The SSE Arena
The SSE Arena
4
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The SSE Arena, Belfast opened in December 2000 as part of Northern Ireland's landmark Millennium project. This world-class arena can stage a number of sporting events with an Olympic sized Ice pad and is home to the Belfast Giants professional Ice Hockey team. With a 200m hydraulically built athletics track built around the ice pad, we can host indoor athletics events. Other sports include Basketball, Boxing, Arenacross, Darts and wrestling. Not only providing a multitude of sports, the Arena can attract international stars from the world of pop, rock, hip-hop and classical music. Artists include Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Kings of Leon, The Killers, Rihanna and Beyonce to name but a few. The Arena has seating capacities from 2,500 for an intimate theatre format up to as much as 10,800 for full concert setting. Another string to the bow is the Arena's capacity to host a number of conferences and exhibitions. With over 3700m² pillar free floor space and a 22m free ceiling height, along with a registration area in the front foyer many exhibitions have proved a great success. With the addition of comedy shows and family shows such as Disney On Ice and musical/dance shows such as Riverdance, we can provide a plethora of entertainment and enjoyment to the people of Northern Ireland and beyond! The SSE Arena, Belfast provides an outstanding location for first class Corporate Hospitality to businesses in Northern Ireland. The Arena possesses 24 Corporate Hospitality suites comprising of 20 x 12 seated suites and 4 x 28 seated suites along with a 64 seated luxury lounge facility.
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  • Bernie M
    6 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Parking a major issue
    Disney on Ice Show was fantastic ...however venue needs to address parking issues.. getting in and out of venue was horrendous! Cars backed up on all roads ..taking 45 minutes plus to exit car park.. I would advise parking elsewhere and walking to venue..
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 November 2023
  • RBuckley
    Limerick, Ireland158 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent staff
    Amazing run venue. Staff very friendly. Saw a few incidents of people standing needing assistance and staff immediately on it. Handing out water to those standing. Great venue . Worth the 400 km trip to see concert
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 December 2023
  • Malmoman
    Newry, United Kingdom5 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Let down by car park
    Went to see a concert .The first time I used the Ticketmaster app. I found all the staff very helpful and patient. Unfortunately the carpark let the side down. I also emailed the concert hall during the previous week with an access query and they didn't have manners to reply.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 February 2024
  • weedander
    Belfast, United Kingdom28 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Floor seats were unbearable tightly packed.
    Paid a large amount of money to see Bill Bailey live. We chose seats close to the front to get the best experience, platinum seats with pricing to match. However we ended up in the back terrace because the floor seating was so tightly packed we were physically squashed into the seats. The seats themselves are narrower than an average persons shoulder width and are set tight together giving you no wriggle room. This was then compounded by a lovely but very large lady sitting beside us which meant I lost another part of my seat to her. We asked if we could move and the staff were very helpful and friendly which is why I’ve given 3stars rather than one. The terrace seats were great. Much more comfortable and with enough width. However they were not the platinum seats we paid for. We also discovered we were sitting beside another couple who had made the exact same complaint. Not what we expected from an expensive night out!
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 February 2024
  • richard r
    Newbury, United Kingdom9 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don’t bother with SSE reward lounge
    Had booked to see Simple Minds and also got the upgrade to the SSE lounge, which was a complete waste of time, we arrived and there was a big queue at the bar and no seats anywhere to be seen. I walked out and the bar across from it was queue free. Speaking to the person on the door they told us it holds 54 and that there was 35 in it at the present time. A complete waste of time, I’ve it booked for UB40 in November but I’m not going to bother as it wasn’t worth even bothering to go into. Great venue though, concert was amazing. Shame the SSE Reward lounge wasn’t.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 20 March 2024
  • gary h
    Belfast City Region, United Kingdom244 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Premier League Darts week 2024
    First time at this competition held this year in Belfast. Great venue for this event which is well suited to the SSE arena. Real family and positive vibe from the crowd. Only usual problems is the far too long queues for the drinks/food. Missed some matches due to the wait. Many punters in the queues all agreed if one of the screens in the kiosks displayed live footage of the concerts/ events it would please all having to wait 2pmons+ on average. Again big queues for toilets but to be expected however if they could speed up the food and drinks kiosks wait time it definately would improve the overall experience.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 9 April 2024
  • Kirsty R
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Staff are Amazing!!!
    Amazing night from start too finish took the wee man to watch WWE. We had seats that were high up and he got very frightened of the heights. Straight away staff were on hand to help us out. They put me at ease as they seen the stress on my face probably ha ha. They sent us to concierge desk and the lady's working there were absolutely amazing, one was called Laura and didn't quite catch the other lady's name but they got us sorted with lower seats in not time at all. All staff are amazing and lovely.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 April 2024
  • Bubbles
    Sheffield, United Kingdom139 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fab!
    Came here to see Niall Horan in February and I have to say this has been one of the nicest concert experiences I’ve had! The staff were friendly and if they said something would happen at a certain time then it did! There was no lying to the fans or anything like that! Just a great experience overall and would definitely see another concert here!
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 18 May 2024
  • Mr. Guide
    321 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Bring your own food unless you want to stand for hours
    Been to SSE Arena ice hockey games a few times and what I've picked up is that you need to bring your own food. Unless you get a Subway from the Subway gun at halftime then you have to queue for ages at the fast food area. Show amazing. Really good matches. Seating ok. Good for families, solo or groups.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 September 2024
  • fi19602015
    King's Lynn, United Kingdom75 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Friendly staff great arena
    We had cheaper seats and still had a great view the sets and the sound system were really good. I have to saw all the staff were so friendly and very organised no massive queues for perhaps thousands of people going on not the arena they asked us if we enjoyed the show let us take in our own water . It was a really positive experience from start to finish . My friend has been to other arenas with a totally different experience.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 28 September 2024
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles587 reviews
Excellent
254
Very good
178
Average
76
Poor
40
Terrible
39

