Name: Craig'S Royal Hotel
Address: 10 Lydiard St South, Ballarat Central, VIC3350, AU

6/10

Pleasant

30 Jul 2026

Katrina

King spa suite quite expensive, faced on inner courtyard of brick walls and very noisy industrial air condioning and exhaust fan units. Thankfully we were able to get an upgrade to street facing room. Shower cubicle drain filled up with water and flooded the bathroom. Staff unable to get a repairer that evening. Blinds in bathroom were broken and mouldy. We had dinner in the restaurant, fish curry which was rather bland. The hotel needs a refresh and rethink.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jul 2026

MICHAEL

Outstanding hotel I absolutely loved the vibe/decor etc,the staff were extremely helpful.Super quiet place.Took me back a century or two.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jul 2026

Jeanette

Loved the ambiance of the hotel and the history of Ballarat

8/10

Excellent

24 Jul 2026

Peter

Nice clean almost fully refurbished room with helpful staff. Only downsides were some old building noises and a shower head that was best suited only to people <170cm tall.

8/10

Excellent

19 Jul 2026

Robin

Nice hotel centrally located with comfortable rooms.Dining room was a little understaffed but the food was good.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jul 2026

James

All good. Comfotabl3 and quiet

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jul 2026

Susan

Lovely old world hotel, very very well maintained. We loved it. Staff were very friendly.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

12 Jul 2026

Robyn

Beautiful historic building and the rooms was warm and comfortable. There is minimal parking, so on street parking is the norm; some plumbing issues with it being an older place, and the restaurant is average with very poor service; drinks arrived after the meal and we had to find the staff to pay when finished. Not suitable to work from with few accessible power outlets and an uncomfortable work station in the room. There are better historic options in Ballarat and we will go back to using them in future.

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jul 2026

Hamad

Will stay again

8/10

Excellent

04 Jul 2026

G W

Room was fine aircon heating wasn’t working but we did have the two wall heaters which was fine and not a big fan of a shower in the bath otherwise very nice overnight stay 🙂

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jun 2026

Jessica

Absolutely loved this place! I can’t wait to return! So beautiful and clean!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2026

Linda

This hotel is beautiful. We stayed in the room at the end leading up to the turret. Hotel is in a great position, close to restaurants and shops. Breakfast menu is good. We found parking on the street close to the entrance a little difficult, which wasn’t ideal as it was raining during our stay and the parking is metered after 9am. But would definitely stay again. The staff are also great.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Jun 2026

Melissa

Grand hotel - nice quiet rooms. Lovely restoration. Atmosphere is marred by the poker machines.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

15 Jun 2026

John

Older property with lots of character. Off street parking is $10 a day. Restaurant provided great meals. Staff friendly and always helpful. Not the best place to stay with young children.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jun 2026

Adam G

Great old fashioned room!!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2026

Robyn

Receptionist was extremely pleasant and helpful. Room was beautiful, clean and comfortable. Walked downstairs for dinner which was lovely and very reasonable.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2026

Jimmy

Absolute great vibe of a hotel. Checking in staff were super friendly answered all my questions. Exploring the place was a blast seeing all the snapshots of history in the hotel was great.

The lift was a vibe if not a little scary though. A pain in the ass if some chum hasnt closed both doors and you have to go up and locate what floor it is on so my dad on crutches could get to the 2nd floor.

Heating was not great for my room (the ther two were fine) I know ballarat winters are a different kind of beast but I asked for the heating to be fixed in my room (was told by reception was getting fixed that day) but alas it was not fixed for the two days I was there.

Having to pay for on street parking for the duration of the stay was pretty poor. I'm already spending money on the hotel at least reserve enough parks or have a dedicated space for parking.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jun 2026

Mark

The most mind blowing Hotel to stay rich in culture and history....better than the Waldorf Astoria in New York at a bargain price!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2026

Patricia

The hotel was beautiful, and staff pleasant. Not a fan of the ensuite bathroom in our room as it had no door. The shower cubicle had clear glass, which meant no privacy if having a shower. The glass surrounding the toilet was frosted.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2026

Joan

Superb!

