Royal Marine Hotel, Hunter's Quay

Royal Marine Hotel, Hunter's Quay

Thomas Lennox Watson designed this hotel in 1888, with later alterations. It is a substantial asymmetrical building of 2 storeys with attic, comprising a main 6-bay English Domestic style block with a 3-storey, single-bay entrance tower positioned to the right, and further single-storey gabled blocks with attics adjoined to the outer right and left sides (the left block set at an angle). The construction is predominantly tooled rubble with cream sandstone ashlar dressings; whitewash with half-timbering appears to the gableheads, and red tile-hanging in part. A base course runs across, with overhanging timber bracketed eaves. Sandstone quoins and long and short surrounds frame the openings, with sandstone mullions, transoms, and chamfered cills throughout.

The entrance elevation groups the principal 6-bay block as 1-2-3 bays. A 2-bay gabled projection offset to the left of centre has steps leading to a round-arched, columnar entrance at ground to the right, with a part-glazed timber door. To the left at ground is a tripartite window. The 1st floor steps out with two 6-light glazing rows flanking the centre, and two 3-light glazing rows in the stepped gablehead above. Bipartite windows at ground and 1st floors appear in a recessed bay to the left, with a catslide dormer above. A 3-bay range recessed to the right of the entrance carries large windows in all bays at ground. A full-width, depressed-arched columnar verandah with balustraded balcony fronts this range, with large mullioned and transomed windows aligned at 1st floor. Four-light glazing rows appear in two gabled dormerheads to the left, and a small gabled dormer to the right.

The square-plan entrance tower adjoins to the right with a shallow canted projection at ground and 1st floors. A pedimented doorpiece is centred at ground with a segmental-arched opening and timber panelled door, flanked by small windows. A 5-light canted window occupies the 1st floor, with a dated panel above. A depressed-arched tripartite window in a square-headed opening sits at 2nd floor level, with a plain parapet above.

A lower gabled block recessed to the outer right has two single windows at ground and a full-width glazing row above, fronted by a depressed-arched columnar verandah with balustraded balcony; an overhanging gablehead caps the structure. A lower gabled block set at an angle to the outer left features a 4-light canted window centred at ground and a 5-light glazing row above, with a projecting window recessed to the right.

The north side elevation shows a single-storey block with basement and attic, 4 bays wide to the left with an off-set door at ground and single windows flanking it, topped by a box dormer. The principal block sits behind with various additions to the right.

Windows throughout are predominantly plate glass timber sashes with stained and leaded uppers in some cases and decorative stained glass in others; some modern windows are present. The roof is of red tile with terracotta ridging and timber bargeboards. Rubble ridge and apex stacks occur throughout, with a tall sandstone wallhead stack to the front and various circular cans.

Adjoining to the south-east is a single-storey lodge with attic, comprising a 2-bay section adjoining a 2-storey, 3-bay block. The lodge displays whitewash with half-timbering and red tile-hanging in part. The north-east front elevation shows a gable end to the left with a modern window centred in the gablehead, and an opening at ground recessed to the right. A regularly fenestrated 3-bay block recesses to the left. The north-west side elevation has a projecting gable end with a canted window at ground and a 3-light glazing row centred above. The lodge carries a red tile roof with terracotta ridging and coped sandstone stack, while the adjoining block has a grey slate roof with kneelered skews.

A piend-roofed former telegraph and post office, dating from approximately 1888-89, adjoins the wall to the left of the south gatepiers. It is built of brick painted black and white, with a segmental arched opening to the front (now blocked) and a doorway to the left. A Queen Victoria wall post box of type 'A' from the 1880s, with moulded pale brick surround, is set in the wall to the left.

The site is enclosed by rubble-coped rubble walls to the front, with circular-plan rubble gatepiers flanking the entrance to the north and south (the south left pier is missing). The piers are topped with conical caps supporting surmounting lamps.