Here is my review of the space in question: Century Ballroom, West Hall in Seattle, WA (Capitol Hill area).
Pre-Event
I actually searched for some time before deciding on this venue. But the size, feel and price of the West Hall was pretty much a perfect fit. The entire process was as great as I could have asked for. From the very beginning, Justin, my venue contact, was on the ball and answered my many questions whenever they came up. The last month before the event, he called me three times just to check in on certain details, make sure things were coming along and answer my new questions which (inevitably) came up.
I stopped in the day before the event to work out some last minute set-up details and Justin walked me around and introduced me to the bar manager (since they would be setting up a private bar for my event). The bar manager then set me down to pick out which wines & beers I wanted available - went through the whole menu with me. This was totally unexpected and was the extra "wow" for me.
During Event
I brought in my own decorations and set up the space to match my masquerade ball theme (pics to come). The staff set up the tables, chairs and linens for me and offered to help with my decorations. I had a few videos and a slideshows on a dvd which they set up for me.
The bar staff was amazing! Incredibly friendly and just willing to do whatever needed to help make the night fun. They even wore masks the entire night to be a part of the theme!
All-in-all, I am so glad I chose the West Hall at Century Ballroom. The space itself was everything I wanted and completely captured the feel I was going for. The staff was great to work with; they were easy to communicate with, helpful and made me feel like they actually wanted to work with me (not a given, these days).
Bottom line:
I loved the venue, enjoyed the staff and would be happy to do another event there in the future. I'd give it an enthusiastic 4.5 stars!
Caution
The only warning I must note is that, being in Capitol Hill, it goes without saying that parking can be an issue. There are a number of paid lots nearby, but if your guests are looking for free parking, they may be looking (and walking) for a while.
