The Federal Boutique Hotel

The staff were great and happy to handle a few extra requests. It was a bit noisy, though that’s part of the pub atmosphere. We dropped in for a quick lunch during a roast special and got the beef and lamb combo with the usual sides. Pretty good for the price. The beef was a little dry, but the gravy helped.

The gluten-free burger buns really let the meal down. You’re paying about $4 extra for a bun that was stale and unpleasant, so I had to take it off my $34 gluten-free chicken burger. The burger filling itself was delicious, which made that even more frustrating. The venue is great, the staff are lovely, and the food is delicious. Anywho, Federal, do better with the GF buns. Your prices warrant it.

I had a friendly welcome from the staff, though I can see how hotel guests might not all get the same attention when the pub is the main focus. Finding the entrance was confusing before the 2pm check-in: maps took me to a closed hotel door, but you can go around the block and enter through the pub, which opens at midday. The room was clean and cheaper than others nearby, but don’t expect high quality. There’s a ventilator, no aircon, and the room smelled a bit sticky. The rooms are attached to a pub and sports bar with nightly events and daily food deals. I knew the atmosphere going in and was fine with it. There was a general buzz, then things quieted down after 10-11pm. Earplugs are provided, and they enforce the no smoking or vaping rule.

Rachel took care of us on the night and kept everything running smoothly. Our whole group had a great time, and the atmosphere suited a big end-of-year celebration perfectly. We booked The Federal for our gym’s Christmas party and found it really easy to arrange a large group booking. They didn’t put us through the strict requirements we’ve encountered at many other pubs, which we appreciated. We’ll definitely consider The Federal Hotel again for next year’s party. Highly recommend!