Cocktail Party Venues for Hire in Sydney

Your Guide to Hiring Cocktail Party Venues in Sydney

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind while you choose the perfect space:

• Ambience. What kind of mood do you want for your cocktail party? Will it be a fun, relaxed party or a more formal affair? The venue plays a huge part in helping to create the right ambience, so be sure to look for venues that match the desired mood!
• The venue setup. Will your guests be stood or are you keen to make sure everyone can be seated? If you opt for seating, think about what layout will work best for your party. If you’re planning on having live entertainment or speeches made, make sure everyone has a good view of the staging area from their seats!
• Catering. Food and drink go hand in hand so you’ll want to think about what kind of food will accompany the drinks. Do you want to serve full meals, light bites or canapes? Will it be a self-serve buffet or are you looking for a venue that can provide waiter service? If you go for somewhere that offers per-person packages, some food and drink are often included, so discuss your requirements with your venue host.
• Location. Is there any part of the city that would be most convenient for the majority of your guests? Are you keen for the venue to have a view over the harbour? What’s more, don’t forget to take the weather into consideration. Depending on the time of year, if you’re opting for an outdoor cocktail party, it may be worth finding a venue that also has an indoor area, just in case the weather decides to turn against you!

Wondering which areas of Sydney are the most popular for cocktail parties? We’ve got some hot spots listed below:

• Sydney Harbour. With its water-based location, it’s no surprise that this part of the city offers a whole host of great cocktail party venues. The area is not only home to water boat venues but also a great choice of waterfront bars and restaurants with beautiful sea views.
  How about sipping on champagne while you cruise around the harbour and take in Sydney’s sights from the water? If that sounds like your kind of cocktail party, you could think about hosting your reception at one of Sydney’s boat venues. Boat venue hire tends to be priced with a hire fee and you can expect to pay between $850 and $3,400 per hour, depending on the size you’re after.
  If you’d rather keep your feet on dry land, another popular option in the Sydney Harbour area is bar venues. Whether you’ll be needing an entire bar or just a separate area to host a small function, there’s a range of bars offering the perfect ambience. They can also be a great choice if you’re after a cheap cocktail party venue! You’ll be looking at minimum spend rates of between $300 to $17,000 or per person rates between $14 and $50, with most bars falling at the lower end of the scale.
• Central Business District. If you’re after a hotel function room or up-market restaurant, Sydney’s CBD is the place to look. Rates for cocktail party venue hire tend to be done either based on per-person packages or by a minimum spend. As a guide, packages tend to range from around $35 to $75 per person and minimum spends are from $300 to $25,000.
  If you’re looking for a more formal venue, you could opt for a hotel function room. Function rooms in the CBD area tend to be priced either with a hire fee or minimum spend. For hire fees, you can expect to pay between $300 and $6,800, with most falling at the higher end. Minimum spend rates tend to be around $2,000 to $5,000 but can go up to around $15,000! (All data from Tagvenue.)

FAQs about Cocktail Party Venues in Sydney

What are some of the best cocktail party venues in Sydney?

• Ante Bar at Shark Hotel. It’s time to make your event a night to remember. Ante Bar is an opulent cocktail party venue with a vintage glamour that is sure to impress. The venue can fit over 300 guests and includes professional lighting, a sound system, DJ equipment, a bar and a smoking area. The room also features an incredible design with baroque wallpaper, chandeliers and oversized mirrors. It is also close to Museum Station, making it easy for your guests to get there.
• LinQ Bar at Shelbourne Hotel. This is the place to be if you're looking for a stylish, contemporary venue in Sydney. The LinQ Bar offers a versatile space that can be adapted to suit any event for up to 200 guests. The venue features plenty of natural light and includes modern decor with bi-fold windows that frame amazing views over Darling Harbour and tall communal benches that can easily be transformed into dance floors. The private bar and lounge area are just two more reasons why this venue is the perfect choice for your next cocktail party.
• Hustle & Flow Bar. Do you want to throw an event that's as fresh and funky as you are? You're in luck because we've got the perfect space for you. Hustle & Flow Bar is a hybrid venue with a capacity of up to 65 guests which has a whole lot of soul and a uniquely urban signature. The venue also offers exclusive hire, including a door person and DJ. They also offer drink and catering packages and can help you design the perfect event, so you can be sure that your cocktail party will go off without a hitch.

How many people can I invite to a cocktail party in Sydney?

You can host a cocktail party for as many or as few people as you choose. The most important thing is to have enough space for your guests to move around and chat without feeling crowded. Check our listings to find venues in Sydney that can accommodate anywhere from 4 to 750 guests, so the sky's the limit!

How do you throw a cocktail party in Sydney on a budget?

The truth is, you don't have to break the bank to get a great venue. There are plenty of places where you can throw an amazing cocktail party for less than $100 per guest! (All data from Tagvenue.) However, if you want to throw a party on a budget, there are some things that can be cut out and others that can't. For example, some venues may require that you use their in-house catering services. However, you can find plenty of other places where you can have greater control over the food and drinks that you want to serve. In these types of venues, you can bring your own food or hire an outside catering with cheaper rates. It is also possible to cut out some of the frills, such as the  DJ or live band and decorations, but alcohol is always going to be important for any cocktail party.