Celebrating the Drouin Royal Hotel being named as providing the best casual dining in regional Victoria at the annual Australian Hotels Association awards are staff, from left, Danny Murnane (proprietor), Mark Wasteney, Majella McLeod, Cain Layland, Rachael Murnane (proprietor), head chef Danial Campbell, Bianca Grundy and Sherri Bickham.
There was plenty of excitement for the Royal Hotel at Drouin when the Australian Hotels Association's Victorian hotel of the year awards were announced recently.
Licencees Rachael and Danny Murnane and their staff at a gala dinner in Melbourne, were thrilled when their hotel was named winner of the best casual dining venue in regional Victoria.
Ms Murnane said "it was massive" for them when they heard their hotel had won.
And it wasn't the only joy for them on the night.
The Royal, as it's more widely called around the town and district, was named runner-up for the People's Choice award behind another Gippsland venue, the Star Hotel at Sale.
And The Royal also was chosen as a finalist in four other categories - hotel of the year, best parma meal of the year, best regional pub bar and for hotel pub style accommodation.
The Murnanes took over The Royal three years ago but were well known locally having operated the Commercial Hotel in Warragul for the previous 15 years.
Ms Murnane said they had not thought about the AHA awards until last year when they entered for the first time and got a taste for success by being named as one of the best 10 hotels to serve parmas on their menus.
