Abstract
Hotels attract a range of writings which are drawn from different disciplinary perspectives. The largest
volume of literature is contributed by hospitality management scholars, is contemporary in focus and
examines questions around the strategic management and day-to-day operations of hotels. The aim
in this paper is to address the limited focus on historical aspects of hotels and tourism development.
The analysis builds from a number of different historical documentary sources to review the
establishment and character of hotels in Johannesburg from the late 1920s to 1963. The starting date
for the analysis is the introduction of legislation which creates firm linkages of the South African hotel
industry to liquor interests; the end date is the closure of Johannesburg’s most grand and iconic hotel.
It is argued that historical research contributes a fresh dimension to hotel scholarship as well as
providing a grounded understanding of the emergence and character of the local hotel industry.