The Grand Olympia Hospitality and Convention Centre

Food was standard conference fare (coffee, tea, canned pop, danishes, muffins, fruit, soup, salad, sandwiches, slab cake, and cookies) not bad, but nothing particularly stood out as particularly amazing. Food was at appropriate temperatures and fresh. The vegan and gluten-free options were available but not well marked.

I could tell that accessibility was grandfathered. There were a lot of stairs, some were accommodated and others were not. Sone stairs had folding stairlifts, but these required staff to operate. If a wheelchair user wanted to go from the conference floor to the washroom, they would have to use two stairlifts and a ramp. Is it technically accessible? Yes. Is it practically accessible and welcoming to wheelchair users? Not at all. The secondary entrance was not accessible and the primary entrance was only accessible through a moveable ramp. The light was also out in one of the accessible stalls in the women's washroom. This could be an accessibility issue for those with low vision.

Staff were amazing, attentive, prompt, and did not take away from the conference atmosphere. AV guy in particular deserves extra credit.

I would recommend for most conferences, however the lack of practical accessibility was disappointing for a conference hall of this size.

My husband and I had our wedding recently at the Grand Olympia, and we cannot be more happy with not only the service but the overall experience of the venue.

The manager Caela, was exceptionally helpful and attended to all of our requests.
Not only is she the sweetest person but her client service skills are astounding. Through out the whole process from start to finish she has answered all of our questions and helped with making our day run as smooth as possible.

The venue itself is beautiful, their recent renovation really show cases a certain level of class and beauty.
I also had my bridal shower in one of the upstairs halls, and once again the decoration and food did not disappoint.

For our wedding we had the hall decorated by Elizabeth who is the in-house decorator, and we cannot say enough about how stunning it all came out. I had a certain vision in mind and she has definitely surpassed it!

As for the food, Melissa the chef did an outstanding job. The meals were very flavourful and fresh. Till this day we have our friends and family talk about how good the food was.

If you are looking for a venue for your upcoming wedding, bridal shower, birthday, etc. I highly highly recommend The Grand Olympia, the staff, the venue, the food, and the overall vibe is astounding.

I attended my best friend’s wedding here. It was just an amazing place. My friends were more than satisfied. Friendly staff, everything went so smooth that as a host, my friends did not have to worry about anything. Kamil and his staff were very co operative. Not to forget, delicious food, kudos to kitchen team. Will definately recommend this place for future functions around my friend circle.

Great looking, but they should work on being wheelchair/stroller accessible, both inside and outside the building.

One word… AMAZING! I could have not asked for a more magical experience for our wedding. The food and beverage manager was very tentative and on top of everything and the rest of their team was extremely kind, detailed, and professional. We had our ceremony and reception there TODAY and EVERYONE raved about the food and service. Thank you so much for making our dream wedding day a reality. I cannot express in to words how happy we were with our special day. THANK YOU! We will be recommending The Grand Olympia to everyone.

Had my graduation here they did amazing and I would love for everyone to check them out it’s worth it

Was at a new years event, was OK, food was very average, and champagne was late and served 15 min after midnight. Dj was average.overall this venue needs to improve.

Great place for your next event, wedding, anniversary, even corporate! The site is expansive, clean and bright. We happened to be there for a wedding, and staff were helpful, food was great

Wish I could leave no stars. I had my wedding here over Canada Day weekend. There were things that we paid for and didn't receive. We brought our own cake and the venue threw out 2/3 of it (it cost $700). The staff was confused when we asked about our champagne toast (that we paid extra for) and threw a fit when they had to pour the toast. We wanted the veal and we definitely didn't get it, after the day they said we did, if that was veal then that is the worst quality you can get. The Dj they provided was not very good at all. He messed up my walk down the isle song, twice, because he didn't actually care to read the form he had us fill out. The staff seemed frantic at most point in the day. It seems that they bit off more wedding than they could chew. The next morning we came back to collect our centrepieces which we were told were fine to stay there overnight, to find everything tossed it boxes and several things broken. The gardens have gone downhill along with the overall care for the place. We emailed them after the fact and they said that they were sorry and that was that. Shout out to Sven (if I'm remembering correctly), one of the servers, he was absolutely amazing and went above and beyond. If I could do it all again I probably would not book my wedding here. My guest all seemed to have a good time but did let me know things after the fact. Book at your own risk.

