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LOCATION
In the heart of historic Ballarat and walking distance to Ballarat Fine Art Gallery and Her Majesty’s Theatre. Approximately 20 minutes’ drive from Ballarat airport and 70 minutes’ drive from Melbourne.

DETAILS
Royal delegates and British notaries have made Craig’s Royal Hotel the stately inn of choice while on tour in Ballarat, and it’s not hard to see why. Originally opened in 1853, the boutique Hotel’s impressive 19th Century features abound from the etched stone exterior to individually decorated rooms that feature floral wallpaper, four poster beds and dark timber panelling. A careful and painstaking renovation, completed over a six year period, has restored the hotel to all its former glory. Guests will find a range of fully restored event spaces rich with history, antique design flourishes and the legacy of many a noteworthy guest.

FUNCTION DETAILS
Delight at the unique features of each function space, which can each be matched to suit your event size, style and mood. High ceilings and intricate crystal chandeliers characterise the elegant Grand Dining Room, a large space suitable for social meetings and weddings of up to 140 seated and 200 standing guests. Rich burgundy carpeting, a panelled ceiling and traditionally dressed windows are key features of the Prince’s Room, which can host 100 cocktail guests and 60 for a sit-down event. For private dining, opt for the Reading Room for up to 50 guests seated and 70 standing, or the warmth of the underground Bluestone Cellar surrounded by exposed brickwork and timber for 30 seated guests or 50 cocktail style. The Bath Lane Boardroom, equipped with modern AV facilities and climate control, is also available for meetings and interviews for up to 10 people.

WEDDINGS
Weddings intimate or grand in scale will find the right space at Craig’s to create an occasion meaningful and memorable for the wedding party and guests alike. To ease the stress of the big day, weddings can be held entirely on-site. Use the hotel’s accommodation to set up bride and groom’s separate dressing rooms and host the ceremony and reception in any of the hotel’s function spaces. Once the party is all done and dusted guests can rest up in one of Craig’s many beautiful bedrooms, while newlyweds can retreat to a historic honeymoon suite. Seated, cocktail and beverage packages are also available.

ACCOMMODATION
Craig’s 41 boutique rooms are a marriage of old world style and modern amenities. Though the individually decorated rooms’ palatial antiquity belies the presence of mod cons, each is in fact equipped with air conditioning, high-speed internet access and cable television. Marble-fitted bathrooms stock luscious products from French toiletries brand L’Occitane, asserting guests’ affair with luxury during their stay.

FOOD & BEVERAGE
Craig’s gourmet dining options are as much a part of the experience as the luxurious building and rooms themselves. Head chef Philippe Desrettes teams regional produce with a flair for hearty bistro dishes to all function menus, which range from traditional high tea afternoons to cocktail soirees and intimate dinner parties. Seated lunches and dinners (from $59 per person) take a cue from the Gallery Bistro’s French-inspired dishes – an entrée of house cured ocean trout, asparagus, orange and olive salad might be followed by a main courses of caramelised pork, roasted kipfler, dutch carrot, beetroot and salsa verde, finished with cherry clafoutis with coconut ice cream. Cocktail events, beginning at $25 per person, select from a list of hot and cold canapés – delicious asparagus and parmesan tartlets with tomato chutney, arrancini of duck, peas, parmesan and truffle oil, and grilled lamb cutlets with a dukkah crust for longer events. Tiered china platters at afternoon tea events, starting from $49.50 per person, offer guests bite-sized smoked salmon, dill and caper sandwiches, beef and mushroom pithiviers, and petits fours of dark chocolate truffles and soft nougat.