Bermagui Beach Hotel and the neighbouring Beachview Motel have been snapped up by Epochal Hotels, in an off-market sale.
Yannis Gantner has sold the beachside pub to Epochal Hotels after almost a decade of ownership. The sale, brokered by JLL’s Kate MacDonald, is expected to settle later this month.
Bermagui Beach Hotel was acquired by Melbourne-born Yannis Gantner and his wife Claire more than eight years ago as they embarked on a sea change. Taking on the freehold first, before continuing into the leasehold, Gantner began one of the most celebrated transformations for a trading pub in NSW.
The hotel boasts a combined land size (including the neighbouring motel) of over 3,000 sqm* along Lamont Street opposite Horseshoe Bay. The sale includes 12 GMEs, 17 boutique accommodation rooms, a fully renovated two-bedroom apartment, and three motel suites. The public bar and balcony face north capturing uninterrupted water views over Horseshoe Bay.
Epochal Hotels CEO Glenn Piper was drawn to Bermagui’s raw beauty, community warmth and laid-back rhythm, qualities that align with the group’s values.
“There’s a magnetic energy in Bermagui – it’s one of those rare places that captures your heart the moment you arrive. We’ve fallen in love with the town and its community, and we’re honoured to continue the legacy that the previous owner Yannis Gantner has cultivated so thoughtfully. It’s a privilege to be part of the next chapter for this much-loved venue,” stated Piper.
Gantner said he cherished his time at the pub, but that it was time to move on to other projects.
“Growing the Bermagui Beach Hotel over the past eight years has been a real joy and privilege. It’s now time for me to prioritise my family and other ventures. I have full confidence that Epochal Hotels will continue the custodianship of this iconic venue”.
A destination venue
Piper told Australian Hotelier that the Bermagui Beach Hotel fit into Epochal Hotels’ ethos of looking for coastal, destination venues.
“The accessibility for Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, that was definitely something that made me comfortable with the area; the fact that it’s such a well frequented destination by all of those cities during all year round, but particularly through summer.
“Also while the pub is the beating heart of the town, the whole township is quite vibrant and there are different offerings throughout, from food and beverage to boutique stores, a golf course, you’ve got a beautiful beach, some of the best fishing in the country, an amazing blue pool – all within a square kilometre. So it’s very unique place.”
The Beachview Motel offer also made the Bermagui Beach Hotel acquisition appealing, in the hunt for a full-service destination venue.
“Epochal Hotels is definitely targeting be a destination brand that’s somewhere you can enjoy world-class food and beverage, music, entertainment, but then also have the ability to stay within the venue or next to the venue. So accommodation is a very important part,” stated Piper.
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MacDonald commended Gantner on his stewardship of such a singular pub.
“Finding large-format coastal assets located in single-pub towns opposite the beach, where you can watch whales migrating whilst enjoying fresh produce off the local fishing boat, are next to impossible to find and are always keenly sought after by the market. Yannis and his family have created a unique and very special offering which aligns perfectly with Epochal’s brand and operational approach. We look forward to watching the evolution of the venue.”
Epochal Hotels will take on some light enhancements of the Bermagui Beach Hotel, including increasing the capacity of the waterfront drinking and dining area.
Bermagui Beach Hotel joins the Epochal Hotels portfolio, which includes other coastal pubs such as Harbord Hotel on Sydney’s Northern Beaches; The Beach Hotel Merewether, in Newcastle; and Scarborough Hotel in Wollongong.