Was not happy in the was treated to be told to pay as order meals, then to hear white customers where allowed to put to there rooms. Service was very bad the place was haunted.
When asked for toilet paper was just sat in the room.
Would not recommend anyone to stay there special if your of colour.
Just found the whole Ballarat experience was not good, not worth a star had to post this

An absolutely disappointing evening! I am a regular customer at Craig's for meals and romantic evening stays with my husband. Tonight I celebrated my 40th birthday with my family in the Atrium and I had the most horrible experience! Over an hour wait for drinks, two hours to have any meal order taken (Table of 25) service was the worst I have ever seen at any restaurant! Waiter walking past several times and not assisting thirsty guests, waitress rolling her eyes at guests when they asked for help and laughing at my mother when spoken to about the bad service! 3 hours way to long for a meal out! If wanting to book a meal out I would definitely NOT recommend Craig's! Long time customer that will not be back!

Service tonight was absolutely horrible and disgusting. Celebrated my mums 40th with our family with a dinner here, the guy walked past our table multiple times, saw we were ready to order and still continued to ignore us.
Female waiter made our experience horrible, whenever she was asked something, whether it be about food, napkins, a knife for the cake or a simple desert for the one of the kids, on every single one of these occasions she rolled her eyes at us, gave the most horrendous attitude and treated us so poorly, she even walked off on my aunty while she was trying to order her dinner!!
Will not be returning, definitely ruined my mums night that's for sure!!

Amazing hotel steeped in history and beautifully maintained. I was offered a look in the function rooms and they are lovely. I've attached some photos, but I don't think they do the Hotel justice.
Yes, there are some quirks with a heritage building, but so worthwhile to experience the luxury side of the Goldrush era.

This was a very beautiful hotel. Great history and amazing staff. Rooms were awesome, and the location of restaurants was excellent. If you want to park in the hotel, make sure you book ahead as spaces are very limited. The restaurant was excellent and had a great selection of excellent meals. The old-fashioned lift was particularly fun for the young ones while it brought back memories for me.

I loved my short stay here! The room was comfortable and spotlessly clean, its antique furniture was grand and the en-suite quite luxurious! Loved the magnificent staircase and the old-fashioned lift. The ambiance was perfect. Can't wait to come back!

Shared high tea with my daughter very disappointed with it. I have been to several in other places never been let down but I opted for orange juice but it appeared to be a powder mixed with water certainly wasn't juice, sandwiches bread far too thick fillings boring, crusts should be cut off. Sausage rolls too peppery and no sauce offered. Scones were nice would have liked strawberries in the jam. High tea is a classy, elegant occasion. The room and china were lovely as to be expected. I will give you a quote from Dame Nellie Melba when asked what she sang to the public. "Sing them muck ". And sadly this is the attitude of the high tea. For the price people deserve better.

I have just enjoyed a wonderful two nights girl's getaway at this hotel, including the High Tea - I couldn't fault the staff, the service or the meals ( and a special thank you to Danae? who created a Mocktail for us even though there were none on the Drinks List ). Maybe the carpet on the stairs was a little worn and the shower base tiles needed a deep clean ( room 123 ) but the luxurious feel of this hotel and the fittings more than made up for this. Many thanks to Maddie and Maddie ! Cheers, Eilish.

Location could not be better. This is close to every attraction. Breakfast was delicious and I highly recommend it. The whole place is well-decorated and our bathroom was immense and even had a bath! The bed was super comfortable and we slept well. For the price we appreciated the place very well. =)

Pro:
The best location for a hotel in town. Near attractions, shops and restaurants. Near public transport routes.
Stylish. The communal areas were delightful and so was the dining room. And our rooms
Huge bathroom.
Good noise isolation (minus the elevator system that you could occasionally hear).
Delicious and filling breakfast.
Most comfortable bed we slept in since a long time.
Perfectly cleaned.
Affordable breakfast, that you include it with your bedroom reservation or not.

Cons:
Bedroom space is smaller than at your average hotel.
Not a lot of electric outlets in the bedroom due to the age of the hotel.
Shower design led us to wet the floor both times we used it.
You need to shell $3 to $10/day for parking due to the location. If you take the road parking, you will need to wake up early to start the parking meter (Sundays are free)
Public transport in Ballarat is not that great or widespread.
Due to their age, some furniture in your rooms may show signs of wear.
Some rooms may show signs of old renovations, like holes in the wall skirting.
Lift sometimes didn't work when being called from the second floor.

