Bigger Is Better

Few things trumpet a hotel’s event credentials as loudly as an impressively large ballroom. Here are some of the most notable in Asia-Pacific

- Craig Bright

When you first walk into a hotel ballroom as a conference delegate or banquet guest, there are plenty of things that can grab your attention, from wall-to-wall LED screens showcasing exciting video to grand chandeliers hanging majestically from the ceiling, or unparalleled panoramic views through expansive windows.

Yet none of these quite evoke the sense of wonder that hits you when you enter a huge, capacious grand hall for the first time. With multistorey ceilings and walls that stretch what seem to be the entire length of the hotel, these spaces are impressive for their scope and audacity.

Given the huge number of new hotel developments across Asia-Pacific, such titanic rooms are becoming all the more numerous. We look at some of the largest – and most impressive – hotel ballrooms around the region.

GRAND HYATT, HONG KONG

The Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong has long been a mainstay of the city’s business events scene, having first opened in 1989 on the opposite side of Victoria Harbour to the Kerry Hotel, in the city’s Wan Chai district. The property has since been joined by the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, which stands adjacent to the hotel and offers its own array of huge event spaces.

There are still plenty of event venues within the Grand Hyatt, though – 22 to be exact. The largest of these is the 730 sqm (7,858sq ft) Grand Ballroom which, when combined with the Grand Rooms and foyer, are capable of accommodating up to 30 automobiles. The ballroom itself is also impressive for a number of its features, namely a ninemetre by four-metre LED wall, marble pillars, mirrored walls and a massive 2,800kg elliptical bronze chandelier featuring more than 63,000 pieces of crystal. hyatt.com

KERRY HOTEL, HONG KONG