Hilton Sandton

Hilton Sandton (formerly Sandton Hilton) is a luxury hotel in the Sandton district of Johannesburg, South Africa. Developed by the Cavaleros Group, it was operated by Hilton Hotels & Resorts from 1997 until June 30th, 2024. The hotel was formally inaugurated on November 1st, 1997 by King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, who opened the building alongside his son Prince Harry and then-CEO of Hilton Group PLC Peter George. With more than three hundred guest rooms, extensive conference facilities and multiple dining venues, the property became a hub for business travelers and airline crew and contributed to the commercialization of Sandton’s central business district. History During the 1990s Sandton emerged as Johannesburg’s new financial centre, and local developer the Cavaleros Group commissioned a large hotel at 138 Rivonia Road to serve the growing number of business travelers. The building was completed in late 1997 and opened on November 1st with a ceremony attended by the Prince of Wales and his son Prince Harry. In his speech the prince quipped that he was unaccustomed to opening hotels and asked guests to forgive him if he did not “do it in the approved fashion”. The opening coincided with a period of corporate expansion at Hilton Group plc under chief executive Peter George. In 1997 George helped engineer a strategic alliance between Hilton International and Hilton Group plc, facilitating cross-marketing and giving Hilton International greater access to the North American reservations system. The alliance enabled Hilton to grow its international footprint, and the Sandton property became a flagship of the brand’s presence in southern Africa. Hilton Sandton quickly established itself as one of the largest hotels in Johannesburg. It became a popular venue for conferences, product launches and social functions, attracting airline crews and corporate travelers at a time when Sandton City and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange were consolidating the suburb’s reputation as an economic hub. Over the decades the hotel hosted guests attending major events at the Sandton Convention Centre and provided meeting space for local businesses. Facilities The hotel was designed to appeal to both business and leisure travelers. According to In Your Pocket, the building is unassuming from the street but opens into a spacious lobby with an “old-world sophistication”. The property offered 329 rooms and suites, multiple bars and restaurants and an executive lounge. Dining venues included the Faces Lounge & Bar, which provided informal meeting space, and the Lotus Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar. Conference and event facilities totaled about 920 square meters, including a ballroom capable of accommodating up to 1,000 people and several meeting rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. A business centre on the first floor provided work spaces, while leisure amenities included a swimming pool, fitness centre and tennis courts. The hotel’s location on Rivonia Road placed it within walking distance of Sandton City, Nelson Mandela Square and the Sandton Gautrain station. Management and ownership Hilton Sandton was owned by the Cavaleros Group, a South African property company with assets in hospitality, commercial and industrial real estate. From its opening until 2024 the hotel was operated under the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand. During this period it contributed to Hilton’s limited portfolio in South Africa, which in 2024 also included Hilton Durban, Hilton Garden Inn Umhlanga Arch and DoubleTree by Hilton Cape Town – Upper Eastside. In 2019 Hilton announced the development of a separate Hampton by Hilton Sandton Grayston hotel, reflecting the company’s ambition to expand mid-scale offerings in South Africa. Rebranding and end of Hilton management In March 2024 the news website Sandton Times reported that Hilton’s management agreement for the Sandton property would end on June 30th, 2024, concluding a 26-year association. Hilton confirmed that its contract with the ownership would expire and thanked staff and guests for their contributions. The Cavaleros Group subsequently signed a partnership with Minor Hotels to convert the property to the NH Collection brand. The South African noted that Minor Hotels would begin managing the former Hilton Sandton from July 1st, 2024, initially operating the hotel as NH Sandton before undertaking a refurbishment and rebranding it as NH Collection Sandton. The refurbished hotel is expected to retain 329 rooms and suites and will include two bars and restaurants, an executive lounge, conference facilities, a gym and a swimming pool. Legacy The opening of Hilton Sandton by King Charles III symbolised the arrival of major international hotel brands in Sandton. The property played a role in promoting the suburb as a premier business district and provided one of the largest conference venues in Johannesburg for more than two decades. Its association with Peter George’s tenure as chief executive of Hilton Group plc underscores its place in the global expansion of Hilton in the late 1990s. References