She said she chatted with Harry a couple of times over the evening and he told her he was enjoying New Zealand, although his full schedule meant he was a bit tired."
"He's lovely, he's just a really nice, down to earth, lovely guy," Ms Coats said.
"Just normal, no pretension."
There were however, overalls-clad police examining the fire extinguisher upstairs in the hotel late in the afternoon, and more police searching in cupboards, under chairs and elsewhere for bombs.
Rumours circulated that Harry intended to turn up for an evening not included in his itinerary, and about 6.30pm, there he was, strolling down Elgin Tce towards the local.
Coats - a woman with no shortage of tattoos, a whistle, and a full-on attitude - posted a picture of her and Prince Harry on Facebook, with the caption: "Why do I have my finger up his nose?"
Toning down the night would not have given him the real experience. The Prince "seemed to enjoy himself", Ms Coats said, and she had a few chats with him during the two hours he spent at the pub.
British reporter Emily Nash, of The Sun, tweeted that the night was hilarious. "Prince Harry's team was beaten in the pub quiz by his bodyguards."
Yesterday was the second day of Harry's NZ visit, and he charmed his way into the hearts of many southerners.
Earlier in the day, he first visited Invercargill, where at the museum he met his namesake Henry, a tuatara more than 110 years old.
After flying to Stewart Island, he went straight to the community centre. About 80 members of community groups were inside to meet him, and 100 others were outside to catch a glimpse. The groups accounted for roughly half the island's population.
There, he tried his hand at shucking oysters, and handed one to an admirer to taste.
One of the youngest members in the crowd was 12-year-old Angus Kenny, who is a member of the Stewart Island Bowls Club.
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Meeting the Prince was "pretty cool", he said.
"He's more down-to-earth than I thought he would be."
While there, Harry had the opportunity to try his hand at shucking oysters, and he handed one to a member of the crowd to have a taste.
From there, the Prince was whisked off to one of the country's most spectacular remote islands - the pest-free Ulva Island.
The sanctuary is home to native plants and wildlife, and it was not long before he was greeted by a weka.
"There are birds here that are unique to this island?" Harry asked Department of Conservation rangers. "Wow, that's something."
The Prince was given a guided tour of part of the island, stopping to learn how to set a rat trap and to meet members of the Ulva Island Charitable Trust.
"Stewart Island has attracted a lot of important people, but having Prince Harry here is just really special," senior ranger Dale Chittenden said.
"It's not often people get the opportunity to get out into an environment like this, so we're very fortunate that someone of his profile has come here to help showcase what's here."
The Prince also met members of a family which has owned a portion of the island for almost a century, joking that the two sisters at the end of the family line would have to "fight it out" to claim ownership.
He described them as being "very lucky" to lay claim to a part of the world as picturesque as Ulva Island.
This morning, Harry will spend time with the students and staff of Stewart Island's Halfmoon Bay School.
Prince Harry's visit
Saturday, May 9: Wellington
• Arriving in New Zealand, greeted by Governor-General at Government House.
• Visiting the National War Memorial and Anzac Square.
• Attending Hurricanes vs Sharks Super 15 rugby match, Westpac Stadium.
May 10-11: Stewart Island
• Meeting locals and travelling to Ulva Island, a Department of Conservation open island sanctuary.
Today's itinerary
• 9.30am: Prince Harry visits Halfmoon Bay School on Stewart Island.
• 10.45am: Prince Harry departs Stewart Island for private time.
May 12: Christchurch
• Visiting the Quake City exhibition, mall, and meeting student volunteers from Canterbury University.
May 13: Palmerston North
• Visiting Linton Military Camp. He is to be taught the Army's haka.
