For six Greek houses, the newly renovated Hotel Orrington, 1710 Orrington Ave., was the ideal site for Gone Greek Night.

“It’s a lot easier without the buses,” said Lee Anne Grant, a Weinberg junior who serves as president of Gamma Phi Beta. The hotel is three blocks from Northwestern’s sorority quads.

Held Friday in Hotel Orrington’s Grand Ballroom, the event lasted from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The dance party was a large-scale mixer for members of Pi Kappa Alpha, Delta Chi and Lambda Chi Alpha fraternities, along with Kappa Delta, Gamma Phi Beta and Alpha Chi Omega sororities.

But for the hotel, the event was unusual.

“We don’t normally do cocktails,” said Aurieann LaPata, the director of catering.

LaPata said about 15 students were asked to leave because they were too drunk.

“A lot of them couldn’t stand,” she said.

LaPata said she checked student IDs vigorously and gave wristbands to those older than 21. She said the fraternities and sororities were satisfied with the event.

“They were very apologetic that there were so many drunk students,” LaPata said.

Hotel Orrington probably will not host a mixer for the Greek houses again, she said.

“I feel bad if we let her (LaPata) down,” said Laura Hansen, a Communication junior who serves as external social chairwoman of Alpha Chi Omega. “Maybe she just didn’t know what to expect … I would love to go back to the (Hotel Orrington).”

LaPata said she would prefer to host formals or fund-raisers.

“We’re a four-star, four-diamond hotel and not a bar to have dance parties in,” LaPata said.

Gone Greek Night was less expensive than a normal Hotel Orrington event, LaPata said. The hotel, which re-opened in October after renovations, usually hosts weddings and bar mitzvahs. Although Friday night affairs usually start at $5,000, the six fraternities and sororities paid a combined $1,000, excluding the proceeds of a cash bar, LaPata said. The groups hired a deejay separately.

The bar, where cocktails cost $7, was stocked with Early Time brand bourbon, Sahara Burst brand Cranberry juice, and Gordon’s vodka and gin. The hotel also served cheese trays, pretzels and vegetables with dip.

Dan Solera, Pike’s external vice president, said the Gone Greek Night event that Pike attended last year, held at the Best Western hotel, 1501 Sherman Ave., had a smaller turnout.

“I suppose it’s because of the Hotel Orrington,” said Solera, a Weinberg junior. “The fact that it was renovated had a lot of appeal.”

Solera said overall he enjoyed the evening.

“My only complaint was they ran out of water,” he said.

Reach Daniella Cheslow at [email protected].