, we had a blast at our cabin. "
"They were easy to work with. Everything went as scheduled. It was really a great day."
"It was beautiful. I didn't have to do anything."
"The beautiful natural location and setting"
"The setting was great."
"The area that it was in, the view and the grounds"
"They organized and made sure everything happened on time. They also helped in getting me ready before the wedding."
"I liked that everything was taken care of."
"It was all great."
"I thought the staff was really good. Also the atmosphere they created and the follow-through were great. I'm an event planner, and I thought that everything they did was on target. It was a great job for the price. All the services they offered were better than what I'd gotten from other service providers."
"I liked the facilities, the grounds and the Hacienda style."
"There wasn't very much I didn't like. I'm a very picky person. We had a difficult wedding because it was raining, but it was all arranged well with the vendors. The whole coordination process went smoothly. We loved the food and the quality was great."
"The beautiful setting"
"Seema was very helpful. I liked the location."
"Besides liking the ambiance of the place, the staff was very helpful and they really took initiative. It was a record-breaking hot day, so they accommodated us with lots of cold water, which we appreciated. "
"We received a thorough preparation and helpfulness from Seema. Everything turned out better than expected, just perfect."
"I liked the private setting."
"There wasn't anything I didn't like."
"It was a beautiful venue, well maintained. The service was good."
"I liked the trees.""The people who planned everythilng took a lot more time, energy, and effort, because I had an unusual circumstance. They could be more prepared for bigger events."
"It is everything you could ever imagine.""It is an amazing location and great people."
"The outdoor setting, the view was amazing.""They were great."
"They were very adaptive. I was supposed to get married outside, but it rained. They made sure I got married in a protective environment on short notice.""It was great to have such a full service location providing food and some planning services, as well as the location, all integrated together."
"The location and the redwood grove""They are upfront. They return messages and calls right away. Carrie is fantastic to work with. I have nothing but good things to say. The DJ I used would not have been my first choice. I had only one tasting, and there weren't a lot of choices."
"Carrie was great. She was the selling the point. The setting was gorgeous and the fact that everything was packaged.""It was amazing. I would recommend it to anyone."
"It is beautiful. They offer a good service.""The staff was great. The venue was beautiful. Everything went smoothly. They were really well-organized."
"Beyond the setting, just the customer service, everyone was very professional, courteous, and helpful."
"The very personal touch, they took very good care of us. They were reasonably priced for the amount of options and services they provided for our wedding. The setting was beautiful. They were very experienced and they knew how to answer our questions."
"The staff was great. We loved Carrie. The whole place is beautiful and it has a really great feel. People are still talking about it."
"I liked the location and the privacy."
"I like that a planner takes care of all the details."
"We were married there. The setting of the venue was wonderful."
"I liked that we got to use both of their buildings for one event."
"I guess the privacy and beauty"
"The food and the coordinator were great."
"The location and the helpfulness of the staff"
"I liked their demeanor. They were very nice, helpful and our wedding day was just perfect. If anything went wrong, we certainly didn't know about it. It was beautiful. If I could do it again, I would."
"The beauty of the place and ambience"
"The site was beautiful. The people that helped us were really accommodating, friendly and professional."
"They made everything work and I didn't have to do much of anything. They were easy to work with."
"I liked the location."
"The amenities were nice and the staff was good."
"The customer service was great."
"Nothing comes to mind immediately."
"They made us feel like we were the first couple who ever got married there."
"Seema was very responsive to us."
"It is a beautiful spot."
"It is comfortable.""Friendly staff, beautiful grounds, and a lot of great conference areas"
"Personal attention to detail""I liked working with Jeanine and Carrie, the event planners. They were very helpful. Overall, it was a good experience. "
"Probably the planning and the event site itself"
"The beautiful site, and the food was great. Carrie was awesome. She very gently reminded us of things that needed to be done."
"The layout"
"Definitely the view and the landscape, it was really gorgeous. Carrie was great and really helpful. The two people I worked with were really nice and very helpful. Everything went really smoothly."
"The location"
"We liked the fact that we were the only ones there."
"The facility itself"
"I just liked the overall atmosphere. "
"We have used their cabins for the past five years. We like that we don't have to share. The whole company can rent out the entire area for a weekend event. "
"I like the outdoor location and the setting."
"The location, the view and the perfect space they had"
"The beautiful location"
"The setting was nice."
"I liked the atmosphere and the setting."
"I think I really liked the place and the helpful people."
"I liked the nice view, the quiet setting and the fact that we had a couple days before the wedding took place. "
"The nice setting and the ability to have cabins to rent out"
"I liked the property and the atmosphere."
"The coordinators ran everything. I didn't have to do anything."
"The setting"
"It is a very beautiful venue, just gorgeous."
"I liked the view of the ocean. It was great for pictures. The location was great overall.""I like that we can have the facility to ourselves for the weekend."
"I was really impressed with how they arranged the layout of the reception and the ceremony. They actually feed you first in a pre-wedding party, then the ceremony takes place and the reception. It was great."
"The facility was great. Also the overall service and food were great. It turned out to be a magical evening for us."
"The grounds and the view"
"The location is beautiful."
"I liked the scenery. "
"I liked the setting."
"The place is beautiful, and it has a great view."
"It is a nice location."