I attended a wedding there and the food and service was just terrible. The chicken tasted boiled, no flavour, like hospital food, the service was extremely bad, young kids that were serving the tables and most of them didn’t know what they were doing. Service was extremely slow and they actually brought the food out in plastic covers in order to keep it warm. I felt like I was on a hospital ward during lunch/dinner hour. The chocolate fountain was so watery that the chocolate didn’t even stick on the marshmallow or fruit. Such a disappointment, they must have rookie chefs in the kitchen. The bread was old and even smelled weird. This place deserves a 0.

It was really bad service. Nobody picked used dishes from the table till function finished.
They served desert after half of the people gone.
Food was ok.

The Grand Olympia is not capable of successfully hosting weddings and is one of the worst wedding venues ever. It was truly unfortunate that my wedding was held here last weekend and I was subject to the horrendous and dysfunctional state of the venue. Over the past 2 years, I quickly lost all confidence in the staff and the experience went from bad to worse. Unprofessionalism, lack of communication, and no attention to detail are the values that the Grand Olympia represents and are proud of.

Kamran Elahi is the General Manager and owns the venue with his wife. I tried communicating my challenges with Kamran and said he would work with me to resolve them. Never heard from him again despite multiple attempts. He felt that breaching my contract was the best course of action and decided to hide and mislead me from finding out the truth. It took weeks for the venue to resolve some of the issues in an attempt to silence me. His only objective is to make as much money as possible. He doesn't care about anything else. This is clearly shown by the appalling state of the venue. The washrooms smell really bad. The airwalls are broken and you can visibly see holes near the ceiling. The walls are dirty and scuffed in the ballrooms, hallway and the bridal suite we were issued had stains on the ceiling and the washroom lights were not properly functioning. The furniture is outdated and limited and the exterior grounds are not kept up to be presentable, including a make-shift parking lot with garbage and broken glass on the ground and lack of lighting at night. He is not successful as the general manager as he is failing to secure vendor contracts. It is clear that businesses in the Hamilton/Stoney Creek region are aware of Kamran’s failure as a business owner and do not trust him whatsoever, nor should you.

Caela Gavin is a Wedding Specialist and the Building Manager. In both of these roles, she has no experience, is not competent, and fails at her job everyday. Despite that she has every opportunity to correct her mistakes, she will continue to let you down with her lack of caring and fake smile. There is very little to no communication with Caela. Despite her promises saying to email or call anytime, it takes weeks to get a response and when you do eventually get in touch with her, it is clear that she is not listening, has lost her notes on your event and mixes up your dates. To cover up her poor time management, her lack of integrity and honestly, she constantly blames it on her children or COVID-19 so that people can feel sorry for her. She takes no responsibility or accountability for her actions and has no attention to detail. This was proven to me with the disappointing and unorganized food tasting, where not only did she chose to not attend, but none of the staff present were able to answer any questions and provided false and inaccurate information regarding décor and table setting options. Following many days picking décor, AV, food, and bar items, several items were missed and not completed. We had missing décor in the ballroom, tables set incorrectly, audio and lighting issues, and a bartender that was not informed what our bar package was and was inconsistent with making our signature cocktails. The food is made for the masses, but the execution is poor with missing ingredients. Usually, bad managers overpromise and under delivery. Caela doesn’t promise anything because she doesn’t deliver at all, while trying to be nice. How she is allowed to remain in a position that is the main contributing factor of the venue’s failure is astonishing. Overall, she is simply a horrible person.

In closing, if you are stuck with hosting your event at the Grand Olympia, I would recommend talking to a contract lawyer about Breach of Contract and Unjust Enrichment so that you are prepared. As well, call Hamilton Public Health a few weeks before your event and have them complete an inspection. The venue was shutdown in August 2021 due to negligence and non-compliance and almost shutdown again in June 2022.

