Shortlisting rooms on Orchard Road

Orchard Road has more event rooms within walking distance of each other than almost anywhere else in Singapore. That is good news until you sit down to compare them, because on paper a lot of ballrooms look alike. The trick is to stop comparing brochures and start comparing your evening against each room.

Pick your end of the road first

Orchard is a long corridor, running from the Tanglin end down to Dhoby Ghaut, with Orchard and Somerset MRT stations in between. A room that is close to one station can be an awkward walk from another, and nobody enjoys that walk in evening shoes. Decide which stretch suits most of your guests before you look at a single floor plan.

Sort by type, then by room

• Hotel ballrooms suit a full company evening with a stage, awards and dancing. The production has to work harder to make one ballroom look unlike the next.
• Function rooms suit a single department. Ceiling heights and screen positions vary widely, so look before you plan entertainment.
• Restaurants taking private bookings suit a relaxed dinner with short speeches. Dancing may be limited, so ask early.

Write down the moments

List what has to happen on the night: welcome, speeches, awards, a performance, the lucky draw, the dance floor. Strike off any room that cannot host every one of them well. What remains is your real shortlist, usually only a handful of places.

Then go and stand in the rooms

Photos hide pillars, low ceilings and the fact that the only stage position faces the kitchen doors. Walk each room as a guest would, from the lobby to the table to the dance floor. Bring a site visit checklist for Orchard dinner and dance venues and score each room the same day, while it is fresh in your mind.

Ask about the neighbours

Large hotels often run several events on one night. Ask what might be booked next door, how sound is managed between rooms, and what time your music must stop. Get the answers in writing.

House rules and availability change, so check current details with each venue rather than relying on older listings.