A 10-tier champagne tower, martini bar and whisky speakeasy: The Hyatt is turning 100 – and you’re invited

Posted on 11 July, 2024

When it comes to luxury in Canberra, Hyatt Hotel Canberra is probably the first venue that comes to mind.

Representing the grandeur of times gone by and precious memories with friends and family for many Canberrans, the Hyatt is one of Canberra’s grandest dames – and now she’s celebrating her 100th birthday.

The Centenary of Style Cocktail Gala will take place on Friday 25 October and will be the grand affair you’d expect to celebrate a Canberra icon – and 100 early bird tickets have just been released. Did we mention there would be a champagne tower?

Celebrating a century of hosting Australia and the world’s biggest names – from diplomats to celebrities, politicians to rock bands – the cocktail gala will be an unforgettable evening as the hotel transforms into an immersive cavern of celebratory wonder, featuring pop-up cocktail bars, secret speakeasies, gourmet delights, live music and more.

On the evening you’ll find trays of Taittinger Champagne and a jazz trio welcoming you before being awed by Canberra’s first 10-tier champagne tower performance by Couture Air. That’s right – a champagne tower performance.

Courtesy Sydney Champagne Towers.

For Hyatt Hotel Canberra General Manager Adam Myott, this will be an evening for the hotel to showcase the glamour it’s known for while giving guests a new perspective on this icon of the hospitality scene.

“As the evening progresses, guests will be able to choose their own adventure, with the heritage section of the hotel transformed into a glamorous array of unique experiences that pay homage to the hotel’s rich past,” he says.

As a nod to the hotel’s first years of operation in the 1920s, one of the lounges will transform into a whiskey speakeasy, while another will become a ‘luxurious Parlour Room’.

The flavour of the evening will be decidedly local, with libations from beloved Canberra producers such as a Martini Bar by The Canberra Distillery, a BentSpoke Beer Garden and Bellinis Under the Stars by Wildbrumby Distillery.

“Sir Robert Menzies was one of our most distinguished guests and we know he loved a classic dry martini at Hotel Canberra, and so naturally, a classic ‘Menzies Martini’ will feature on the night,” explains Adam.

Naturally, it wouldn’t be a Hyatt Hotel Canberra party without a nod to its famous Seafood Buffet, so there will be a live oyster shucking station, alongside a selection of live food stations where you’ll watch chefs prepare your food, as well as roving canapés and dessert.

To put the roar in roaring twenties, celebrated swing band The Baker Boys will be on stage in the old Oak Room, playing dancehall classics to get you in a dancefloor frame of mind. According to Adam, dancing the night away is the name of the game.

“We plan on rocking the old dame to her rafters and we’d love to celebrate with guests and friends – new and old,” he says. You don’t have to tell us twice.

Tickets for the evening will be all-inclusive, encompassing a three-hour beverage package including all pop-up cocktail bars, beer, wine and bubbles, a three-hour canape package, including live food stations and oysters, and all entertainment and interactive experiences throughout the night.

Better yet, you now have the chance to scoop up tickets at early bird prices. Hyatt Hotel Canberra has today released 100 early bird tickets at $179 per person. Once sold out, tickets will be $199 per person. Run, don’t walk (or should that be Charleston?).