Recently stayed here to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary. What a lovely place. From the old lift, to the winding staircase, everything is beautifully preserved from a time long ago. Service and facilities are, however, bang up to date, and everything you would expect from a hotel in the heart of the city.
Epic breakfast rounded of a very pleasant stay.

Magnificent particularly the lovely lady who booked me and my then intended fiance (I proposed in the Atrium over dinner Sunday evening). The mum and her 2 daughters who work there were the loveliest staff.
Cannot recommend highly enough.
Only issue was I did want a room with a spa but it was obviously not checked because it was flashing green and red indicating faulty. It was fixed for the second day.

Stayed at Craig's Royal for three nights a week ago, a beautiful hotel in a great location for Ballarat. The room was well appointed and very comfortable and in keeping with its historic charm.

Staff were friendly and helpful which was a bonus.
Nothing seemed too much trouble.

The bars and dining areas were comfortable and inviting, all round a very pleasant stay.

Thanks Craig's Royal

September 2023
Have since gone back to this place at least every month or two for dinner. The bar staff make a mean martini and are friendly. The food is really nice, a bonus considering it's not super expensive though often a bit of a wait. Love the atmosphere... in the dining room with its classic chessboard tiles and high ceilings; in the lounge with its thick british coat of arms carpet and comfy couches; in the front bar which is light and airy with a view of the street and some beautiful paintings.

January 2023
Shame that this venue seems to be mostly frequented for the gaming room as it is an impressive and well-kept old building, particularly the lounge area is stunning and very classy looking! The smoking area is a little den out back under some stairs which is a shame. Service is prompt and professional. The staff are knowledgeable about alcohol. I have yet to eat at this venue but the food looked and smelt appetizing.

We held a 21st Birthday dinner for my son here on a Friday night. We had a large group and due to the size we were put in the Bentley Room. And what a gorgeous room. We would love to say a huge thanks to the staff for incredible service and the food was so good. Could not have asked for a better experience. We will be returning and recommending Craig's to everyone we know.

I splashed out and booked a Royal Suite for my stay and loved it! As someone who really enjoys all things historical, and especially from the Victorian era, it was such a treat to stay in a room full of antiques and so beautifully furnished. I had a lovely bath in the huge spa, and had an amazing night's sleep in a super comfy king bed. The rest of the hotel is beautiful as well, with a old lift and spiralling staircase. The food was high quality with a commensurate price, but as an Adelaidean I was astounded at paying only $2.50 for a barista coffee!

If I can afford it I'd love to come back and stay longer.

I splashed out and booked a Royal Suite for my stay and loved it! As someone who really enjoys all things historical, and especially from the Victorian era, it was such a treat to stay in a room full of antiques and so beautifully furnished. I had a lovely bath in the huge spa, and had an amazing night's sleep in a super comfy king bed. The rest of the hotel is beautiful as well, with a old lift and spiralling staircase. The food was high quality with a commensurate price, but as an Adelaidean I was astounded at paying only $2.50 for a barista coffee!

If I can afford it I'd love to come back and stay longer.

We stayed at Craig's Royal Hotel in Ballarat so we could watch the AURA light show (Eureka Stockade) that evening. This beautiful old establishment is still using the old lifts with a cage, and has a magnificent staircase the looks like it's straight out of a movie set. The decor is simply stunning (words won't do it justice - check out the photos), as was the hospitality and our room. My wife loved soaking in the spa after a few hours walking around the town of Ballarat. In the morning we had breakfast (delicious and filling) at the Attrium before leaving for The Apostles. This is a wonderful place to stay if you're staying in Ballarat. Highly recommended.

Beautifully restored. Clean comfortable bed and linen. A lift as well as staircase to upper floors. Didn't eat there but food looked lovely. 5 or 10 min walk from rail station. Staff helpful. I booked on a Monday night. $153 but if you go on Sat night it's about $465. Would stay here again.

A great experience. The hotel has been renovated and exudes it's history from every pore. From the lift to the winding corridors and staircases you are transported to colonial Australia.
Dining room offered excellent breakfast and dinner.
The location was perfect for exploring the rich colonial history of the gold rush period.

I think they need to drop the fine dining from the advertising. The restaurant handed us a specials list on which two of the items were "sold out" . There were 6 customers and no one had the dishes. Then finished ordering from the main menu. Opps that's not available either. In total 3 menu items not available and sold out all by 6 customers by 6:30pm. Maybe occasional dining would be more appropriate!!!!

