Seeking financial stability, two American friends, Hanna and Liv, find work at The Royal Hotel, a weathered pub in the remote Australian Outback. Immersed in a world of tough locals and unforgiving landscapes, they quickly discover that their new jobs come with unexpected challenges and a complex web of relationships. As they navigate their surroundings, the adventure they’ve embarked on proves to be far more complicated than they initially anticipated.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of The Royal Hotel (2023), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Two adventurous American backpackers, Hanna and Liv, find themselves exploring the vast landscapes of Australia. After depleting their finances during an exciting time in Sydney, they seize an opportunity presented by an employment agency to work as bartenders at the Royal Hotel, a pub located in a secluded Outback mining town. Upon arriving at their new workplace, they encounter the pub’s owner, Billy, along with his wife Carol, who also takes charge as the pub’s chef.
Their initial shift is filled with chaos as they host a lively farewell party for the previous bartenders, Jules and Cassie, who are also tourists from England. During this time, the two women meet a variety of regular patrons. However, [Hanna]‘s sense of unease grows as she faces the rampant sexism and derogatory behavior exhibited by the predominantly male customers. While [Liv] sees this as merely a shock to their cultural system, [Hanna] struggles against it.
The following day, [Jules] and [Cassie] are given a ride back to town by the enigmatic local named Dolly. Matty, a young patron who previously showed interest in both [Hanna] and [Liv], pays them a visit, which leads to an outing at a nearby swimming spot where [Hanna] begins to form a connection with him. However, they soon observe the strained relationship between [Billy] and [Carol], learning that [Billy] has fallen several months behind on payment to deliveryman Tommy, much to [Carol]‘s distress.
That night, while [Liv] sleeps, [Hanna] must fend off [Matty]‘s advances, and the following morning he apologizes. As the days pass, [Hanna] continues to endure ongoing harassment and microaggressions from the customers, while [Liv] finds herself more accepted among the regulars due to her carefree demeanor. The situation takes a turn when [Liv] begins to neglect work duties, spending her time drinking with [Teeth] and befriending the locals.
One fateful evening, while [Hanna] is left to handle the bar alone, [Dolly]’s drunken aggression towards her escalates until [Billy] is compelled to remove him from the premises. Although shaken by the incident, [Liv] dismisses [Hanna]‘s concerns about [Dolly]. Things take a peculiar twist when a snake infiltrates their living quarters, prompting [Dolly] to offer assistance in retrieving it. However, the next morning reveals [Dolly] has left a dead snake in a jar with [Hanna]‘s name on it, causing further distress.
After [Hanna] insists on quitting and confronting [Billy] about their unpaid wages, a heated argument leads [Billy] to injure himself after a drunken fall, resulting in [Carol] driving him to the nearest hospital. Before leaving, [Carol] tells the girls she’s taken some money to cover debts, instructing them to maximize their earnings and depart when the bus arrives in two days.
On their final night, [Hanna] organizes a birthday celebration for [Liv]. However, trouble arises when [Hanna] learns from [Teeth] that [Liv] has left with [Dolly]. A desperate [Hanna] intervenes by slashing a tire on [Dolly]‘s car with an axe in a bid to keep her friend safe. The night ends with tension and arguments between the girls after they return to the pub, leading to a chaotic morning where [Hanna] discovers [Dolly] and [Matty] have broken in.
In the ensuing struggle, [Hanna] is injured while trying to protect [Liv] from the men, who are determined to take her away. However, [Liv], realizing her friend’s plight, makes a bold escape from [Dolly]. Chaos erupts when [Teeth] crashes into [Dolly]’s vehicle, defending [Liv]. As the scene unfolds, the girls resort to smashing liquor bottles in the pub, and in the final act of defiance, [Hanna] ignites the Royal Hotel in flames. They walk away together, silently reflecting on the raging fire behind them, leaving behind the turmoil they endured.
Last Updated: October 24, 2024 at 09:19
Still wondering what the ending of The Royal Hotel (2023) really means? Here’s a spoiler-heavy breakdown of the final scene, major twists, and the deeper themes that shape the film’s conclusion.
Once Hanna sets the hotel on fire, her act symbolizes her rejection of the hostile, misogynistic world that allowed such horrors to happen. The destruction of the hotel is not just physical; it represents the end of an era of abuse, exploitation, and unchecked cruelty inflicted by the townspeople and the men running the place. As the flames consume the building, Hanna and Liv walk away from the chaos, signifying their refusal to remain part of a world that tolerates such brutality and misogyny. The fire becomes a powerful act of liberation and rebellion, letting go of their trauma and reclaiming their agency. The film closes with Hanna and Liv leaving the wreckage behind, as the hotel burns in the background, emphasizing that some places, and the evil they harbor, need to be destroyed for a new beginning. The ending leaves a haunting impression that justice and healing can only be achieved by confronting and eradicating the darkness within the environment that perpetuated it.
Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:44
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