Horrible experience with this banquet hall. The entire venue was so bad, the food was cold, the antipasto bar was pathetic, below average, and the service was hideous. They don't have decent waiters and when you try to reach them, they don't give you the time of day. They want to be paid upfront so they can cut back on the entire service they promise you and then good luck in getting a hold of someone. The owner, doesn't even have the balls to call customers back, he hides behind his staff, and the staff don't even reach out to you. BEWARE, THIS HALL IS NOT WORTH GOINGTO, YOUR GUESTS WILL NOT BE HAPPY AND YOU WILL REGRET IT. IF I COULD RATE LOWER THAN A 0, THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD GET.

The venue itself was a bit of a disaster. None of the wall plugs were working, the ceiling was dripping, and the bride’s private room smelled of mold.

The staff however were really great, they worked hard to ensure we had viable workarounds, and helped us every way they could

I attended a wedding this past weekend and was greatly disappointed. The food wasn’t very good and it was cold. The steak was hard and not the best quality. The chicken tasted rubbery as if it was frozen first and just boiled and served. The service was also very poor. And to top it off, the washrooms were rather dirty. I wouldn’t recommend this hall to anyone!

Shameful. Should be 0 stars.
We attended a wedding over the Canada day weekend and sat in ceremony chairs that were previously sat in not even 10 minutes prior by a different wedding. While the wedding went on there was a giant bucket on a table of garbage overflowing.
No effort to sanitize, no precautions, no cleaning up the outdoor area.

The entire place smelt horrible, the female washroom was beyond disgusting with a smell so foul it would make you gag. (Do not let your dress touch the bathroom floor). Hold your bladder if you can. Seriously. Super Gross.

Barely any hand hygiene options whatsoever.

While stuffed into a reception room, witnessed 3 chairs that literally crumbled under guest, which was blamed on the "rentals" by the so called "wedding coordinators " followed by zero appearance or apologies by said venue coordinators.

The food was horrible, slow, and wrong. Half the table got one meat and another a different meat. Another guest no meat! No cake was not served by the venue and was later thrown out we hear by the venue. Oh, and The venue broke personal property of the brides.
Now they are not returning emails or phone calls we hear also.

Should I continue?

Choose your venue wisely.

Horrible hospitality, horrible venue.

Nice venue, very clean, unfortunately the hall was no ready to the scheduled time also the air-conditioning was no working and the hall was very hot, salad and pasta was served but it took a very long time to get the rest of the food overall food was delicious.

I just had an event there tonight. This is the best hall in Hamilton. You don't get rubber chicken - you'll get great butter chicken

If only there is an option not to give star i will do it. Do not trust this place tou will speak with someone then after you give a down payment another person will deal with you.
I have my wedding here and they screw us. From the organizer that didn't show up to the day of our wedding the centerpieces on the table plus the chairs we pick up to the food that they served that was so bland. The food that supposed to be for 50 packs was not enough even I have 10 people didn't show up. Grand Olympia I am very happy that you are close for the pandemic hopefully you close permanently. Our supposed to be a happy moment was screwed by your company.