doirecormac
Derry, Ireland12 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Family
Where do I start? The catalogue of issues with this venue actually started about 6 months prior to my visit. I wanted to book tickets for the Peace Proms concert as my son was singing in it. I was shocked that you can no longer phone the SSE Arena. Seriously, they have taken their phone away. I wanted to know where in the arena my son would be sitting so we could book seats near him. All we got was a recorded message telling us to contact Ticketmaster. They were just as useless, they didn't know either. The Peace Proms people didn't even have the decency to respond to my messages. In the end up we had to book tickets before it sold out and we got the last row of seats - we couldn't have been further away. As this is a live venue the ice floor is covered with thick sheets. These must not have been down properly as everytime somebody walked behind us our seats moved up in the air. When the show was over we headed out to the car park to go home. What a disaster that was. All the cars were trying to exit at once while at the same time people were arriving for the second show. There was no organisation. Staff were standing about hands in.pockets chatting or taking cash at the exits - I hope it's all declared to the tax man! It took over an hour to get out of the carpark. There was zero customer service from start to finish. But I suppose they're happy cos they got everybody's money. I could not recommend this place and would go as far as to say 'avoid it'. It's a pity there's no option for zero stars!
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, thank you for your feedback. Please complete a Contact Us Form on the 'Contact Us' page of our website. This will allow us to deal with your complaint accordingly. https://www.ssearenabelfast.com/contact-us
Written 4 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

WhoamI-00
Belfast, UK122 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
Been to sse arena (previously the odyssey arena) in belfasts odyssey complex. On a cold January night we had a rather long and boring wait for the doors to open, due to the rest of the complex being closed for renovations. As per many complexes / arenas refreshments and food are expensive. Queues can be long but service is quick. They were one of the first companies in Northern Ireland to be recognised as JAM (card) friendly. The carpark can be a nightmare to get out of when busy so be prepared.
Written 5 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your feedback. We really appreciate anyone who takes the time to review our events and facilities.
Written 12 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

