Criterion Hotel Rockhampton

We came for dinner at 5:30pm while there were still plenty of tables, though it soon got busy. The ribs were soft and nice, and most of the food was cooked well. The steak was dry, but the kids' nuggets and chips were served at a good temperature, not piping hot. Ordering through the QR app added a public holiday surcharge, which staff reimbursed after we asked. At the bar, though, the two young people serving drinks need to improve their service. There was no smile, greeting, or thanks.

The pub looks cool, and it wasn't too busy when we went for beers and dinner. The beers were cold and delicious, and my wife's salmon was hot and she liked it. My medium steak came out cold, very well done, hard and leathery. The potato bake was cold too, though tasty, and the vegetables were decent. It took ages for the meal to arrive despite there being only about six people in the restaurant, so my food seemed to have sat under the heat lamp for a long time. I regret not asking for another meal. I left feeling ripped off and disappointed, and won't be back.

I've only just checked in, so I'll rate the rooms in a couple of days. For now, I can say the food was faultless: a cold Guinness and a perfect rack of ribs. It seemed good value, and all the staff were friendly and happy.

The building has a lovely, charming feel, and the staff were fantastic. We stayed in room 21 from Christmas Eve through to 28 January. The room was clean and what we paid for, though the bed wasn't especially comfortable; it didn't cause us a problem. We ate there on two nights and loved the main meals. Drinks and food were reasonably priced, and the atmosphere was great. The sticky date desserts on our last night were both dry, but still tasted OK and we enjoyed them.