*UPDATE: we had a phone call with a gentleman on Mar 12th who stated there must have been a misunderstanding from Caela's email but obliged to updating our contract to 50 people minimum and from what we see, not pay the additional $10/p for plated service? I am still very hesitant about this whole ordeal so will update my review once the event happens. *
I am writing this review today as I have grown more and more frustrated. To be clear, I am giving a 2 star because when we first started the process, Suzanne was amazing to deal with and even when COVID first hit, she was quick to follow up and outline everything as things were changing. On Oct 9th, I sent an email to Suzanne to explore more options for our wedding that was originally scheduled for July 17,2020 and then moved to July 23,2021. I did not hear from her so I tried emailing again on Nov 2nd. I did not get a response yet again so I tried calling to leave a voicemail. It was on Nov 3rd that I got an email from Caela indicating that Suzanne was no longer with G. O.because she was pursuing another career. I was certainly okay with that because I finally got a response and so far, everything had been great. This is where it went down hill.
We were discussing what our options were now that we're this far into the pandemic. My next email to Caela was on Jan 20 to which I stated that myself and my fiance were not comfortable proceeding with more than 50 guests in the enclosed ballroom setting so we asked about our delaying again or partial to full refund. Caela did respond back to say we would need to wait until closer to July to determine where we were at before making any decision BUT did clarify we can change the date again and no price difference would happen as long as we booked before Dec 31,2022 - no mention of any partial to full refund. I responded and said that I do not wish to base it off the government restrictions rather, the health and safety of our guests and then asked about an outdoor tent rental that I saw they had posted about from weddings last year (this was on Jan 23). I emailed again on Jan 29th and did not hear back until Feb 2. She did finally call me on the 2nd to discuss partial refund for limiting the number of guests to 50 people but that there would be a $2,500 tent rental fee and oh by the way, there is most likely going to be an additional $10/person fee from switching to buffet service to plated service because the government most likely isn't going to allow buffet service by July. We ended the call by Caela indicating she needed to speak to the owner of Grand Olympia and that same night, she would send me everything we discussed in writing. I sent a follow up email on Feb 3 recapping the call and it wasn't until Feb 5 that Caela responded to me to say she wasn't able to discuss with the owner until the following week. I responded asking for the recap she had promised. On Feb 8th, she finally sent the email back to recap the call. Feb13 I followed up asking for any update and on Feb 15, she finally responded. She claims the owner told her to tell me what our 2 options were. I have copied and pasted from that email: "We can keep your price per person as stated in the contract, no increase for the change of service, but I would also need to hold you to the minimum guarantee of guests on the contract. The other option is to drop your guest count guarantee to 50, and implement the $10 charge for individual service. "
Feb 17th I responded trying to clarify the first option because the whole world knows right now that everything is governmentally mandated and holding us to a certain number of people (175) so that our price doesn't change would certainly not be right.
Caela's response on Feb 18th "To clarify – you would be required to pay for 175 guests as stated on the contract to secure the same price on the contract – even if the government only allows 50 or 100 guests. "
I was BAFFLED by this unusual "option" so I requested a phone call from the manager or owner.my request for a call or meeting with the owner has still yet to happen.

My daughter got married in the COVID yellow zone. This was not how we originally planned for her to get married but Grand Olympia went well beyond to make her day and my son-in-law's day not only a safe one but a stress-free one as well. The service was beautiful, the reception was out of the box but was such a fun night. Your food was out of this world! The staff was very attentive. Many thanks for making this day a special one!

Been here a few times. The food is Mediocre at best, cold and bland. Been there for company functions, 4 weddings and a stag. I was manning the door and when the food started coming around it's like I did not exist. When I realized i was not going to get served I had to go in the kitchen to be told there was nothing left. The staff is not very attentive to customers and would never have any of my functions there. I cringe when I see it on the invite.

Very good food and set up of hall. Hats of to the owners for good set up and following all covid 19 rules and regulations

Hello,

Event hall was a good size. Washrooms were under construction and they smelt bad. I am not sure if covid measures were changed in the last week. But the hall owner was harassing our 30 guests about wearing fase masks eventually making my wife upset by pulling her aside to reprimand her. Well news flash we don't work for you. Several guests had medical conditions and half a dozen were under the age of 4. Service was extremely slow, guest were subjected to tempature check at the main door. All beverages (wine, pop, juice) was to be served by only staff. Staff couldn't handle the flow of food/drinks. Coffee and teas were served well after the deserts, only one table of guests remained when they offered coffee and tea. Now to the food. We ordered penne rosee sauce. We got red sauce with curry flavoring. No Parmigiano or chilly flakes, salt or pepper at the table. Our second dish consisted of the chicken parmigiana and roast beef. Several inconsistencies with people dishes. Either meat was tough or chicken was cook too long that it dried sometimes burnt out that it made not editable. Massive amounts of food was returned uneaten.

Should bi laws change or in house policys changed. We should of been informed so we could of informed our guests.

Should you have an upcoming event " please save yourself time, money and headache. " I suggest visiting the hall prior while a function is running and ask guests there opinions. Definitely won't be returning.

The worst experience at banquet hall.

