Christmas Party Venues in Newcastle City & Harbour

What to Know Before Booking Christmas Party Venues

End-of-year bookings for work teams in Newcastle City & Harbour come in many forms: barefoot bowls and a barbecue in Cooks Hill, a yacht club deck in Wickham, a heritage hall on Bond Street or a long table by the water at Honeysuckle. The right fit depends on the size of the team, how formal the night should be and whether it suits a weeknight.

Weeknight dates can open up more choice in December. Bartholomew's on King Street makes its ground floor, for up to 300, available for private functions on Mondays and Tuesdays, and whole-venue hire there is by negotiation on any night except Friday and Saturday.

Shortlisting by the kind of team celebration:

Something social for mixed seniority: Lowlands Bowling Club, where function guests can roll a few ends on the social green and catering runs to 200
Daytime wind-downs: Great Northern Hotel Newcastle, with corporate packages from $25 per person including exclusive use of the foyer, a PA and a projector
Harbour settings: Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club on Hannell Street, Casa Nova Honeysuckle and Customs House Hotel, with Customs Hall's bar facing the harbour
Big all-staff nights: The Del Hotel, whose first-floor space holds 500, plus the covered, heated Courtyard @ The Lucky Hotel
Smaller teams at the table: The Flotilla in Wickham, with seated function menus from $95 per person

Most venues here can run drinks as a package or a bar tab, which makes it easier to cap what the company spends.

Newcastle City & Harbour Christmas Party Venues

Up to 40: The Flotilla's main dining room, or Vecina for 24; Wombat Corner at The Happy Wombat fits 30 standing
Around 60 to 100: the Great Northern's Lounge and Foyer for 100 standing, The Del's Darby Room for 100, or the Harbourmasters Lounge at Customs House for 60
Up to 250: Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club's Bridge Retreat, the two upstairs rooms combined, takes 120 to 250 at a cocktail party
Whole-office parties: Bartholomew's mezzanine and ground floor together take up to 450

Costing the office party

The Albion Hotel in Wickham offers canapé packages from $38 per person, with drinks on a bar tab secured by a card
Canapé parties at Customs House Hotel, from $39 per person, can last two hours, three or four
The Happy Wombat and Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club both have canapé packages from $42 per person
Set menus at Casa Nova Honeysuckle begin from $45.90 per person, and Bartholomew's charges no room hire, with a $300 minimum spend for 30 to 50 guests

Venues for Christmas Parties: Your Questions Answered

Which city venues work for a weeknight Christmas function?

Bartholomew's ground floor is available for private functions on Mondays and Tuesdays. The Flotilla can be booked for private functions or exclusive hire, with minimum spends that depend on the day, the room and your numbers.

Is there an end-of-year venue that gets people mixing?

At Lowlands Bowling Club, function guests may use the social green for barefoot bowls, a natural icebreaker for work groups, and part of its undercover space can be closed off for your team.

What does a daytime Christmas lunch for the office cost?

Great Northern Hotel Newcastle has daytime corporate packages from $25 per person, with sandwiches, wraps, fruit platters and pastries. An Italian lunch at Casa Nova Honeysuckle is from $45.90 per person for 15 or more.

How far ahead do we need final numbers?

It varies by venue. The Albion Hotel needs final numbers and menu choices five business days ahead, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club wants final menus a week before, and The Flotilla asks for confirmed numbers 14 days out.