10/10

Exceptional

17 May 2026

Gail

The room was very clean and comfortable. Dinner in the dining room was good.
I did not understand how to access the tv channels. Maybe due to my lack of skills?
Close to everything in central area.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

17 May 2026

Maree

Room very clean snd spacious. Receptionist and all staff very friendly.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 May 2026

MIJEONG

I was very satisfied with the charming historic building, the interior design, the central location, and the cleanliness. I booked a single room, but the bed was double-sized, and the room even had a window and a bathtub, which made my stay even more comfortable. If I visit Ballarat again, I would definitely stay here again.

8/10

Excellent

10 May 2026

Andrea

The hotel is just divine, gloriously restored!
The only issue was the receptionist who was quite rude!! She was surly our whole visit!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2026

james

Beautiful hotel! Wonderful antiques and very comfortable! Great location, walkable to all of downtown! The room was very nice and the bathroom was swank!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2026

Andrew

Property is an old building (1850s) with rooms that have decor in an old and traditional style making staying there an experience in itself. Wife believes she saw a ghost on the second morning.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2026

Richard

Wonderful reminder of the opulence of the gold rush era. Excellent staff, good food and excellent service. Very well placed for exploring the city.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2026

Hannah

We absolutely loved the old grandeur of this building - with surviving furniture and decor. Everything was old and glorious - i dont mind rough around the edges as this in itself tells a story of survival against the odds! These old buildings are very expensive to upkeep so the exterior needs attention, as does window frames. I can only wish that the property owner is budgeting for ongoing upgrades. Its important to stay where money is needed. We stayed in the royal suite - it was beautiful, a grand old women, still vey beautiful but in need of love!
The evening staff were not the most helpful - the young boy was great but his blond coworker was a little rude! Again the grandeur of the building still made our stay more than worthwhile. Loved meeting a local named David on arrival- he was very knowledgeable and looked part of the furniture. Thank you for our experience Craigs Royal Hotel!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2026

Mark

Great mix of old and new

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2026

Sarah

Beautiful hotel. Clean, comfortable, friendly staff, and a great location.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

15 Apr 2026

Laurel

Don't get room 207 - noisy a/c outside window, got moved as requested, room 212 perfect with a balcony. The male front desk clerk was hard to hear/understand with his hand in front of his mouth. Request parking with booking as there is only 16 secure bays out the back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Mar 2026

Geoff

Lovely period decor, spotless, quiet
Thank you

Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2026

Cecelia

I stayed in a single room for one night. It was comfortable with an excellent bathroom.
The staff were really lovely and the vegetable side dish on the dinner menu is 5 star.
Definitely will come back.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

26 Mar 2026

Andrew

Lovely stay

Family

8/10

Excellent

25 Mar 2026

Nicola Claire

A lovely heritage hotel in the heart of Ballarat. Many original features including original sandblasted glass with 1850s motifs. The room was clean and comfortable. We stayed a week, and the room is only serviced on request. The staff are very friendly and helpful.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Mar 2026

Gary

Can't wait to come back - staff were excellent, food in the restaurant was lovely, enjoyed sitting in a leather chair near the bar reading a book and enjoying a cider.

Self

8/10

Excellent

01 Mar 2026

Lisa

Beautiful old building. Foyer/reception area feels grand & the heritage is preserved. Room decor is nice but the rooms are a too dated (grandma’s house) for my liking but could look beautiful if designed right. Mattresses are very soft. Rooms clean. Staff were great. Great location.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2026

robyn

Staff

4/10

Poor

17 Feb 2026

Mark

Two things we didn't like abou this hotel. We don't like \"open bathrooms\" and all of the rooms apparently have these. Secondly, the aircon was not good. They had a stand up fan nearby which we had to use. I live in Europe and when you see a fan in a hotel room--it doesn't make you happy! This is Australia for heavens sake! AC is critical to a good sleep, I would say. This place does not have good AC, sorry to say.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Feb 2026

David

Great staff and super clean room. Great bathroom facilities.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2026

Anthony

Lovely room, decor, ambience, service and amenities. Clean, quiet and comfortable. Lovely comfortable and classy foyer with genuine heritage appeal. Only criticism was surprisinly basic food and drink offerings.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Feb 2026

John

All good as always

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

05 Feb 2026

Geoff

High standards hotel
Friendly professional staff
Will keep coming back 😊👍

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2026

Kevin

Lovely hotel excellent service good food. Very comfortable bedrooms.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jan 2026

Jenny

We didn't stay for breakfast, but did enjoy dinner the night before - food was delicious with generous portions.
Loved the beauty and history of this hotel.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jan 2026