The place is spacious and all. The only reason I gave 3 stars is because the bar doesn't take debit or credit payments right away; instead they keep the cards and open a tap. You get to pay and retrieve your card when you're leaving. We had to wait for the manager in order to pay, and he was nowhere to be found. We waited for almost 20 minutes while the workers were scrambling around looking for their manager. It's not a huge deal but it was an inconvenience for sure.

Do not have your wedding here! They did not provide several items that were included in the package, and even ones we paid extra for. The receiving table outside the room was bare and only had an envelope box and a tray with pre-poured shots. We asked for caldo verde (Portuguese green soup) and instead they served us some hybrid of it and Italian wedding soup. We paid extra for a seafood midnight table but not a single lobster was found at the table, nor the plates even to put them on. Had guests asking me if I could get plates. They tried serving non-alcoholic wine to my guests which they spotted right away and had the staff correct it. The head planner was nowhere to be seen until the event was over. The Monday after the event I went to the venue to get a refund for the items I paid for that were not provided. Never having another event here again. I should've heeded the warning from other people who told me about their bad experiences with the new management at this place. The Grand Olympia is not so grand after all.

Owners are terrible, the whole functioning process of this place is asinine. No clear communication anywhere. Not recommend if you want a peaceful straight forward wedding.

Terrible customer service. My wedding was cancelled due to the pandemic no one reached out to me with any info as to what was happening or what future plans were we’ve requested refunds now at least three times and no one‘s responded with anything yet. We are clearly entitled to a refund now that we’ve already gotten married during the pandemic. We do plan on taking legal action once they respond to us. The worst experience you could ever imagine stay away!

Buyer Beware:

They rack up the prices on many things. Used to work here and employees were treated terribly so might as well tell the truth. Dirty kitchens etc, dont be fooled by how it looks. Like making the servers wear white gloves etc.

This place was great. Beautiful inside! Went for a surprise birthday for a friend's 50th. Food was great and our bartender was amazingly beautiful

Attended the Haiti Happening funraiser here. The food was very good. The bathroom setup is the only downside. The only bathrooms are in the basement and therefore are not particularily accesible for people with mobility issues. There is a lift up the stairs however it isnt the fastest.

Honestly this place is amazing, very capable an friendly staff and most importantly the place is squeaky clean.

I've been here a couple of times. Once for a wedding which was beautiful. This venue for a wedding is perfect. Great size, great food and great bartenders for the whole night!
The other time was for a quarter auction. This venue for the auction was fine, but was not a big space and got very warm during the time there. Understandably the space is based on the number of people, but it was very full with not much room to move around! Overall this is a lovely space and place to visit.

As a wedding photographer I have to say the interior lighting in this place is absolutely horrendous. Would not reccomend

The location is great for any large social gathering. I was there for a charity fundraiser. Food from various restaurants was a feature as well as great wine from wineries. I've been here for a wedding years ago and found the entire setting lovely for that too.

28th Feb 2020, it was my 2nd event at grand olympia. Staff is very good and professional. I highly recommend this place for your events.

We were here for a nice wedding reception. Food was great, the hall was nice. However the hall next door was quite loud and that made it hard for our side to hear the speeches. However, the hall itself was really nice.

My husband and I got married here in 2016 and had a wonderful experience, so when we had our daughter, we knew we could count on Grand Olympia for another fabulous experience for her baptismal celebration.
The service was fantastic, the food was hot and delicious. Our bartender, I believe his name was Kamil, was amazing and very flexible.
Suzanne as always was fantastic in offering us a great deal, great layout and fabulous set up and as always and devoting her time to listen to our needs.
Whether you are having a small baptism or a large wedding, I feel like Grand Olympia is always there to devote their time and energy to whatever you need.
We are so thankful for all the staff there. We love Grand Olympia and if further opportunity presents itself, we would not hesitate to use their services again.
Beautiful hall, fantastic staff, amazing food and decor!
Thank you Grand Olympia!

