Whether it’s a work party or a social catch-up, getting together this festive season is back with a bang. But where to go?
To turn a Christmas night out into a night away — or longer — a hotel is hard to beat. Many of the Christmas party bookings at the Sligo Park Hotel, a swish 136-bedroom property just outside Sligo town, are coming from outside of the county.
“People come to our Christmas party nights from all over the country. Many of them come by train, and for them the event starts when they get on the train,” says Bernadette Coffey, sales and marketing manager at the Sligo Park Hotel.
“They’ll often stay one or two nights and make a real experience of it, using the leisure club, getting their hair done and making the most of the residents’ relaxation area. It’s a completely different feel, a sense of getting away, relaxing and bonding,” she says.
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Different people have different needs from a Christmas party. “For groups of friends it’s a chance to have the proper catch-up they haven’t been able to have for years. For others it’s a chance of meeting people from groups other than their own. For employers, it’s a way of saying thank you, properly, for the first time in three years,” she explains.
Festive fare
Despite the differing needs, what we all want from a Christmas party is the same. “Everyone loves a bit of tinsel, dressing up, that whole mulled wine, velvety feel. Being away lets you get fully into that zone in a way that being at home wouldn’t. If you’ve to load up the dishwasher an hour before you leave, you’re already a day behind people who get away for a Christmas party,” Coffey points out.
The Sligo Park Hotel has recently undertaken a €5 million refurbishment. “Guests will feel it as soon as they come up the driveway, with gorgeous lighting drawing you in to the lobby, which is beautifully decorated. It’s filled with the scent of mulled wine and a sense of excitement — a wonderful atmosphere that really feels ‘luxe’,” she adds.
The hotel’s shared Christmas parties allows groups — and businesses — of all sizes to book tables accommodating six, eight, 10 or more. It means that, regardless of the size of your business, diners can participate in a great big party atmosphere.
Bookings are strong, as work colleagues, sporting groups, friends and family rush to catch up. “There’s always a sense of excitement at Christmas but, this year especially, people are saying, ‘let’s do something really nice,’” says Coffey.
After enjoying the reception in the lobby, with seasonal music, there is a festive meal, live band, party games plus fun MC, followed by a disco. “For people who have had to cater for themselves for the last three years, to be at a hotel dripping with lights and colour and texture is just a treat,” she says.
Kilkenny is another great location for a Christmas party escape.
Long before Covid was even heard of, The Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel had been running its fantastic “joiner” party nights. “Enquiries start flooding in every year from midsummer, and in fact some regulars, especially those travelling from Dublin and Cork, tend to book really early, to make sure they get their chosen date,” explains Deirdre Twomey, the hotel’s sales and marketing manager.
Party Nights at the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel kick off with a cocktail reception in the glamorous surrounds of its Hoban Bar.
Christmas crackers
“The party then moves, at 8pm, to the King’s Ballroom Suite, where there is candlelight, and Christmas crackers, and the amazing Ambassadors band, back by popular demand, plus the legend that is Glen, our Ormonde Party Host, who will be there to greet people,” she explains.
“Glen gets the crowd going right from the start and it’s not unusual for the dance floor to be full, with a dance-off between tables, or to find the lead guitarist in among the partygoers, before the meal is even served,” she laughs. “Our Lip Sync battles are such craic, and nearly as much fun to watch as to join in.”
In south Dublin, The Queens in Dalkey is another great option, now owned by two of Ireland’s top hoteliers, Ray Byrne of Wineport Lodge and Eoin Doyle of BrookLodge.
“The new owners have undertaken an extensive refurbishment to restore The Queens to its former glory. The aim has been to put The Queens back on the map as the number one dining destination in South Dublin,” says Tom Isherwood, its general manager.
Selection boxes
For Christmas it offers a confection box of options, including The Vico, a fantastic upstairs party space where groups of up to 100 people can be catered for with finger food and a DJ.
“Downstairs we have loads of little areas which can be reserved for smaller groups, from 20 to 40 people, for Christmas parties,” says Isherwood.
“We are seeing a huge resurgence in family gatherings that people couldn’t have during Covid, especially where people couldn’t come home for Christmas, or were afraid to book flights because of the uncertainty,” he adds.
“On the corporate side, we are seeing that where people work from home now, or on a hybrid basis, employers see Christmas parties as a great opportunity to bring teams together. It’s very hard to create a great work culture on Zoom, which makes Christmas gatherings all the more important and just a great way of saying thanks.”
