The ArtHouse Hotel takes corporate functions, networking evenings, conferences, private dinners and parties, from a few dozen guests to 400 at a cocktail event. Three spaces can be booked: the Rabbit Bar, the Artasian restaurant on Level One and the Attic Bar. The venue occupies a heritage-listed building at 275 Pitt Street, in the center of Sydney's central business district. Despite its name, it is a multi-level pub, bar and restaurant, not a place to stay.
Seminars and company events
The functions team lists corporate events, networking events, private dining and private functions among the occasions it hosts, and the venue's own pages mention events that run from birthday parties to conferences. For a talk or a short presentation, the Rabbit Bar takes 200 people in theatre layout and Artasian takes 150. The Attic Bar, with 50 in theatre style, suits a team briefing or a workshop followed by drinks. For a client evening, guests can sit down to dinner in Artasian and then move to the lounges next to it for cocktails, a sequence the venue itself suggests. The building also runs its own program of life drawing classes, cabaret nights and photography workshops, which shows how the rooms adapt to different formats.
Rooms and capacities
The Rabbit Bar is the largest space, with 400 guests for a cocktail event or 200 in theatre layout. It sits in a room that once served as both a theater and a chapel, with ceilings of about 30 feet and hand-painted walls, now styled as a playful nod to the Mad Hatter's tea party. Artasian holds 300 for cocktails, 150 in theatre layout and 140 for a sit-down meal. The Attic Bar holds 100 for cocktails, 50 in theatre layout and 44 seated. The venue notes that its wheelchair access does not extend to the Attic Bar, a point to raise early when guests with reduced mobility are expected.
Catering
Food and drink are served in-house. Artasian serves Asian fusion dishes in a tapas format, built for sharing, after a recent switch from an Italian menu. The Rabbit Bar pours cocktails, including Asian-inspired recipes, along with wines and beers, and it serves grazing boards and burgers. Menus for each space are published on the official site, and the functions team builds event offers around them.
History and setting
The building dates from 1836, when it opened as The School of Arts, and it is heritage-listed today. That history shows in the Rabbit Bar's high ceilings and decorated walls. The venue presents the bar as a modern version of the traditional public bar, and both the Rabbit Bar and Artasian have been refreshed recently.
Getting there
The address is 275 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000. The venue is close to Town Hall, the Queen Victoria Building and Hyde Park, so Town Hall station is a short walk for guests arriving by train. Sydney Airport is the nearest airport for delegates traveling from other cities.
