[Saints News] Hales Tales Review - Club Royale

[borhoi]

 

 

Hales Tales Review: Club Royale

By Haley Niamh Connor

 

 

   My sneak peek at Club Royale yesterday had me gushing before the venue's doors even opened. If you've read this column for a while, you know I'm big on uniqueness when it comes to nightclubs. A bar is a bar, by and large. Variety is good in that sector, but people aren't going there for a spectacle. Clubs are different. People very much are going there for the spectacle. To say the aesthetic of Club Royale delivered on this would be an understatement. The pictures I took during my sneak peek do the spot no justice compared to when it's 'operational'. Have a look at the first thing you see when you walk in:

 

   I can't get over the entry corridor and its blue lighting that shimmers off the water flowing under the glass of the walkway.  The atmosphere is unique and engaging from the moment you enter. Once you hit the main area of the club, the narrow corridor gives way to a wide-open space that I'd venture to say offers a wee bit for everyone. There's comfortable and ample seating surrounding the dancefloor. The floor itself is fantastic, complemented by fantastic lighting sprawled from over the DJ booth along the ceiling of the club. The bar is large and boasts a square-concept that makes it easy to grab a drink and get back to your friends regardless of where in the venue you came from. It's fantastic, to say the least. Whoever handled the design of this spot should be commended because for my money, its the best looking venue in LS.

 

 

   The service was grand as well. The bar was manned by two tenders who worked their way through patrons at a steady rate without being robotic. The one thing I must touch on is the obvious synergy between all the club's staff. Everyone from the bartenders to security, to the manager Gene Connor (no relation) seemed to be in constant and effective communication. When I arrived at the door, security already knew I was expected. I asked Gene if I could go to VIP to take some pictures and in the fifteen seconds it took me to walk from him to the VIP entrance the security guard already knew to let me up. These are little things, of course. But they're indicative of something I've seen a lot of venues - be they bars or clubs - lack, which is a unified and streamlined flow of communication between staff. This makes the entire operation run more smoothly. Everyone seemed to be on the same page, and it was nice to see that level of professionalism.

 

   Upon my arrival around 11:15 pm, an hour and fifteen minutes into the club's opening, there was a decent-sized crowd but most were gathered around the bar. DJ aOi took care of this in tandem with the bar-staff by urging the patrons to the floor. It was effective. Within a few minutes, nearly everyone in the club was dancing and all seemed to be having a great time. Those who didn't feel like dancing were lounging in the venue's stylish and comfortable seating areas. The vibes were there, and they were good.

 

   I was going to harp on the $500 entry fee. Entry fees across the bar sector seem to be going down, and the club sector has been relatively quiet lately so a $500 price tag for the experience was a bit jarring to me at first. However, I'd say it was solidly worth the cash I doled out. And with the Garden just today announcing a $1,000 entry fee for their grand opening on Saturday, I suppose it'd be silly to complain even if it wasn't worth the price of admission.

 

   There's nothing I can really meaningfully critique about Royale without nitpicking. The open concept of the spot did leave it feeling a bit sparsely populated at times, but this can be looked at as a strength as much as a weakness. Those who wished to let loose, dance, and meet new people had the opportunity to do so at the bar and on the floor. Those who simply wanted to enjoy the atmosphere amongst their own group and socialize had the opportunity to do so in the seating areas. As I stated at the beginning of this review, Royale has a bit to offer anyone who may be interested in checking it out.

 

   All of that being said, I give Club Royale a very solid recommendation. From the aesthetic that ties it all together, to the small details like the professional and friendly staff, the venue had an opening night I do not see all to commonly. If I had entered, this being my first night in LS, I would not have assumed this was the first time Club Royale had opened its doors. If you want a fun time in a unique nightclub environment, check out Club Royale the next time they're open. You won't be disappointed.
 

 

As always, this review was not bought and paid for. Hales Tales, and Saints News at large refuse any offers of payment via money, goods, or services in return for coverage. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this piece are genuine, and Hales Tales will continue to review with a commitment to objectivity and honesty.

 

The opinions expressed in this piece do not reflect the opinions of Saints News as a whole, but those of its author Haley Niamh Connor.

 

This article contains sponsored multimedia advertisements. This has not affected the content of this article.

 

Edited September 3, 2019 by borhoi