D'boo
Ballymena, UK37 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Friends
Returned to this venue recently for a concert, while it is a decent enough venue everything in it is awfully overpriced. Seating in venue is quite tight especially if you’re tall with long legs. Otherwise an enjoyable evening
Written 14 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Natalia N
16 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
Booked this for a Christmas present and remember not seeing much information on it online so figured I'd do a really informative review for anyone considering booking West Lounge/VIP tickets!
First of all, the website says they're West Lounge tickets but once you arrive, signs around the room have it called Heineken Green Room (not to be confused with the Heineken Lounge, which is a totally different place). However the bar/menu are called Essence! Anyway.
When we arrived, we queued up with everyone else at the main doors and were then sent upstairs to the West Lounge. Unfortunately there are no signs pointing to the lounge entrance (and 5 members of staff couldn't tell us where to go!) but we did find it eventually. If you go up the main steps then turn left, walk for a bit and you'll see a lift which takes you up.
Once there, we were asked for the name on our booking, offered a complimentary cloakroom, and given a selection of free drinks (beer or wine).
The manager then greeted us at the door to the lounge and a waitress took us to a table where we were given a set menu and a selection of artisan breads and dips, then a main course, then dessert. The food was tasty (although not fancy) and the atmosphere was nice.
The glass partition was eventually open for the seating area in the arena. We were on row A, seats 22 and 23. The view was good, although obviously far from the stage. It was handy having a ledge for our drinks (and sockets, if you needed them!) and the bar and nicer toilets just behind us during intermission.
All in all, I feel it was worth the extra cost. We certainly felt well taken care of, and would visit the West Lounge again (now that we know where it is!).
PS. For everyone driving, prepay your ticket at the machine before the concert and park near the far exit! We didn't last year and it took us almost an hour to leave the car park. Last night we did those two things and we're out of the carpark in about 3 minutes!
Written 1 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Oisin A
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
I went to this game with my mother and we were not disappointed. It was very entertaining and we loved it when the players were fighting. the game ended up 4 to 0 with Belfast being the winner which is good for both the team and their fans. The food was great with the burgers being my favourite and would definitely eat again. The only problem I could find would be having to leave early do to the parking but that should not ruin the experience. Overall this was an amazing game and we have already booked tickets for a future game and definitely recommend going when available.
Written 22 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

A M
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
Went to the ABBA ARRIVAL From Sweden concert on Saturday. We arrived at 7.00 for the 7.30 show. The warm up act was poor and made me embarrassed for Belfast. It was also badly let down by the lighting with little/no stage lighting for the guy.

The show proper did not start until 8pm so there was far too much warm up!

The singers, band and orchestra were good but were let down by poor sound that was subject to a lot of distortion throughout the evening.

Overall I was sorry that I went!
Written 9 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lesley L
Belfast, UK37 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022 • Couples
Kevin Bridge's was excellent. What a pity about the venue. 2 1/2 hours of drinking before he came on stage and seats beside a couple who were so drunk they had to leave half way through. She was vapping and being conveniently ignored by staff, thought she was vomiting on floor at one point and all around us people were on their phones. Paid alot of money for these tickets. Management should be ashamed. Will NEVER be back! BTW I do drink.
Written 13 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

richard r
Newbury, UK9 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
Had booked to see Simple Minds and also got the upgrade to the SSE lounge, which was a complete waste of time, we arrived and there was a big queue at the bar and no seats anywhere to be seen. I walked out and the bar across from it was queue free. Speaking to the person on the door they told us it holds 54 and that there was 35 in it at the present time. A complete waste of time, I’ve it booked for UB40 in November but I’m not going to bother as it wasn’t worth even bothering to go into. Great venue though, concert was amazing. Shame the SSE Reward lounge wasn’t.
Written 20 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul H
St Helens, UK15 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Couples
The Ice Hockey was a great experience, fabulousentertainment. Really well organised and a great venue. However, there is a big but! There is plenty of parking spaces but only two exits and at a busy event getting off the carpark is a nightmare. Make sure that you park as close to those exits as possible and pre pay your parking before you go in, the queues at the ticket machines afterwards get very long and don't move quickly.
Written 7 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

weedander
Belfast, UK28 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
Paid a large amount of money to see Bill Bailey live. We chose seats close to the front to get the best experience, platinum seats with pricing to match. However we ended up in the back terrace because the floor seating was so tightly packed we were physically squashed into the seats. The seats themselves are narrower than an average persons shoulder width and are set tight together giving you no wriggle room. This was then compounded by a lovely but very large lady sitting beside us which meant I lost another part of my seat to her. We asked if we could move and the staff were very helpful and friendly which is why I’ve given 3stars rather than one. The terrace seats were great. Much more comfortable and with enough width. However they were not the platinum seats we paid for. We also discovered we were sitting beside another couple who had made the exact same complaint.

Not what we expected from an expensive night out!
Written 11 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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THE SSE ARENA (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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