queens hotel sea point

This #ThrowbackThursday, we’re showcasing the Queen’s Hotel, now President’s Hotel, circa 1900.

Located on the boundary of Sea Point and Bantry Bay, the President Hotel has a long history dating back to 1766 when it was first known as the Society House. This building was created by wealthy burghers Martin Oloff Bergh and Adriaan van Schoor as a country retreat.

1766: Society House The Society House was established in 1766 for recreation and to escape Cape Town’s growing filth.

1808: Expansion In 1808, the Society House got its first neighbor, a piece of land owned by Dr. Friedrich Ludwig Liesching. Around this time, Marthinus Keet, a farmer, acquired the house and likely began planting barley in the area.

1810-1818: Sea Point House In 1810, Henry Alexander purchased and renamed it Sea Point House. By 1817, the house was advertised for accommodation, beginning its history as a seaside stayover. After Alexander’s death in 1818, the estate was subdivided, helping develop Sea Point.

1835-1880: Transition to Wentworth Hotel Justice William Menzies bought the property in 1835, transforming it into a villa with Gothic-style elements. Following Menzies’ death in 1850, the property changed hands multiple times. By 1880, J.H. Munks converted it into the Wentworth Hotel, incorporating the old Society House walls. This hotel was later demolished.

1887: Queen’s Hotel In 1887, the Queen’s Hotel, designed by G.M. Alexander and named after Queen Victoria, was completed. It became a Sea Point landmark under James Cavanagh’s ownership from 1888.

1967: President Hotel In 1967, the Queen’s Hotel was renamed the President Hotel following South Africa’s departure from the British Commonwealth.

1998: Rebuilt President Hotel On June 3, 1998, Nelson Mandela inaugurated the newly rebuilt President Hotel, now South Africa’s largest independent hotel with 351 rooms.

The President Hotel’s history reflects its evolution from a country retreat to a modern luxury hotel.

 


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