Nov 10th 2026: From a hidden 12-seat dining room in the heart of Belfast to a newly refurbished private suite overlooking Belfast Lough and a 400-year-old room on the Antrim Coast, Hastings Hotels has three private dining spaces catering for smaller groups.

Whether it’s colleagues who don’t want the scale or formality of a conventional hotel Christmas party, an extended family wanting to come together, or a group of friends turning their annual December meal into a Belfast overnight, the Northern Ireland hotel group gives people an opportunity to celebrate Christmas together without having to book a traditional restaurant or function room.

The Cavern, Grand Central Hotel, Belfast city centre

Hidden behind a sliding door inside Belfast’s five-star Grand Central Hotel, The Cavern is an intimate festive venue for private and corporate celebrations of up to 12 guests. This distinctive dining space is led by Executive Head Chef Damian Tumilty, with menus designed around each individual group using locally sourced and seasonal produce. The hotel’s current sample Cavern menu is priced from £70 to £125 (€81 to €146) per person and features a multi-course dining experience including dishes such as Kilkeel scallops, yellowfin tuna carpaccio and Lisdergan flax-fed beef, finishing with Ballylisk Brie, Valrhona chocolate and handmade chocolates.

The Ailsa Suite, Culloden Estate & Spa, Holywood, Belfast

At the five-star Culloden Estate & Spa in Belfast, the Ailsa Suite has emerged from a refurbishment during the hotel’s 150th anniversary this year.
The transformation draws on the Culloden’s origins as an 1876 Bishop’s Palace, with rich navy tones, William Morris wallpaper, a bespoke marble table and leather and velvet seating, while retaining views across the estate and Belfast Lough. The space is particularly suited to intimate dining, private events and smaller corporate gatherings of up to 10 guests and creates a more relaxed celebration built around dinner and conversation. Private dining menus for the Ailsa Suite cost from £100 (approx. €116) are tailored to individual groups and available directly from the hotel’s events team.

The 1625 Room at Ballygally, Antrim

For something completely different, the 1625 Room at Ballygally Castle in Antrim gives small groups the opportunity to have Christmas dinner within the original 17th-century castle. The private dining room was refurbished as part of a £400,000 (approx. €466,000) investment programme marking Ballygally Castle’s 400th anniversary in 2025 and retains much of the atmosphere and character of the historic building.

The room caters for approximately 14 guests and has direct access to the gardens. Current Ballygally private dining packages offer menus from £45 per person (approx. €52), including tea and coffee, with private function-suite hire from £350 (approx. €408).

November/December overnight stays are available from £120 at Ballygally Castle and from £160 at Grand Central Hotel Belfast, while the Culloden Estate & Spa is offering 15% off selected bed-and-breakfast stays until February with complimentary room upgrade, subject to availability.

 

For more information on the hotels visit:
https://www.grandcentralhotelbelfast.com/
https://www.cullodenestateandspa.com/
https://www.ballygallycastlehotel.com/