About

Overview & Vibe

Craig’s Royal Hotel has stood on Lydiard Street since 1862, built on the site of Ballarat’s first licensed pub and a goldfields landmark ever since — Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, stayed in 1867 and Dame Nellie Melba sang from the balcony in 1908. After a five-year restoration it runs as a boutique heritage hotel, and a wedding here is a Victorian-era grand hotel wedding: high ceilings, gilt mirrors, ornate wallpapers and a staircase built to be photographed.

Setting & Style

Four function rooms, each with a different character. The Grand Dining Room is the reception space — late-19th-century Empire style, seating 110 with room for a dance floor, hung with mirrors gifted to the hotel after it hosted a recruitment ball in 1865. The Prince’s Room was prepared for royalty in 1867 and suits ceremonies, cocktail receptions and intimate seated dinners. The Reading Room is a split-level room with a balcony over Her Majesty’s Theatre. The Cellar is bluestone and timber underneath it all. Bentleys sits in the oldest 1860s part of the building.

Ideal For

Couples who want heritage grandeur in the middle of a regional city, with guests able to sleep upstairs — and smaller weddings especially, since the rooms range from an intimate dinner to 110 seated.

The Need-to-Knows

Three wedding packages, all per person: Classic $145 (three-hour standard drinks, set three-course menu, no alternate serve); Elegant $180 (four-hour standard drinks, two-course alternate serve); Diamond $260 (five-hour premium drinks including spirits, 45 minutes of canapés, three-course alternate serve and cakeage).
An additional 15% applies on public holidays. Cakeage is $6.50 per person if not already included in the chosen package.
Accommodation is part of the wedding package: a complimentary night’s stay on the wedding day, or the option to return on the first anniversary. The hotel has 35 rooms and a Royal suite.
Included: a dedicated wedding reception coordinator on the day, setup of small personal items, white table linen and serviettes, gift table, cake table and cutting knife, cutting and serving of the cake, table numbers, a microphone and lectern, and staff greeting and directing guests.
Beverage and food package prices are not published — the pack lists three-, four- and five-hour drinks packages and canapé, alternate-serve and cocktail menus with the price column deliberately blank, directing couples to the functions manager. Only the wedding packages and High Tea ($75 per adult, $30 per child) carry figures.
Cocktail events are catered for 10 to 150 people.

Standout Feature

A 160-year-old gold-rush grand hotel where the wedding package includes the room upstairs.

Amenities

Built 1862
Heritage Listed Character
Four Function Rooms
Grand Dining Room
Prince's Room
Reading Room
Bluestone Cellar
Bentleys Room
Balcony Over Her Majesty's Theatre
Empire Style Interiors
Gilt Mirrors
Ornate Ceilings
Dance Floor Space
In-House Catering
Bar
On-Site Accommodation
35 Hotel Rooms
Royal Suite
Wedding Coordinator
Microphone And Lectern
White Table Linen Included
Cake Table And Knife Included
In-House AV Equipment
High Tea Service
Ballarat CBD Location

Ceremony Setting

indoor
heritage
ballroom
cellar
balcony

Dietary Options Supported

Dietary Requirements Catered

Nearby Landmarks

Her Majesty's Theatre – Directly opposite, viewed from the Reading Room balcony
Lydiard Street – Ballarat's heritage streetscape, the hotel's address
Ballarat CBD – The hotel stands in the centre of town
Art Gallery of Ballarat – A short walk along Lydiard Street
Sovereign Hill – Ballarat's gold-rush open-air museum
Lake Wendouree – The city's lake and gardens
Ballarat Railway Station – Two minutes away on Lydiard Street

On Site Accommodation

35 hotel rooms and a Royal suite, with a complimentary wedding-night stay included in the package

Price Notes

The prices below come from the hotel's function and wedding pack, which carries no expiry date and was authored in late 2024, so confirm the figures when you enquire.
Wedding packages, per person: Classic $145, Elegant $180, Diamond $260. A further 15% applies on public holidays, and cakeage is $6.50 per person unless your package includes it.
Beverage and food package prices are deliberately not published. The pack lists welcome drinks and three-, four- and five-hour beverage packages, along with six-, seven- and eight-canapé packages, two- and three-course alternate-serve menus, and cocktail events at three, five or seven canapés a head — but no price against any of them. The hotel asks you to speak to its functions and events manager for current pricing.
The only other priced item is high tea: $75 per adult and $30 per child, including sparkling wine or orange juice on arrival, a selection of T2 teas and plunger coffee, and five petits fours.
Accommodation is included in the wedding package — a complimentary night either on your wedding day or on your first anniversary, with a farmer's platter, a bottle of Mumm champagne and early check-in.
Wedding day inclusions: a dedicated wedding reception coordinator on the day, set-up of small personal items, white table linen and serviettes, a gift table, a cake table and cutting knife, cutting and serving of your cake (at $6.50 per person unless your package covers it), table numbers, a microphone and lectern, and staff to greet and direct your guests on arrival.

Price Per Head

From $145 p/head

Visit in person

Contact

Website: craigsroyal.com.au
Phone: (03) 5331 1377
Address: 10 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat VIC 3350, Australia

10 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat VIC 3350, Australia Open in Maps