Christmas Party Venues in Melbourne's Eastern Suburbs

What to Know Before Booking Christmas Party Venues

End-of-year parties for teams based in the east can stay local, in rooms sized from a department to an entire company. Two of the options are pubs with several function spaces, Shoppingtown Hotel in Doncaster and the Manhattan Hotel in Ringwood, and two are made for large seated events: Veneto Club on Bulleen Road and Vogue Ballroom on Blackburn Road in Burwood East.

The split matters for a work party. The pubs make it easy to run a relaxed stand-up night with canapés and a drinks package, while the club and the ballroom handle the formal sit-down dinner with presentations that larger organisations often want in late November or December.

How each one fits a work Christmas function:

Shoppingtown Hotel: five function spaces, from the Skyline Room for small lunches up to the Cabaret Room with a stage, two projection screens and a cloak room
Manhattan Hotel: Liberty takes 300 on their feet or 200 at tables, with its own entrance, and Soho seats 70 for a smaller team
Veneto Club: Sala Venezia seats 400 on the second floor with a raised stage, and can be split into smaller sections
Vogue Ballroom: the whole building for one booking, with audio-visual gear, fast internet and technical help for corporate clients
Getting a car-reliant team there: the Manhattan has free parking on site, and Vogue Ballroom parks 120 cars behind the building

Weeknight dates are worth asking about early: Veneto Club notes that weekend events carry a minimum spend combining room hire, food and drinks, and Vogue Ballroom prices each event by date, season and headcount.

Leadership lunch or board dinner: the air-conditioned Skyline Room off the Shoppingtown bistro, or Veneto Club's private dining room for up to 20
Department drinks for around 120: the Galaxy Room at Shoppingtown has its own bar, courtyard and data projector
Whole office standing: Liberty at the Manhattan, or Veneto's Sala Venezia, which holds 600 for cocktails
Gala-style dinner with presentations: Vogue Ballroom seats as many as 370, with a mezzanine balcony overlooking the floor and lighting that can be set to a theme

Budgeting the staff party

Canapés: From $25 per person at the Manhattan for six pieces, and From $29 per person at Shoppingtown for four classic items
Drinks: the Manhattan sells free-flow drinks for three or four hours, and Shoppingtown's digital drinks package covers tap beer, wine and soft drinks
Seated menus: the Manhattan offers a two or three-course set menu, and Shoppingtown has alternate drops, a carvery buffet or a BBQ package
Room-hire entry point: the Gondola Room at Veneto Club starts From $300 room hire for a four-hour event, and a deposit secures the booking

Venues for Christmas Parties: Your Questions Answered

Which venue in the east suits a Christmas party for 300 or more staff?

Veneto Club's Sala Venezia holds 600 for cocktails or 400 seated, and Vogue Ballroom can take 420 at a stand-up event. Liberty at the Manhattan Hotel takes 300 standing.

Can the boss give a speech with slides?

Yes. Liberty and Soho at the Manhattan each have two projectors, the Cabaret Room at Shoppingtown Hotel has a pair of projection screens, Veneto Club's rooms have a data projector and handheld microphone, and Vogue Ballroom offers audio-visual gear with technical help.

Do these venues cater for staff with dietary needs?

Vogue Ballroom tailors its menus to dietary and cultural needs, and Veneto Club's Italian catering runs from plated courses to cocktail menus with sliders and pasta.

Is there a smaller option for a team of 60?

The Wickets, part of the Manhattan Hotel Back Bar, suits a team of up to 60, and the Gondola Room at Veneto Club seats 80 for a banquet.

Christmas Party Venues in Eastern Suburbs

See Your Christmas Party Venue Options in Eastern Suburbs