End Of An Era: Hilton Sandton Bids Farewell Mid-2024

You read it here first…After 26 years gracing the skyline of Sandton, the Hilton Sandton will bid adieu to the Hilton portfolio from 1 July 2024.

As Hilton Sandton will be no more, Sandton’s hospitality landscape braces for a dynamic transformation.
Hampton by Hilton Sandton Grayston eagerly awaits its debut, promising a new era of hospitality in Africa’s richest square mile.
From a royal inauguration to global acclaim, Hilton Sandton’s departure leaves behind a storied legacy.
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The Sandton Times can confirm that the property which is home to the Hilton Hotel Sandton will cease to operate as a Hilton hotel. Confirming this development, a spokesperson from Hilton expressed gratitude for the hospitality that the property has epitomised over the decades.

Our agreement with the ownership of the Hilton Sandton comes to an end on 30th June 2024. We are proud of the exemplary hospitality the property has been delivering and would like to thank those who have contributed to this over the last 26 years.

// Hilton Spokesperson

Situated at 138 Rivonia Road, the Hilton Sandton was inaugurated in 1997 by none other than King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, accompanied by a youthful Prince Harry. This auspicious occasion marked the entry of one of the first international hotel brands into the burgeoning Sandton landscape. Despite the unconventional duty for royalty, the significance of the moment was not lost on the Prince of Wales, as he acknowledged, ‘I have to confess that I am not normally spending my time opening many hotels, so you must forgive me if I don’t do it in the approved fashion’.

Over the years, the hotel became a hub for airline crew, business travellers, and tourists alike, offering event facilities for conferences, launches, dinners, and celebrations. Image: Hilton Hotel Sandton

With dining options ranging from the Faces Lounge & Bar to the Lotus Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar, the Hilton Sandton carved a niche for itself in the hopitality landscape of the area. However, signs of aging were beginning to show, hinting at the need for a rejuvenation of its 1990s interior.

Amidst the changing tides, the signing of the reported R280-million Hampton by Hilton Sandton Grayston in 2019 sparked excitement, marking the African debut for Hampton by Hilton. The franchise agreement, inked with a local partner, heralded the arrival of a mid-market property set to complement the upscale Hilton Sandton.

Despite delays induced by a global pandemic, the project is now on the brink of fruition, with an anticipated opening slated for Q4 of 2024. On the corner of Grayston Drive and West Road South, likely to be a conversion of the former Old Mutual offices situated at 93 on Grayston, Hampton by Hilton Sandton promises a family-friendly environment complete with a family-friendly outdoor pool, floodlit tennis courts, a fitness center and on-site restaurant, only two kilometres of Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton City and Sandton Gautrain Station.

As the curtains draw to a close on the Hilton Sandton chapter, the future of the property remains yet to be confirmed. Amidst the farewell, Hilton remains steadfast in its commitment to hospitality in Sandton, eagerly anticipating the unveiling of Hampton by Hilton Grayston Sandton. While one era bids farewell, another beckons, promising fresh beginnings and a renewed hospitality experience in the heart of Sandton.

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