Ansonia on Lydiard Hotel

Our 30th Pearl Wedding Anniversary at Craig’s Royal Hotel will always be special to us. The Royal Suite without a balcony turned out to be a blessing: the attic room was beautifully appointed, intimate and full of old-world charm. The hotel had let us know well ahead that air-conditioning in the Royal Suite with Balcony was an issue, and GRACE, MELODY and PAUL kept us updated with real care and professionalism. We arrived to a warm welcome from ALEX. At the bar, MEL kindly added ice to my water bottle whenever we passed and shared helpful ideas for our time in Ballarat. TOM made our evenings memorable with lovely late-night drinks and genuine conversation. In the Atrium Restaurant, HEIDI and her colleague, whose name I sadly can't recall, were attentive and graceful, and the food was indulgent, beautifully presented and memorable. We were touched by the two days of breakfast and complimentary sparkling wine, with a personalised Pearl Anniversary greeting waiting in our room. Every detail felt thoughtful. Craig’s Royal Hotel, established in 1853, has grand architecture, antique furnishings and a rich history as a heritage hotel that has welcomed royalty, dignitaries and celebrated guests across generations. It's a true Ballarat icon. More than anything, its people made us feel known and cared for from the first day. We'll return for future milestones and our regular antiquing escapes to Ballarat. Thank you, with all our love, Gina & Allen.

The dinner was delicious, especially the chicken curry and salmon, and the decor gives the place beautiful character. Our room was a bit noisy, though, and looking out at a rubbish bin wasn't what we'd hoped for. Apart from that, everything was good.

The restaurant was lovely, though the orange cake was a little dry, and the service was excellent. There was heaps of after-hours parking outside. The building is magnificent and the rooms are well appointed, at a good price. Unfortunately, the air-conditioning didn't work during our two hottest nights of the year. A fan made it bearable, but it was frustrating since the hallway air-conditioning worked. We'll come back and hope it's fixed.

I've stayed here many times when visiting Ballarat and was usually a loyal customer. My room was great, but the heating wasn't working. I was told someone would sort it out, but by 5pm nobody had come. The front desk had no idea about the problem, though they did move me to another room. It had two single beds, which was a real letdown. I'm a big man and haven't slept in a single since school. There was an upgrade available, but I ended up downgraded. Unacceptable. I won't be back.