About Vrede Hotel

Lose yourself in the heart of the Eastern Free State,  surrounded by corn crops and grain fields at the foot of the Drakensberg mountains, in a place so rich with history but which offers all the modern comforts to its visitors.  The peaceful town of Vrede welcomes You!

The hotel in Vrede was originally established in 1887 and has undergone numerous restorations, various names and several owners in its lifetime.

The original double story building, the Hotel Union, provided accommodation for 40 guests and 50 horses because horses with carriages was the primary mode of transport in the 19th century. The hotel boasted with a spacious dining room, two lounges, 'n cigar lounge and a billard table. The hotel's other "claim to fame" was their Italian chef and two British barmen.

In the early 1900's the hotel was renamed the Hotel Grand. At this stage the hotel could offer 30 guest hot and cold running water in communal bathrooms. Guests could also park their vehicles in one of four lockable garages.

 

Years later the hotel became the Balmoral and in 1968 the building was destroyed in a rampaging fire. The Balmoral was rebuilt as a smaller, single story hotel which was operating as a hotel well into the new millennium with some of the rooms being converted into apartments for permanent tenants.

In 2011  after more than 2 years of restoration and repairs the hotel was reopened as Vrede Hotel.The modern hotel was restored to its formal glory as a double story building with 24 guest rooms which can accommodate more than 50 guests. Vrede Hotel is a family driven business with years of combined experience in the hospitality industry. With an in-house events coordinator, qualified chef and staff compliment of 25 members the Vrede Hotel manages many small and large functions on a daily basis.

In order to provide our guests with a complete banqueting or corporate package, Horses & Carriages, a variety of Vintage Cars and a 4x4 shuttle bus are available for hire. Use of a nearby farm can also be arranged for photographic and/ or team building purposes.