7 Melbourne CBD Rooftop And Balcony Venues

For a city famous for its changeable weather, Melbourne is surprisingly famous for its rooftop bars and balcony venue spaces. Here's some eye-catching ones that could be perfect for your next event.

Le Ciel Events
The term "the sky is the limit" applies perfectly to this two-storey venue in Richmond. This blank canvas Melbourne venue offers breathtaking views of the city skyscrapers, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the AAMI Park.

You can book Le Ceil Event's Ville room for up to 96 guests at a cocktail party, or a more intimately numbered event of 48 seated indoors. If the weather's great, invite up to 84 guests outdoors on the Terrace which also features a fire pit and cushioned bench seating, or up to 180 if you book the Ville and Terrace spaces.

Level 7, also called The Aneto Room, is perfect for a conference, a business dinner or a product launch, as a microphone and a sound system is provided in your booking. With a slightly more panoramic view of the city skylines, level 7 is perfect to impress your new clients. The Aneto Room can accommodate 120 people in cocktail form or a maximum of 103 guests at a sit-down event.

Both levels are wheelchair-accessible.

Nearest train station: Cremorne

The Stolen Gem
The Stolen Gem is a hidden gem in the centre of the Melbourne CBD, on Bourke Street.

Featuring an amazing 260-degree view of the city, if your event theme is glamorous, it fits the bill perfectly with black and gold furniture. Find out how to organise a Black and Gold theme event.

Even more importantly, this rooftop venue has a retractable roof - perfect when you know unpredictable Melbourne’s weather can be.

The Stolen Gem lives up to its name by offering both an amazing view and high-quality food and beverages.

A short walk from Flinders St Station, it is also adjacent to a multi-level car park. The venue capacity is for up to 100 guests.

Nearest train station: Flinders St Station 

Richmond Rowing Club
It's a commonly known secret that many guests don't like events on boats.

But if you're seeking a nautical themed venue in the city without stepping foot on a floating vessel, the Richmond Rowing Club could be perfect.

Set on the Yarra River with a spectacular view of South Bank and filled with natural light, you'll get the curious sense you're on a (landlocked) cruise.

Mingle on the astroturfed terrace for pre-dinner drinks and then retreat to the glass-walled space with uninterrupted city views for your meal.

The Richmond Rowing Club can cater for intimate events for as few as 20 guests to a 120-person sit-down dinner up to 200 people for cocktails.

Nearest train station: Flinders St Station  

The Cluster
If you need a multi-purpose rooftop venue, The Cluster is the answer to your prayers.

Book your company conference or workshop in the luxe industrial space that is The Lounge on the penthouse level of The Cluster on Queen Street (projector with audio, microphone and an in-house barista) and afterwards, celebrate with a drinks party, marvelling in the wraparound city views.

Book your event for as little as 16 people (for a U-shaped configuration), for 30-40 attendees for a workshop, up to 48 for a dinner, or 80-100 guest capacity for a cocktail function.

The Cluster also offers Warehouse 21 on the same penthouse level for a smaller scale event (with a maximum of 40 for a cocktail event), or The Glasshouse venue space on level 17 with conference U-shape capacity for 12 people, workshops for up to 25 attendees, private dining for 30 or cocktails for up to 60 guests.

Nearest train station: Flinders St Station  

Lustre Bar
OK, it's a stretch to call it a rooftop bar, but this first-floor Melbourne CBD venue does have a wonderful balcony peeking over the boutiques and cafes of Flinders Lane that makes it a real magnet for enjoyable, ice-breaking people-watching - a must for your shyer guests.

Glamorous yet laidback, Lustre Bar is the venue you want to book when attendee numbers are smalland you want your guests to feel cosy and comfortable with each other whether standing by the bar, relaxed in a leather lounge or perched on a balcony bar stool.

Well-known for its cocktails, you can book the entire Lustre Bar for your event (for up to four hours) of 40-80 guests. There's no room hire fee; you simply need to meet a minimum bar spend.

Nearest train station: Flinders St Station  

Adelphi Pool Deck
Barely four minutes walk up Flinders Lane from Lustre Bar, opposite Supernormal restaurant, is the iconic 1990s boutique Adelphi Hotel, recently renovated.

You've no doubt craned your neck nine floors up, looking up through its cantilevered glass-bottomed pool, lit at night. 

If you're planning a daytime product launch, you can book exclusive use of the Pool Deck for 40-80 guests for a cocktail-style event with fine food catering from in-house restaurant Om Nom for four hours, from 7.00am until 5.30pm.

Nearest train station: Flinders St Station  

 

Rooftop Bar
Apparently you should never discuss politics or sex in polite company.

Well the latter topic is up to you but the former topic might be difficult to avoid with this rooftop venue being sited directly opposite Melbourne's Parliament House.

On the top of the historic Imperial Hotel, one of Melbourne's oldest hotels dating back to 1852, its Rooftop Bar offers the largest guest capacity of our venues mentioned here, allowing you to book it out exclusively for 270 guests for a cocktail function.

Nearest train station: Parliament Station 

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