About Berida Hotel
Why Choose us
This is not your typical hotel
Originally built as a home in 1925 and extended throughout the years, Berida is not your typical hotel, it is filled with history, charm and unique features at every turn.
With recently restored and fully air-conditioned hotel rooms, our popular restaurant Bistro Sociale, stunning guest lounge with open fire place, games room, conference facilities, and a local produce store, Berida Hotel is the perfect venue for your next weekend escape, romantic getaway, social engagement or corporate event.
History
Proud of our heritage
In 1906 Dr Jessie Strahorn Aspinall was appointed the position of the first female junior resident officer at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. After meeting Ambrose William Freeman and having four children (William, Chantel, Ambrose and Helen), Dr Freeman built the main section of the Hotel as their country home in 1925 but donated ‘Berida’ and the three acres of land to the Red Cross in 1941 after her husband passed away.
The Red Cross opened Berida as a repatriation hospital during and after the war until 1950 and later operated as the Junior Red Cross Children’s retreat.
In 1977 the Alex Norton Group turned the property into a Health retreat and partnered with Margaret Fulton. Margaret Fulton (Australian Culinary Icon) designed calorie controlled diets, a resident physician kept tabs on the guests and the sports complex and the tennis courts. It was during this time that extra wings were built and utilised as conference rooms.
In 1990 the Manor relinquished the idea of a health retreat and became a beautiful Motel with wonderful facilities. Originally built as an Old English Manor the charm has only increased over the years as the expansion of the homestead has become the first choice for many when visiting Bowral NSW.
Over the past twenty-five years Berida was proudly owned and managed by three separate families. Each family played an important role in the community and each focused on upholding the reputation of the Manor.
In early 2016 “Berida Manor” was purchased by local Hotelier family, The Duffy Family, and with that came a new name for the old Manor, to Berida Hotel. With the aim to restore the Hotel to its former glory, we have spent the past 18 months renovating, restoring and refurbishing the building to create a warm and comfortable space for our guests.