The early development of hotels in Johannesburg ca 1928-1963

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.