Page 4 - Bulletin 21

1

THE OLD HOTELS OF CAPE TOWN 1890 – 1911:
THEIR HISTORY AND THEIR ARCHITECTURE

Mike Walker

Introduction

Cape Town’s hotel industry enjoyed an impressive period of growth from 1890 – 1911 when

many existing hotels were upgraded and new well-designed hotels graced its streets. Juta’s

1906 Directory recorded that in Cape Town there were no less than 160 hotels, taverns, inns
and bottle stores. (Fig. 1.1.)

Cape Town was the gateway to the wealth of southern Africa in diamonds, gold and

agriculture, and its seafront was the premier holiday resort for visitors, both local and

overseas. This resulted in a demand for quality hotel accommodation, both in larger and
smaller establishments. The smaller hotels also thrived on accommodation for weekly or

monthly boarders.

Architectural styles of the time: Art Nouveau

Art nouveau originated from the French (new art) and was associated with the liberal
international style which sought to raise the standard and status of visual art (where the

emphasis was placed on natural plant and flower forms), craftsmanship and architecture. Art
Nouveau became popular between 1890 – 1914 and inspired architects to design buildings

with visible adornment such as balconies, balustrades, copings, steeples, domes and

mouldings.

It was during this period that Cape Town was blessed with some of its finest architects who
adopted the art nouveau style. Examples still evident today (architect’s name in brackets) are:

Wesley-Methodist Church, Greenmarket Square and Standard Bank, Adderley Street

(Charles Freeman); Cape Town City Hall (Harry Austin Reid); Great Synagogue, Gardens
(John Parker) South African College (Franklin Kendall), and S.A. Museum (Johannes

Vixeboxse).