Rockpools 3

We came to Sawtell for a day trip over Easter with a group of 11, and had been told to try this Hotel for lunch. Glad we did. Service was friendly, and everyone at the table enjoyed their food. A few of us had the steak special, which was a highlight: a good quality cut, cooked just how we asked, and great value for the price. Even with a group our size, everything arrived in good time. It made for an easy, enjoyable lunch, and we'd happily return.

We were visiting for a week and picked this hotel for trivia night, which was fine. The rest of the night was a disaster. They had no Verdelho or Pinot Gris, and the staff had never heard of Verdelho. The cheapest bottle was $44, while a large glass cost $17.50. We switched to Great Northern on tap, only to find the keg had run out, with no indication of when another might arrive. When we ordered fish and chips, staff said it came with nothing else, so we added an $8 serve of vegetables. The meal arrived with salad anyway, making those veggies not really necessary. Thankfully, most of the other meals got a positive response. The trivia screen near us kept blacking out, which put us at a considerable disadvantage. The hostess apologized, but apparently the same problem had happened the previous week too. We certainly won't return, and I'd suggest others choose more wisely than we did.

Good value for a hotel, with a lively pub downstairs and friendly staff. The room was small, but quite suitable for the price. Bathrooms are shared, and there's a common area with tea and a great view of the roadway. The music downstairs did keep us up, though. It played too late for a Wednesday night.

This is our local, and I can't complain. The service is friendly, the food is better than your average pub, and the menu changes with the seasons. There's a good range on tap, including Brookvale Union Ginger Beer and a few other non-beer choices.