Roz

Loved the history of this hotel. Beautifully preserved and maintained, with exception to the carpet in the lift, which has seen some rough days with lughgage. Our room felt like a bit of a dud, way at the back of the hotel with a brick wall and roof view. Incredibly comfortable room and bed though. Could do with plugs easier to find, rather than behind bed at skirting level, but historic hotel so allowances made. Wonderful welcoming staff. A gorgeous place to stay.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Jan 2026

Tim

The hotel is beautifully preserved honoring a by gone era. The staff are friendly and attentive. Although we stayed on a 40deg day and the aircon struggled to keep the room cool and the soft mattress and heavy bedding are not suited to extreme heat

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

30 Dec 2025

Chen

Good hygiene for this old historical building. Very convinient location. Tv remote control can only channel down not up. Other than cups and glasses, cannot find anything else, called reception, no one bothered to answer the call.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Dec 2025

Alana

Lovely old building

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Dec 2025

Debbie

The hotel was beautifully renovated with many original fittings. It is in a great location for shopping and dining, with all the major stores within walking distance. The staff were very nice and replied promptly to some questions I had before check in. I was only there overnight and didn't get up in time for breakfast but the menu looked great. My only very minor negative comment would be that the bed was very creaky. I would definitely stay there again next time I visit Ballarat.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

16 Dec 2025

Simon

The old character and decor of the hotel. The fantastic, comfortable rooms. Like stepping back in time. Fantastic value for money in a beautiful historic city.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Dec 2025

Steve

Spotless room polite staff

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Dec 2025

Kate

Room was clean and bathroom too

8/10

Excellent

27 Nov 2025

Phillip

The room was very nice - spacious and old worldly.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Nov 2025

Jodie

Love the historical feeling of this hotel

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Nov 2025

Michael

All good

6/10

Pleasant

24 Nov 2025

Charise

The hotel has an old worldish charm of the past complete with worn carpets, rickety style lift and antique furniture. Our room had an annoying cupboard door that would swing open and was hard to close. The room was serviced once during our four day stay and it was very basic with beds made & bins emptied only. Toilet paper was not replenished so we ran out & mini bar not restocked and we had no milk for tea & coffee. Staff were not that helpful.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

21 Nov 2025

Maria

The hotel is an amazing beautiful building and I highly recommend but the room was not at all satisfactory. Outside the windows they have so many air condition units that making do much noice and during the night it was so difficult to sleep. I believe this room should not be in use.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

05 Nov 2025

Angelique

Nice room that suited my needs

Self

8/10

Excellent

02 Nov 2025

Campbell

Loved our stay at Craig's Royal Hotel, perfect time period hotel.

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

28 Oct 2025

Kevin

Horrible room conditions, cold wind keeps blowing into the room, shower heads too old.

Business

6/10

Pleasant

23 Oct 2025

Raewyn

Lovely historic hotel. A bit tired in some areas.
House keeping staff were very helpful and friendly.
Assistant manager was excellent. Very professional and friendly, thank you Linc. Great location in central Ballarat. We walked everywhere. Breakfast was most enjoyable, nice dining room. Prompt friendly service from the waitress. Some rooms are very small, so be aware of this when booking.

Business Family

4/10

Poor

16 Oct 2025

Tai-Wei

Before check in we must find parking on the street. There is 1 hr free parking so we can check in. We have reserved parking for $10 per night and we couldn’t reverse that as we pre booked. But we realized there r free street parking after 5:30pm and before 9am. After check in we could get the garage key to park our car. Our first night was fine. But on the second night there were street work from council throughout the night. We were not informed about it and pretty much got told to live with it during our stay. We were also evacuated at 10pm as the street work caused a black out. First we got told to wait in the cold on the street. Then after 10:30pm we got told that we could sit in the foyer. Then we were told we could go back to our room. Our sleep was broken due to black out and street work. The room was ok. The bed was terribly soft bad for the back and the bed shakes when there is any movement. The lift is the original so if someone used it and didn’t close it properly, u won’t be able to call for the lift unless someone closes the door for you, not convenient at all as I stayed on level 2…. The noise from the street was noisy due to car movement. I thought due to a small town maybe it won’t be that bad but it is … cat throughout the night… maybe I’m a light sleeper and I can hear every car….

