Hiro Ballroom - Located at the base of the Maritime Hotel bordering Chelsea and the Meatpacking District, Hiro is a massive, vaulted, dual-level nightclub with a spectacular dance floor hugged by cozy booths to one side and overlooked by a bungalow. The impressive wood ceiling and Asian rope-curtain motif makes for a stylish yet comfortable ambience, and the venue seems to have perfected the presentation of deceptively flattering lighting (so be sure to check out your latest catch in brighter light, lest you awaken to an unexpected disappointment come morning). The music, at times, sounds a bit amateur, to put it gently, though the crowd remains energetic—and not annoyingly so. On Sunday nights, Hiro plays host to a packed gay party which attracts mostly a predominantly Chelsea crowd, with a few straggling Williamsburg urchins.
