The Carlton Hotel Story

The first Carlton Hotel stood at the corner of Eloff Street and Commissioner Street in Johannesburg.

It was one of the citys earliest and most important luxury hotels. The hotel was first conceived in 1895 by mining magnate Barney Barnato, who envisioned a large, world classestablishment that would include both a hotel and a theater. His plans were delayed by his sudden death in 1897 and the outbreak of the South African War. Barnatos heirs, through the Barnato-Joel Mining Company, revived the project in 1903, although the theater component was dropped. Construction was completed, and the Carlton Hotel officially opened on 20 February 1906.

At six stories, the Carlton was considered the most luxurious hotel in Southern Africa at the time. It was equipped with a telephone in every room, an advanced feature for the early 20th century, andincluded one of the earliest forms of air conditioning. Its size, facilities, and service quickly gave it a reputation as Johannesburgs leading hotel. The second Carlton Hotel openedin 1972 as part of the Carlton Centre on Commissioner & Main Streets, but it closed in 1997 and has never reopened.