From its opening in November, the hotel has been swamped with visitors, according to the general manager of the Escarpment Group, Ralf Bruegger.

"On the day we were open [accommodation opened December 23], we went from zero to 100 per cent occupancy," he said. And since then, the number of overnight guests has not dropped below 94 per cent.

The venue is also averaging 200 to 220 high teas a day in the Wintergarden, the restaurant which lies beyond the famous domed casino entrance and offers stunning views over the Megalong.

The boiler house, which was originally used to generate electricity for the hotel, is serving between 350 and 420 meals a day, and the pavilion is attracting between 500 and 800 visitors daily.

The pavilion is a newly built addition to the site. It combines a coffee/lunch shop with a gift shop, plus a trip down memory lane with displays of many of the icon's old fittings and furnishings. These include chandeliers and light shades, monogrammed silver cutlery, a wicker sedan chair, vintage cash registers and even the portable wooden confessional from the hotel's very early years: guests could request it be brought to their room, along with a priest, to absolve them of their sins.

When Fairfax Media visited, many of the visitors had made special day trips from Sydney, like Betty Gilbert of Waitara, who stayed there on her honeymoon in 1957.

"It's certainly a bit different now," she said. "It's like walking into another century, isn't it?"

Others were travelling to or from the central west, including Neil Matthews and his son, David, who have a weekender in Rylstone. "We've been going up and down this road for a long time," Neil said. He recalled a time when a coffee shop in the hotel "served the most wonderful cakes".

Also travelling west were Inez Coultan and her friend, Clare Armitage. They had stopped off en route to Bathurst for lunch in the boiler house with Inez's parents. They were fascinated by the history on display in the pavilion.

Meeting in the middle for lunch were brothers Nick Maiolo, from the northern beaches, and Nathan, from Mudgee. Nathan's honey is among the local produce for sale in the pavilion.

"It's fantastic to have good food and coffee in a nice environment and the view is priceless," Nick said.

Mr Bruegger said every visitor had a story to tell about their time at the Hydro.

Some remembered the particular pattern on the carpet, others recalled the comfy couches of cat's alley. One woman in her 80s had arived with a photo album with shots of her at the hotel 60 years ago.

"They all feel they own something of the Hydro. It's part of their lives, it's part of their history."

He was not surprised at the level of interest generated but it had been rather overwhelming, he said. On just the second day he had to put up a "guests only" sign outside the Belgravia Wing, which houses the accommodation, purely to control the crowds.

Still to open are the tea house, dumpling bar and cat's alley, which should be in operation by the end of January.

"I just need to find more staff," he said. "We're still looking for staff in all areas. It's the biggest issue, finding qualified staff for hospitality - anything from chefs to waiters to housekeeping staff."

Applicants are invited to email their CVs to hr@escarpmentgroup.com.au.