This is NOT a good location if you want to have a nice wedding here. The walls are paper thin and since the grand hall is being shared you hear everything from the other side. The inhouse Dj (please source out your own) he wasnt great at all and when he was suppose to turn down the music for the MC to introduce the next speaker he was no where to be found. HE was in the kitchen alot

The food is meh nothing to write home about. Id say this is a place to have your baby shower or bday party type deal. DEFF not a wedding. Its low budget for a reason

Wow! We just had our son's engagement party at Grand Olympia and what a wonderful experience! Many thanks to Caela, who is event planner extraordinaire! Every detail was attended to. The wait staff were exemplary, the food was wonderful and served with perfect timing! From the very early stages right through to clean up at the end of the night, all staff were extremely attentive and friendly! We feel like the staff at Grand Olympia have become extended family and we look forward to planning many more events with them! Thanks for providing a wonderful venue for this special occasion in our lives!

The banquet hall is very spacious, and tastefully decorated giving it a great atmosphere. Food was delicious, and the service from the staff was very courteous.

Grand Olympia was very elegant for our reception. Food was excellent service was great. Our DJ/MC Francis knows how to have a good time.

I was super disappointed with the chicken entree the mashed potatoes were burned underneath and extremely dry which when the skin is served in them the moisture is a crucial component. The raspberry bombette however was extremely good. As for the venue I found the staff to be friendly a little bit unpolished in terms of their customer service but they were young people so that's not uncommon but the venue really is a beautiful location that enabled an amazing event for my friend

Beautiful wedding venue. Had the pleasure to shoot several weddings there with my photography business Onira Creative Studios. Great decor inside for unique photography locations. Very pleasant staff and great service!

Updated: I have visited the hall a few more times and have had the pleasure to speak to ownership. They have really put their best foot forward and have rectified issues they had in the past. The food is good and the service is always great. They offer a nice facility and provide good value for your budget. Definitely give them a try!

Previous experiance: It's a good hall with a lot of potential. The staff is very nice and very hard working. For me this could have been a 5* rating, but I felt they cut corners anywhere they could. It may be a classic case of over promise and under deliver. Everything from running out food at one point to not providing the decorations as promised. They did try to rectify the mistakes, but I just didn't want the drama. Thanks for the hard work to the whole staff.

This place is absolutely gorgeous. It feels very elegant and tactful. I loved the gazebos and garden areas which made taking photos with ambience so easy. The rooms were large enough to accommodate over 100 people easily with ample space to move around. And parking wasn't too much of a hassle either.

The owner of the hall is one of the humble personality in Hamilton. Fair price and great food. You will never regret if you hosting your parties here. I've been there so many times. Ask them the owner special tea.

Excellent staff and customer service.
They accommodate you and your needs. A promise is kept and not broken. Above and beyond. The owner takes the opportunity to even meet you.

We had our sons first communion on Sunday April 28th. Our coordinator Suzanne was amazing! She went above and beyond. The staff the day of the event were very helpful, polite and overall could not say enough good things about them. Food was very good, we had the salad, pinwheel pasta (excellent!), beef with potatoes and chicken parm. I will recommend this venue and cant wait to book another event here! Thank you to all the staff that helped make our day super!

If I could rate this hall lower i would. The waiting staff was horrible. From the start of the meal (mixed greens) not washed and wilted. Pasta was cold and the main course chicken and vegetables, roast potatoes, and roast beef the entire plate had butter poured over it. Dessert was cheesecake that had a horrible rubber texture to it. When the waiter brought my coffee at the end of the meal there was more coffee in the saucer then the cup and it was cold.

The worst hall I have been to in hamilton, there was drunks in the bathroom from the other weddings picking fights, dishes where filthy my wife got a cup of non alcoholic punch at the reception line and the cup had like buger slim through it, they cleaned up all the decor 2 hours before the wedding was to end and the DJ wouldn't play requests after 1145 even though we had the hall till 1 claiming that it was too late in the night. Do not book here. Oh and the up stairs halls all you can here is the other halls music so while your doing speeches be prepared to listen to the hall beside you base just blaring. Save your money go any where else

Food was good, but the serving staff was a mess. Wrong table, wrong food, late courses. Venue is great for almost any event.

We had such an amazing Wedding, the service was outstanding, they were waiting on us hand and foot. Both my husband and I could not be more happy with the venue. The decor was great and it was more that we could of dreamed of. I'm very thankful for the staff expectantly Suzanne who helped us the whole way. Thank you for giving us our dream wedding day.