Veteran hotelier and restaurateur Steve Savic and Illawarra based business partners have acquired The Grand Hotel in Kiama and hope to transform it into a premier destination venue on the South Coast.

The group hopes to transform the iconic Kiama pub into a must-visit hotspot, leaning on the town’s recent accolade as the state’s ‘Top Large Tourist Town’. 

“We want to restore it back to what it should be, which is a stunning heritage building. There are a lot of traditional operators down the South Coast, we want to establish The Grand as a destination in its own right,” Savic said.

Locals have welcomed the transformation, with the facade recently refreshed in a coastal blue hue, drawing praise on social media.

Savic says the team plans to embrace the coastal atmosphere with park bench seating and updated branding already in place to reflect Kiama’s laid-back charm.

The new partners all have ties in the Illawarra, including Stan Crinis, owner of the popular Diggies cafes in Kiama and Wollongong.

Savic is no stranger to successful hospitality ventures. He owns the Mittagong Pub and led the transformation of Robertson Public House & Kitchen, which has become a sought-after dining venue in the Southern Highlands. 

Robertson Public House received the Australian Hotel Association's Best Restaurant Award last year and is in the running for the same accolade this year.

“We’re proud of that, we think we can build on the success of Robertson and deliver a product down here as well,” Savic says.

The Grand Hotel’s new menu will debut in the coming weeks, helmed by a chef with experience in several Chef-Hatted restaurants.

Savic and his partners acquired The Grand after it was put on the market last year for the first time in 20 years.