How to choose a party room: 8 things to check before you book

Do not choose a party room on photos and price alone. Before you book, check at least eight things: capacity, toilets, lift access, noise rules, food and alcohol rules, check-in, cancellation policy and reviews. Enter the date, time, duration and group size on Gatherland and rooms that do not fit are filtered out, with the total for your slot shown; the rest you find on the venue page or by messaging the host.

1. Capacity: will everyone fit?

Every venue has a headcount range. Enter your real group size and rooms that are too small or too large drop out. Note that:

• Per-person venues may set a minimum headcount, which you pay for even if fewer come
• You should never exceed the maximum, even if people could squeeze in
• Photos can be misleading about size; ask the host if unsure

To browse by size, start with party rooms for 10 people.

2. Toilet: private or shared?

Over several hours, the toilet matters. A room with a private toilet means you do not share with other units, which helps with children or an overnight booking. If the toilet is shared and off the corridor, ask whether it needs a key or code and whether it is lit at night.

3. Getting there and lift access

If older guests, children or prams are coming, or you are carrying lots of food and decorations, ask whether there is lift access. You can also search by district, such as Kwun Tong or Mong Kok, to make the trip easier for everyone.

Many party rooms are in industrial buildings. Watch for:

• Few lifts, with waits at rush hour and on weekend evenings
• Separate passenger and goods lifts, with only one running at night in some buildings
• No lobby guard at night, so you may need a second code or access card for the building
• How long the walk is from the MTR; ask the host which exit is closest

4. Noise and time rules

Many venues have noise rules, especially at night. If you plan karaoke or a late finish, ask before booking:

• When you need to turn the volume down
• The latest time you must leave
• Whether you can stay overnight

5. Food and alcohol

• Can you bring food or order delivery?
• Is there a fridge, microwave or kitchen?
• Can you bring alcohol?
• Are there add-ons such as BBQ food sets?

If you order delivery, write the building, floor and unit on the order, or arrange to meet the rider downstairs; not everyone can get into an industrial building at night.

6. Check-in

Type	How you get in	Booking notice
Self check-in	Entry instructions such as a door code, sent by email and WhatsApp before the start	Usually up to 30 minutes before the start
Staffed	Staff let you in	About two hours

The exact floor and unit appear once the booking is confirmed.

7. Cancellation policy

Each venue uses one of three policies:

Policy	Full refund	50% refund	No refund
Flexible	24 hours or more before the start	6 to 24 hours before	Under 6 hours
Standard	48 hours or more before	24 to 48 hours before	Under 24 hours
Strict	7 days or more before	72 hours to 7 days before	Under 72 hours

A security deposit is always returned in full on cancellation. If your date or numbers are uncertain, a Flexible venue is the safer choice. See the cancellation policy.

8. Reviews

Only guests with a completed booking can review, once per booking, with an overall score plus scores for cleanliness, value, location and facilities. Focus on the scores that matter to you; if cleanliness is your priority, look at that score first.

Also look at how the host replies to critical reviews. A reply that says specifically what was fixed tells you more than one or two high scores.

Top-rated party rooms

What is the difference between the booking modes?

• Instant book: confirmed as soon as payment succeeds
• Host confirms: the host has 24 hours to accept; the slot is held meanwhile and nothing is charged if they decline

The full amount is paid online at booking. The platform holds it and releases it to the host 48 hours after the booking ends. There is no booking fee for guests.

What should I ask the host?

Pre-booking checklist

1. Your group is within the venue's headcount range
2. Toilet and lift access suit your group
3. You know the noise rules and leaving time
4. Food, alcohol and decoration rules are confirmed
5. You know how you get in and when the entry details arrive
6. You have read the cancellation policy and any deposit
7. You have read the reviews and the category scores
8. Everything else is in the party checklist

What if the venue is not as described?

If the venue is seriously not as described, tell the platform within 24 hours of the start. The platform decides disputes and may refund in part or in full. See trust and safety.

For questions about price, see the party room cost guide.