Having spent three days there we were more than happy with the room and more importantly the Staff. One Staff Member 'Grace' was more than capable of providing a very Welcomed stay. The meals were also delicious.

Shame that this venue seems to be mostly frequented for the gaming room as it is an impressive and well-kept old building, particularly the lounge area is stunning and very classy looking! The smoking area is a little den out back under some stairs which is a shame. Service is prompt and professional. The staff are knowledgeable about alcohol. I have yet to eat at this venue but the food looked and smelt appetizing.

Everything about Craig's Royal Hotel was absolutely wonderful. The room was lovely. It was serviced each day and breakfast included was a bonus. I cannot fault anything. Staff were wonderful and a special thank you to Grace who was courteous and went out of her way to help me out when accomodation at another place was unsuitable when I had travelled 2000ks from Queensland. The trip was was an emotional journey but staying at Craig's made the world of difference. Thank you so much.

A beautiful piece of historic architecture Had high tea there with my mum, daughter and granddaughter. The tea was lovely. Table was set out with beautiful tea cups, teapots etc. Had a variety of T2 teas or coffee. Champagne or orange juice upon arrival. There was a tiered 4 plate server filled with lots of yummy afternoon treats. Enjoyed very much. Thank you for the lovely afternoon and friendly staff.

We stayed in the Prince Albert suite which was spotlessly clean and beautifully decorated to the period. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom well appointed . We dined in the Atrium on Thursday night and both enjoyed our meal. The hearty chicken soup was exactly right for a cold Winter's night. The wait staff and reception staff.were friendly and efficient. We will stay again.

2 family members and I called in for diner Monday night with greater reception prompt service and good meals on the back of this, the following night we booked for 11 @ 6pm it was no busier, however one (team) member had dropped the ball to busy talking to the barmen and directing the younger less experienced to our table, on 3 occasions we had to get our own drinks order our desert and coffee at the Bar, were the lady refused to the our desert order. 2 hours latter we received your meals while all the time this member talked to the bar men occasionally waited on 1 or 2 smaller tables. I rate Monday at a cheery 5, Tuesday a 3 and for this reason our guest from W.A. , QLD. and I decided to try else where the following 2 night.

I stayed at the Craigs Royal for one night. The superior room was absolutely beautiful! The bed was also very comfortable. The staff greeted guest and made them feel welcome. The food was fantastic and full of flavour, complements to the chief.
The only issue that stopped 5 stars was the waitress who seated/ served us in the AM. Her manner was extremely blunt and rude. It really upset me and my pregnant partner as she questioned our breakfast order. We felt very upset because the rest of the stay had been fantastic.
The other waitress in the AM was absolutely wonderful and friendly.
Will come back again.

The hotel is beautiful with authentic Victorian fittings however the atrium dining experience did not live up to all it could have. The food was fine, traditional bistro style, however the ambience was not great. The furniture felt retro not matching the rest of the Victorian era decor. They have huge potential to improve. Many of the guests were very dressed up, the dining should offer a fancier experience.

Our room was small but perfectly formed. Nice and quiet and enjoyed a nice sleep on a comfy mattress. However our dinner in the atrium bar and breakfast were incredibly underwhelming. Food was really average and super overpriced - could have had the same for half the price at the local RSL. Our breakfast took close to an hour for simple eggs and bacon and came out cold. I think staff shortages are really effecting the business but there's also clearly some systemic issues that management could address to make the staff's lives easier

Beautiful historic hotel, and the food is amazing. However, I believe they are currently short staffed and so service has taken a dip. Not the hotel's fault of course, but hope they can staff up soon and bring the place back to its full glory!

Stayed for two nights, whilst the staff was lovely both the food and rooms leaves much to be desired. For the price the menu items were priced at, the taste were certainly not matched. The buffalo wings were oddly sour for hot wings. For mains we had beef ragout and the 1/2 roast chicken. Whilst the latter was not bad albeit overcooked and dry, the beef ragout a dish featuring a thick sauce was bland and had a watery and thin sauce. The pasta was bland and had zero flavour.

Additionally, when asked for a cocktail there were brown and black particles floating around in the drink, along with small chunks of ice that wasn't meant to be there in a cocktail designed to be double strained.

The hotel breakfast was also disappointing with soggy toast, bland omelettes and tasteless eggs. For a semi full restaurant only two water jugs were available and was shared amongst all patrons. Something that doesn't seem entirely sanitary or hygienic considering the current pandemic situation.

