Wouter de Jager

Anyone recognise this abandoned (once-classy) glassy tower in the heart of Johannesburg CBD? It was once the largest 5-star hotel on the #African continent with 800 rooms - Johannesburg Southern Sun Hotel and Towers. Fun facts about the hotel in its hay day: 🏨 The hotel had a public library. 🏨 They employed approx. 750 permanent staff. 🏨 The Miss World Contest was hosted here twice. 🏨 Guests arriving at the airport could be picked up by the hotel’s Mercedes Benz or BMW VIP stretch limousine on request. 🏨 They were the first hotel in #SouthAfrica to have the tech where you could pull up your room account onto your hotel room’s TV. 🏨 There was a dedicated floor for single ladies that had a more feminine decor, special toiletries in the bathroom and more security. 🏨 Suki Hama restaurant opened here originally, it was the first traditional Japanese restaurant to open in Johannesburg - they had 8 chefs from Tokyo working here. 🏨 There were over 1000 computer terminals, printers and processors in the hotel. The hotel hired full-time trainers to teach the staff how to use the computers. 🏨 Design: SKM Architects 🏨 Contractor: Grinaker-LTA 🏨 Construction began: 1982 🏨 Interior Designer: Mr Lionel Levin 🏨 Hotel grand opening: March 1986 🏨 Construction Cost: R125 000 000 🏨 Location: 204 Rahima Moosa St, #Johannesburg MORE ABOUT THE SMALLER TOWER: The last guests to walk the corridors of the Johannesburg Southern Sun #Hotel and Towers was in the late 1990’s. There are two towers that are connected with a pool-deck. The 20-floor Tollman Tower - this is the smaller tower - was originally operated by Stanley Tollman. This tower was purchased by Sol Kerzner’s Southern Sun Hotels and destined to be a 6-star hotel with 120 luxury suites, a separate check-in area and a private club, bar and business centre on the top floor. Top floor for the use of tower residents only. There is also space to park 650 cars in the 3-level basement parking area. In its hay day, this shiny blue tower was one of the most future-forward in technology and automation when compared to the rest of the world. Also to remember is that this was before the internet. It is a shame that this once glorious establishment went the way that it did. From 1992, the hotel continued to downgrade in stars and rooms reduced until it closed in 1996. Do you have any memories connected with these twinkling towers? Please share in the comments below.