Hotel Corones

The drinks were decent, and one server did apologize, but I won't be back. We waited nearly 20 minutes just to order, and getting anyone's attention was a struggle all evening. The rib fillet arrived lukewarm and bland, and the presentation was sloppy. Other meals at the table were overcooked, cold, bland, or never came out. For those prices, I expected much better. The room was uncomfortably quiet, and the seating felt cramped, so it wasn't the relaxing evening I'd hoped for. This was easily my worst restaurant experience, far below expectations. There are too many better options around.

That grand old place has amazing architecture and is worth a look. The bar must have been incredible in its day. After a couple of long days on the road, we stopped for a cold one and a counter meal. The beer was ice cold, the food was a good country pub feed, and the staff were friendly.

We were down at Marree, and both the Oodnadatta and Strezlecki tracks are now closed. From our current destination, we couldn't physically travel all the way around inland New South Wales via Broken Hill to Birdsville in time for the booking. The hotel was unwilling to give us a refund. We tried calling several times beforehand, but had no answer or coverage in remote Australia. We were trying to support an inland local business, and they made this decision, while other businesses in South Australia have been very accommodating.

The pub's history is well worth hearing about. You can book a tour that takes you through areas usually locked to visitors, and I'd recommend doing it. It was once the place to stay in the West and has hosted PMs, royalty, and celebrities. Built in 1929 by Harry Corones, a Greek immigrant who arrived in Sydney with a suitcase and no English, it's heritage listed and has been restored as close to its original state as possible. The bar has the largest continuous top in the southern hemisphere, since the one in Muldura was divided up. Service is friendly, and it's a shame the ballroom has become a bottlemart. The restaurant opens only in autumn, winter, and spring, so it's closed at the moment. Pop in for a drink and a look around.