Built as a showpiece for an emerging city, Hyatt Hotel Canberra – A Park Hyatt Hotel stands as one of Canberra’s most iconic buildings.
From 1924 until today, its purpose-built façade, terraces and gardens remain a love letter to the glamorous Art Deco era.
As the Hyatt Hotel Canberra enters the summer of its centenary, its courtyard garden spaces – themselves steeped in history, with trees onsite today that were part of the original 1920s plantings – are set to take centre stage.
“Think Friday afternoon drinks, Melbourne Cup celebrations and, of course, festive season celebrations,” Hyatt Hotel Acting General Manager Michael Sarino says.
“We recently hosted a garden party with hundreds of people spilling out across both gardens and a summer Hamptons theme, with everyone dressed in white and playing lawn games … It’s the kind of setting that lends itself to summery elegance.”
Over the past 100 years the gardens and courtyards have played host to weddings, cocktail parties and soirees, embedding themselves in the fabric of the Canberra community.
It’s also a renowned hotspot for afternoon parties that often spill into evenings at Speaker’s Corner Bar.
“I’ve heard stories of the place heaving with humanity across both gardens and The Tea Lounge, with bars set up everywhere,” Michael says.
“It was – is – an elegant, beautiful setting but convivial and fun. From what I understand, it was ‘the’ spot for young single professionals to meet and mingle.”
The Rose Garden and the Lavender Courtyard – mirror images of each other – were conceived by a landscape artist who worked with the “Garden City ideals embodied in Walter Burley Griffin’s vision for Canberra.
It’s part of the charm of the Hyatt’s outdoor spaces, which Michael says contributes in a big way to what makes the hotel unique in the national capital and, indeed, the country.
“If you think about every major city in Australia, no other major urban hotel sits on grounds like these – of this scale and with this kind of history,” he says.
“There’s a reason it’s a favourite setting for end-of-week happy hour drinks with colleagues or mates. But it has also played host to rockstars, royalty and world leaders, and corporate events big and small.”
Coming into Christmas, Hyatt Hotel Canberra is taking bookings for anyone who thinks “summery elegance” fits the bill for a festive season celebration.
Packages start at $95 per person, which includes 10 canapes per person and a three-hour beverage package.
For those looking for a gourmet extravaganza to treat the office, the Promenade Café offers an interactive and fun premium buffet starting at $65 per person, including a glass of wine.
Or you can follow in the hotel’s steeped tradition with an iconic festive High Tea in the elegant Tea Lounge from $85 per person, which includes a glass of bubbles.
Whether it’s a corporate party or a large family gathering, Michael says Hyatt Hotel Canberra is ideal for those looking for a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere that capitalises on the beauty of an Australian Christmas.
“There’s a lot of romanticism around the ‘White Christmas’, but we’re so lucky to be able to celebrate this special time of year when all the most delicious fresh produce comes into season,” he says.
“The Hyatt offers the ideal setting to make the most of that.”
Visit Hyatt Hotel Canberra for more information and check out the festive event packages.