The hot water was good.

If I had a second chance to choose again I would not have chosen this place to stay.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Oct 2025

GREG

Lovely place to stay. Although I didn't eat there, the areas looked clean and inviting. Room was clean and sheets sharp and clean. Everything for a sales rep would want for a good nights accommodation.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Oct 2025

Liza

Clean room
Friendly staff
Just keep hearing a bird cheeping from our room lol.

Business_and_leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

04 Oct 2025

Paul

Location and staff were great , room had too much furniture making it hard to move around. Bed (two singles pushed together with a very thin topper) appeared to be broken leaning to one side. Carpet throughout the hotel worn and fraying, sink in ensuite had a crack, shower door had a gap slowing water to spill on floor. So it needs a bit of love.

Business_and_leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 Sep 2025

Jasonne

Mattress very hard…first time in a long time I’ve stayed in a hotel without pillowtop. Only accessible powerpoint was in the bathroom and no smarttv so stuck with free to air. Bathtub needed recaulking. Overall disappointing given the price but staff were kind and location was very good.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

20 Sep 2025

Kristina

The property had lots of character and the staff were lovely.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Sep 2025

Tony

Always a great stay

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

14 Sep 2025

Margaret

Single bed creaked and the room was too warm.
It was very clean and quiet.
Beautiful old building!

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

30 Aug 2025

Belinda

A very strange treat night.

I stay here every time when in Ballarat but might change hotels next time. I got two single beds as they were booked out. Not a big problem. But the shower has little to no fall and water gets all over the floor that I had to mop up to stop getting wet feet when getting up to use the toilet through the night. Then, when I was in deep sleep at 2a there was a smoke alarm go off on the floor. The first time in 35 years of constant travel. It was really jarring and after, I couldn’t get back to sleep. I also noticed other guests had hotel gowns evacuating in the lobby whilst the firemen came and when I checked my closet there were no gowns but a woman’s top on the hanger. Bizarre. A strange stay.

Self

8/10

Excellent

30 Aug 2025

Briana

Héritage hotel with fun old lift!

Beautiful old building with an old style lift! I think the hotel was lovely.

It could do with a few updates like thread bare carpet on stairs and more accessible plugs bedside.

Note that there are attached pokies which kind of change the heritage vibe.

Staff are nice and friendly.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Aug 2025

Allison

Lovely old Hotel

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2025

Anne

We will be back

Really loved the restoration work, the furnishings and the history of the establishment. Bed and room very comfortable and warm.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Aug 2025

Bev

Curtains in room so dusty but everything else was amazing

8/10

Excellent

16 Aug 2025

Jason

Great place to stay a lot of history in the building. Great stay

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Aug 2025

Sue

Everything was really lovely but the drapes in the bedroom were shabby and ripped

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jul 2025

David

Glorious old hotel with great charm

8/10

Excellent

22 Jul 2025

Rhonda

It has an old world charm.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Jul 2025

Charmaine

Historic atmosphere

Was great to soak up the historic atmosphere in bars, entry and restaurants. Surprised by the pokies but guess you've got to pay the bills. Lovely room but the farthest from lift along many winding corridors. It was very quiet on the Friday night we stayed, comfy beds but chilly bathroom with horrible showerhead. Book the parking before you stay otherwise have to pay on street.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

21 Jul 2025

Rae

Enjoyable evening

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2025

Phil

Warm, quiet rooms, friendly staff!

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

14 Jul 2025

sally

Good bed. pillows need an update. Hotel needs a bit of TLC- carpet on stairs; furniture falling apart a bit;
Great showers & heated towel racks.
Hair dryer wasn't heating.
Standards have dropped from previous visit.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

11 Jul 2025

Stephanie

Even though I had a single room, there was no apparent powerpoint in which to plug the kettle into. None under the desk. I had to use the kettle in the bathroom.

The powerpoint were also flush with the carpet making it very hard to use some chargers, and they were incredible old.

