Perched on level 40 of the Oakwood Premier Melbourne with 360-degree views across the city, the Yarra and Port Phillip Bay, Strato Melbourne is one of Southbank’s most spectacular corporate event venues.
Set across two sky-high floors, Strato pairs fine dining and contemporary interiors with an alfresco terrace 140 metres above the street. It’s become a go-to for end-of-year functions, client entertaining and brand launches that need a bit of theatre.
We caught up with the Strato Melbourne team to talk about the arrival moment guests never forget, and how they’re adapting as corporate bookings shift into daylight hours.
If your venue had a personality, how would you describe it in three words?
Elevated. Alive. Unforgettable.
Sophisticated enough to take your breath away, relaxed enough that you’ll actually want to stay for one more drink and watch the city change colour beneath you
What’s one feature or space in your venue that always wows corporate clients?
The arrival, honestly. Guests walk through the Oakwood Premier Melbourne lobby with no idea what’s coming, step into a private lift, and forty floors later the doors open onto floor-to-ceiling glass and 360 degrees of Melbourne laid out below them, Port Phillip Bay, the Yarra, the whole skyline. We’ve watched hundreds of people go quiet for a second the first time they see it. That reaction never gets old.
What’s your dream corporate event to host, and why?
A major brand launch that uses the whole venue the way it’s meant to be used. The reveal happens in the Strato Bar Lounge with the city as the backdrop for the big moment and onto the terrace as the sun goes down over the bay. Business by day, celebration by golden hour, all 140 metres above the city.
What sets your venue apart from others in the corporate world?
We’re not choosing between impressive and private; we do both. Most sky-high venues want you out on show; Level 41 gives you a genuinely secluded space for a confidential presentation or VIP client hosting, and it still has the same jaw-dropping views as everywhere else in the building. You get the wow-factor and the discretion.
What’s your “hidden gem” feature that people might overlook?
Our alfresco terrace. People assume forty floors up means you’re stuck indoors, and then they step outside onto a New York-style rooftop terrace with the wind in their hair and the whole city humming beneath them. It’s the moment guests pull their phones out.
How does your team make every event extra special?
Our team gets to know exactly what moment truly matters most to the client, whether that’s timing the big reveal for when the sun hits the skyline just right, or making sure a toast lands exactly when the room is at its fullest. We welcome everyone as if they are family being welcomed into the home.
How does your team ensure every corporate event runs smoothly?
Every space comes fully equipped with AV and tech built in, so there’s no scrambling on the day. And with the Oakwood Premier Melbourne hotel sitting directly beneath us, out-of-town guests can literally walk from their hotel room to the party of the year without setting foot outside.
What type of corporate events does your venue attract most?
End-of-financial-year celebrations and end-of-year functions are our bread and butter, alongside client entertaining and product launches for brands who want their moment to actually feel like a moment, not just another function room with better lighting.
What corporate event trends are you noticing, and how is your venue adapting to them?
We’re seeing two shifts. Companies want the serious part and the fun part to flow as one story, which our two-floor layout was built for. And demand is moving into daytime, breakfast meetings, half-day sessions, PCO add-ons. We’re building that out now, so the same views and service are available at 9 am, not just 9 pm.
Finally, what’s your go-to song for hyping up before a big event?
Let’s get this party started!
From the 16-metre stone bar in the Strato Lounge to the intimacy of the Port Phillip Room and its illuminated marble bar, every space here comes with built-in AV, natural light and a view worth planning an event around.
Cocktail capacity runs to 180 across the Bar and Lounge, with smaller rooms for boardroom sessions and seated dinners, and the Oakwood Premier’s 132 hotel rooms sit directly below for interstate guests.
If you want your next corporate event to be the one people still talk about next quarter,enquire with Strato Melbourne today and find out what Melbourne looks like from 40 floors up.
Feeling overwhelmed by the venue hunt? Our friendly Venue Specialists are here to help — get in touch with them today.
