Rain

This is the worst niteclub I have ever been to! Aside from the painful mixing of zooped up pop tunes and bumping and grinding of fake tanned mongoloids, the door tax and drinks are overpriced and the drinks selection is paltry (cheap vodka+cheap mixer from a 2lt bottle = £5!).

The manager was at the door and refused our hen party entry unless our coloured wigs were removed. While we begrudgingly took them off, some of us suggested going elsewhere, and she changed her mind and told us we could put them back on. When I questioned her swift change of policy she told me she could ‘do what she liked’ and I would have to suck it up. Why do people think that niteclub goers don’t deserve the same customer service as in a restaurant or hotel??! I’ve heard of mistreatment at the hands of bouncers, but the manager? Explains why the rest of the staff were absolute d**ks as well.

NEVER AGAIN!

Belfast's nightlife has a lot of variety to offer, and for a city that's still up and coming as a destination for nights out clubs like Rain have a captive audience.

When I visited Rain I expected a slightly meat-market style student night out, but was pleasantly surprised when I stepped through the busy front doors. The punters were largely student-aged, though I didn't feel I stood out as there were plenty of people accompanying me in the mid-twenties and older age bracket, providing a welcome relaxation to the atmosphere. It felt as though this was a city venue, not a necessarily a student-aimed do. The club is quite luxuriously decked out, so there's a bit of an upmarket air that departs from the grottier feeling of some of the city's other venues.

Rain is sizeable with a large main dancefloor as well as upstairs lounges for those looking to drink and chat instead of sweating it out to the music. The outdoor beer garden is surprisingly huge, with a band performing on the night I visited, providing an equally Saturday night atmosphere while you're cooling down or simply resting your ears from the impressive volume levels indoors.

The music is the usual mainstream fodder, with chart stuff, pop and a bit of hip hop thrown in for good measure. I wasn't expecting anything less or more, so was quite impressed with the selection of music on offer.

In a larger city this club could fail, but since it's a cut above many of the student bars in Belfast it's worth a visit. Just don't forget to change out of your trainers first.