What used to be the Rydges Hotel has been transformed into a tranquil oasis, free of the clinical trappings of a typical hospital.

General manager Paul Myjavec yesterday took the Mercury on a tour of South Coast Private, which has breathed new life into the old building on Burelli Street.

Yesterday the vast, bright foyer, still smelling of new paint, was filled with light spilling in from the grand upper atrium.

The first floor - the building's central treatment area - has been outfitted with 12 consulting suites where psychiatrists can meet patients.

On the upper levels are 70 luxury rooms, 20 of which can be doubles, with impressive views over Wollongong, particularly from the building's southern side.

Although very much a medical facility, Mr Myjavec said South Coast Private avoided the cold, clinical feel of a traditional hospital.

The former hotel rooms, which all have Foxtel and internet access, have been updated and each has its own private bathroom.

Stunning coastal images by Illawarra photographer Dee Kramer adorn numerous walls throughout the building, while a large, spectacular photo of Kiama's Easts Beach provides a calming backdrop to the tropical-feel outdoor sitting area.

There is a gym, on-site pathology service, kitchen, dining room, lounge areas and meeting rooms.

Mr Myjavec said the facility was a fantastic addition to the Illawarra's health service landscape and, with a likely average stay of 20 days, it would take some of the burden off the stretched public system.

He said the facility offered general psychiatry and treatment for anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol issues, bipolar disorder and people with post traumatic stress disorder.

Plans were announced in 2011 to turn the Burelli Street hotel into a 90-bed private psychiatric hospital after Evolution Health Care bought the property.