For the price the food items were at, both the taste and quality of the food leaves much to be desired.

Went to the atrium bar for dinner and was extremely dissapointed. Had the Croquettes and Fried Cauliflower for entree which were both fantastic however the mains were below average. The slow cooked lamb was extremely dry and overcooked which wasn't complimented well by the dry barley 'salad'. The duck in the fettucine pasta dish was tasty but also dry and the sauce was entirely oil.
Service was okay however didn't make up for the bad food. Will not return

Great old worlde atmosphere. Knowledgable and courteous staff. Best Martinis in Ballarat

The foyer appears very grand on entry.
I was looking forward to a really nice experience.'

The restaurant was another matter- there is no table service, we had to leave our table to order at a counter, or get drinks at the bar ( I left my meal to refresh my drink) and pay for each item as we ordered. Dessert or tea/coffee was not suggested, or menus returned to our table. We were not asked how our meals were when table cleared.
The Pork belly was dry and stringy, Gf pasta overcooked and mussel shells empty with 1 prawn.
Bad service. Bad food. Bad experience.
Will not go back.

We were very happy with our two-night stay at Ballarat's historic Craig's Royal Hotel. The staff were polite, professional, and helpful, and the room was reasonably priced and comfortable. The heritage decoration and details were exemplary, and the breakfasts, included in the tariff, were excellent. We felt, nevertheless, that the hotel's reputation as 'an icon of the Victorian period' and the choice of prime ministers and princes has been put at risk by the inclusion of a Gaming Room that looks no different from the type you would find in an ordinary suburban club or pub. It was no doubt added as a financial necessity, and perhaps an acknowledgment that times and tastes have changed, but poker machines do not sit comfortably with the published history and image of Craig's Royal Hotel as a place that has catered for discerning customers. This is not a snobbish reaction, but rather an observation about the confusion one glimpses about Craig's present
place in the market.

I was last here in January 2021 and the food and service were exceptional. I gave a five star rating then. So disappointed to return here in May 2021 and the new owners have installed the same ordering system as their other 'pubs'. You order your food and drinks at the bar. Really? This is Craig's Royal Hotel and one should expect table service. A word of advice to the new owners; don't use the same business model as your other pubs. People come here because of the fine dining reputation. People will now stay away for the new reputation you'll earn. An overpriced RSL.

We only attended to have dinner and the service and staff are polite. Our childs order came out first as requested and it was quite a nice serving size. It was the fish and chips. My wife and i had the porter house medium rare with pepper sauce. The steak was cooked as ordered and the portion size was very reasonable. The chips were cooked to be very crunchy as we like them. The only item was the steak was a little too fatty / grisly for my wife but she enjoyed it none the less. It is a little pricey so if cost is a concern this may not be for you. Overall it was very enjoyable and we would recommend dinning their to our friends and family.

Was excited about a night out and had enjoyed the great service and food at Craig's before but was disappointed this time. New owners have decided no table service so we had to go and order our food and go to the bar for drinks. We missed this part of the Craig's experience and felt like it wasn't that extra bit special anymore. The food itself was nice but nothing out of the ordinary but with a premium price. We had lamb with a mash which reminded us of the Deb instant mash you buy at Cole's Staff were great but we noticed one wait staff served.a table their food while ours just left it there for us too do. We wont hurry back.

Amazing. Glorious example of Australian architecture. Definitely a 5 star experience. Dinner was stand out sensational. Slept like a baby. Room decor was luxurious and true to the era of the building. To all who appreciate the work of William Morris, this hotel is a feast for the senses. Love love loved it.

STOP! Don't search any further if you're after special experience.For most that want to play tourist in Ballarat, perhaps like us, you're after 'heritage'. Craig's Royal Hotel delivers in spades. Stunning period decor, and great service from every team member we encountered ... without them wanting to be our best friends ;) And Housekeeping? A++++ Immaculate be it room or common areas, even our engagement with you in the corridors.Wanting to treat ourselves after a significant wedding anniversary spent in lock down last year, we opted for a package that offered accommodation in a Superior Balcony room including a two course evening meal + a bottle from a selected wine list up to a certain $ value, and a fully cooked breakfast (continental also available if you have a smaller appetite than us :) Yes, you get to choose from the full normal evening & breakfast menus, not a budget controlled 'special' menu.Management, please ensure you congratulate your team and congratulations on you, well, wonderful management.Thanks... Happy campers!