You're killin' it, Thomas. Nice one. I'd say only the most avid of Hamilton historians know this building. It's rarely ever mentioned in the same breath with the Connaught or the Waldorf or even the King George.
Of note, the Royal was built in 1857 for the astronomical sum of $1,000,000. It was the premier hotel in the city and likely much farther afield - I mean, just look at it! Over the years, however, it feel into disrepair and by the time it burnt to the ground in 1935 it was more of a flop-house than a 5-star hotel.
For those who are unfamiliar with the old street grid, this is roughly what it looked like:
Key:
red line = Merrick st
blue = York st
green = Market st
orange = Park st
yellow = MacNab st
Red star = the Royal Hotel
Orange star = the Arcade/ Eaton's
Darker blue = old City Hall
Lighter blue = the farmer's market