Off-site meetings, small conferences, end-of-year functions, cocktail parties and wedding receptions for up to 120 guests can be organized here, with 123 rooms in the same building. The venue is Ovolo South Yarra, a boutique hotel run by Ovolo Hotels at 234 Toorak Road in South Yarra, an inner suburb of Melbourne.
Seminars and company events
Penny and The Jets is the main meeting space, fitted with up-to-date technology for off-site meetings, small conferences and private events of up to 40 people. Next door, Penny Petit takes six for a board meeting or a short working session. The hotel sells day delegate packages and function packages, and adds free-flow beverage packages for the evening. A conference group can move from Penny and The Jets to The Backroom for drinks, or to Bar Yarra for dinner, without leaving the building. The Rock Star Suites can also be booked for a small gathering of up to eight.
Weddings and receptions
The hotel lists The Backroom and Bar Yarra as suited to weddings, and markets The Backroom for engagement parties. Receptions are catered by the hotel's own kitchen with seasonal menus, and drinks run on free-flow packages. The website does not mention a ceremony space. The Rock Star Suites, named Sonny and Cher and John and Yoko, work as a wedding night room, with a king bed, a record player, custom joinery and original artworks by Mr Brainwash.
Rooms and capacities
Bar Yarra is the largest space, with up to 120 guests for a cocktail party, lunch, dinner or private function. Its restaurant seats 90. The Backroom, a retro room with art deco touches, plush seating and graphic wallpaper, takes up to 90 for cocktail parties, dinners, conferences and end-of-year events. Penny and The Jets holds 40, the Rock Star Suites 8 and Penny Petit 6. The website gives a maximum for each space rather than figures per layout.
Accommodation
The 123 rooms include four signature suites. Categories run from Snug and Cosy rooms, some with city views, to Groovy Studios, a Groovy Twin, a Groovy Suite and the Rock Star Suites. Guests get free fast Wi-Fi, a complimentary drink at the daily Apero Hour, self-service laundry and access to an outside gym.
Catering
Bar Yarra serves breakfast daily, lunch from Tuesday to Friday and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, with classic comfort dishes and regional favorites made from local produce, plus coffee and craft cocktails. The same team prepares event menus and runs the beverage packages. The lobby also has a bar, the WonderBar.
Getting there
The hotel is on Toorak Road, near Chapel Street, Prahran Market and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Tram stops and South Yarra train station are a short walk away. Melbourne Airport is the main arrival point for interstate and international delegates.
