Earlier this week (Wednesday, October 3), close friends, dignitaries, long-standing guests and members of the opening team of Southern Sun’s iconic hotel, 54 on Bath, gathered to celebrate its 25th year of operation.
The hotel, known as The Grace, was originally opened in 1997 by the Brand Family as an independent hotel.
Speaking at the event, Chippy Brand, took guests down memory lane, fondly remembering the opening of the hotel – which was modelled on a stately old-London manor house and designed by renowned architect Guy Steenekamp – in 1997.
The striking red-brick building is a landmark on the corner of Bath and Tyrwhitt Avenues in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Rosebank.
The Brands sold the property 20 years later in 2007 and it closed in 2011 before Southern Sun acquired it in 2012 and invested R110 million (€6.4m) to completely overhaul the hotel and transform it into a luxury boutique hotel with 75 rooms.
The refurbishment was undertaken by David Muirhead Interiors, which restored many of the hotel’s original furniture items and introduced complementary new pieces in a fusion of art-deco chic. In tribute to The Grace, items such as the original Tinus de Jongh painting in reception remain as key features at the hotel today.
Marcel von Aulock, CEO of Southern Sun said: “We’ve been careful to maintain the hotel’s unique character, offering a signature blend of hospitality, luxury and service in a classic setting. Over the years we’ve had the pleasure of hosting guests ranging from royalty to statesmen, to those celebrating special occasions, to business travellers – many of whom return because 54 on Bath is a special hotel in a class of its own – and we look forward to welcoming them for decades to come.”
He told Tourism Update the celebration was particularly meaningful given the challenges during the pandemic. It was also the first Johannesburg property bought by the group.
The recent reopening of the hotel’s Lobby Lounge Bar, known for serving fine whiskies, represented a return to the hotel’s full suite of offerings following its temporary closure during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
