Last week Friday, I received an invitation to experience a Hen’s Night at QT Hotel. The letter instructed me to pack my bags for QT Canberra for the following weekend.

Intrigued? So was I! Other than knowing that the limo would arrive at my house at 6.30pm, and that I needed to dress semi-formally, I wasn’t really sure what to expect…

Let me just say that if I ever have a Hen’s Night, I pretty much want a do-over of Saturday night!

Here’s what went down…

Arrival
As promised, the limo arrived on the dot at 6.30pm. I was a little nervous about not knowing anyone, but Lauren and Erica, a pair of extremely friendly hosts from QT immediately put me at ease. Having never been in a limo before, I was incredibly excited, but, as you can see from the photos, I totally played it cool. (Not. Could my smile BE any bigger?!)

Inside the limo I met Amy, Anna, Lara, and Kristen. A second limo would be picking up more ladies from the north side of Canberra, and meet us at QT!

We arrived at QT Hotel and immediately felt like superstars being greeted by paparazzi as camera flashes caught our arrival and the photographers called for our attention to grab a shot. As all this happened, Anna and I laughed about the fact that we probably all looked like baby giraffes trying to get out of the limo door – not the easiest thing to do in heels!

Drinks
Our bags were taken to our rooms before we were whisked upstairs to the QT Members’ Lounge. I love how the hotel is all about Canberra – with bold designs, a mix of quirky artefacts, bespoke furniture, and a clever use of colour. For example, from a distance the wallpaper in the lobby looks like it’s just a colourful print, but upon closer inspection you can see that it’s actually made up of pictures of some very familiar faces: Australian politicians!

Upon seeing the gorgeous lounge, with huge windows overlooking Lake Burley Griffin, the first question on all of our minds was, ‘So, where do we sign up for membership?!” Turns out that the QT Lounge is pretty exclusive and a membership is not something money can buy – you have to be invited. I may or may not be considering a career in politics if only for the chance of an invitation to become a member of the QT Lounge!

Waiting at the bar was Riley, also known as ‘The King of Cocktails’, with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries at the ready. Then, it was time to get to know the other ladies! Everyone was so friendly and eager to chat. Mel, the ‘Hen’, was particularly lovely, and made a point of meeting everyone in the room and making them feel welcome. It truly did feel as though I was with a close friend celebrating her Hen’s Night. I think that makes Mel the perfect hostess!

Dinner
We were all very excited for what the rest of the night would bring. It felt like we had only been in the Member’s Lounge for about ten minutes (in actual fact, it had been an hour!) when Mel announced it was time to head downstairs to Capitol Bar and Grill for dinner. We met Jeremy, our host for the evening, who gave us a quick tour, and introduced us to the chefs, including Head Chef, Nic.

Earlier in the week, Mel had emailed us a menu of what we would be eating, but I never could’ve imagined how delicious it would all be. I particularly loved the details on the plates – silhouettes of iconic Canberra buildings!

Main course (and cocktails!) soon arrived: sliced rib eye, sliced Sicilian style tuna, baked spinach cannelloni filled with ricotta and parmesan, baked mushrooms and mozarella, and crispy chicken with garlic aoili. Basically, a feast fit for queens.

And just as I was thinking the night could. Not. Possibly. Get any better, I was proved wrong. Two words, people: injectable doughnuts. Served with syringes of cream and jams, you can inject as much as you like into the warm, sugarcoated balls of warm dough. Delicious.

Partying
After dinner, we were escorted through to Lucky’s for drinks. I’ve been to this cool little bar before, and it did not disappoint on Saturday night! From the decor, to the music, to the staff’s uniforms, walking into Lucky’s truly does feel as though you’ve been transported back in time to an underground hideout during the prohibition period.

It wouldn’t be a hen’s night without some dancing, some fiery shots and a whole lot of laughter – so that’s exactly what we did! After a fun night, it was time for bed. I stayed the night in a ‘standard room’, located on the eleventh floor (which meant an awesome view over the city). It came complete with a quirky QT mini bar, designer décor, and ensuite with walk-in shower! The room provided a perfect way to wind down after a night of partying.

Thank you so much to the team at QT for an incredible ‘Hen’s Night’ – I was so lucky to spend the evening in the company of some amazing women, and didn’t want it to end!

If you’re looking for a place to celebrate with girlfriends before your ‘big day’, the team at QT Hotel certainly know how it’s done!

For more information, call QT Hotel on 6247 6244 or check out the website by clicking here.