4/10

Poor

10 Jul 2025

Bronwyn

Ordinary

On check-in at 5.15pm, was advised that car park was full and we would have to use street parking. At 7.15pm the same receptionist was overheard by me, directing another check in, how to access the car park.
Would've liked to have a meal in the restaurant, but on checking prices there was a charge for add on sides at approx $10 each item.
Room had no space at all. TV was in a recessed cabinet and difficult to watch. To watch tv, we had to move very uncofortable chairs to corners of the room.
When we returned to our room after having a meal elsewhere, the lift was not working, as someone hadn't closed the lift doors on another level. Reported to bar staff and was advised that they would send a staff member to rectify. After a 10 minute wait, my arthritic husband who uses a walking aid, climbed the stairs to rectify it himself.
A cup of tea would have been nice before retiring...One tea bag.
Bed was hard as a rock and the pillows have seen better days.
We have stayed at this hotel previously and have found the facilities and service was excellent, but it would appear to me that the standards have dropped.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

09 Jul 2025

Annabel

Pity we were not verbally told about the parking that needed to be booked when we had a check ph call a few days before arrival - we had not read that

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2025

Scott

.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Jul 2025

Steve

Location

Business_and_leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

07 Jul 2025

Helen

Location / ambiance / township/ restaurant

4/10

Poor

07 Jul 2025

Kristina

Disappointed!! ….where do I start?
•We stayed 7 nights at Craig’s Royal Hotel.
•Aircon thermostat obviously not working as it just kept getting hotter. We advised reception 3 times, and were told a technician would be through. That didn’t happen. We turned it off. Ballarat winter.
•Fridge in the room wasn’t working. We fixed it, as other requests were not honoured. (AIRCON)
•Going green policy!! In theory I like this, I don’t have a fresh bed or clean towels at home, and agree it is a waste of resources. IN THIS CASE going green is going MEAN. A coffee cup and wine glass for 5 days is not green, it’s grotty. Rubbish still needs to be removed, and some surfaces wiped down. When I mentioned this, I was asked why I hadn’t requested a clean. Jess did come through on one of our last days, and a true credit to the hotel.
•Crazy prices for drinks. “We serve luxury wines and spirits”, but why mix black label with coke? Large glass of wine(yummy) and scotch and coke $29.54.
•I noticed the bars and restaurant were rarely used (too pricey?), but pokies open from early until 4am. Focus is obvious.
•And the last straw, after spending copious amounts of money on parking meters I was charged $90 for parking (refunded after request).

Kristina

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2025

James

Wonderful hospitality

Leisure

6/10

Pleasant

04 Jul 2025

Casey

Staff were friendly & helpful. The main negative was paying top dollar & not getting room clean - apparently you need to tell them of this need!! It was cold in the dining room as the room was huge.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jul 2025

Catherine Grace

A wonderful old hotel, retaining the atmosphere of its glory days, but with modern amenities and a good restaurant.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2025

Greg

Loved the lift! The property was an experience in itself... surrounded by history

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

10 Jun 2025

Larry

Check-in staff unhelpful. Room was dark and claustrophobic. Lacking in PowerPoint's- had to plug in kettle near floor while on my knees !!! Definitely, in today's electronic world need more powerpoints ! Lighting was poor in room. Couldn't adjust air-conditioning! 2nd morning had no hot water. Only found out after standing in shower for 10min waiting. Went to reception, they already knew - no communication skills! It was allegedly being fixed that day. We asked for a refund for the next night (3rd of 3) and was refused. Checked ourselves out and went somewhere else. Overpriced for level of comfort and very poor customer service skills. Was really looking forward to the stay. Not recommended.

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2025

Nicholas

Historical and renovated tastefully.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2025

JOHN

Absolutely lovely. Period features but all up to date plumbing, heating etc. Staff are lovely and had lunch in the dining room atrium area. Pokies downstairs out of sight if you need them close to cinemas walking 400m up the hill and bank over the road for atm.
We’ll be back for sure. Only minus I could think of was TV a bit hidden in the cupboard. Cheers

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

24 May 2025

John

Lovely decor and historical pub. Great location in the heart of Ballarat.
My room for some reason was very nosy and I could hear people talking quite loudly for most of the night.
The other fault was my room’s temperature which was more like a sauna than a room.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2025

Brad

The staff were great, very helpful and welcoming. The hotel itself is beautiful and definitely worth touring for the history. Thankfully the pokies are tucked out of sight

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

23 May 2025

Lana

Room was extremely cold upon arrival on a wintery day and slow at warming up. (I guess stay in summer!) Air blowing out of vents all night was annoying. Also, tv wasn't working too well. We could only get picture on 3 stations.
Our dinner meal and breakfast were very good.

Business Partner