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Meikles
Hotel
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Click link on thumbnail. More images...! View of the two wings from Africa Unity Square . |
Location
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Harare (CBD) | |
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Designers
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W.H. Mason (Original)/Clinton & Evans (Extensions) | ||
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Date
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1916 (Orig)/1976 | ||
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Original
Client
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Meikle Bros. , Family buisness (retail & hoteliers) | ||
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Style
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Classical/Modern | ||
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Discussion
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The
Meikles hotel is a family run hotel, still run by the Meikle family. It
opened its doors in 1915 on its present block in double-storey complex
designed by Architect W.H. Mason. The original building consisted of 160
bedrooms and 47 bathrooms and was built at a cost of 10,000 pounds over
two years. Bars, a billiard room and shops fronted onto Second Street
while the main bedroom wings faced Cecil Square as they still do today.
Traditional in its design, the hotel lounge and dining room opened off the main entrance hall. The entrance on 2nd street was surmounted by a domed tower, flanked then as it is today by two lions. The story goes that every time a young virgin lady walked past, the lions roared their approval. In 1976, a new wing was built on the other end of the block (Third Street), and that same year, the original hotel was demolished. The site of the original building served as tarred parking until 1994 when the block was remodelled to incorporate Eastgate Building and the high rise Southampton Life Centre. The remodelling involved the inter-twining of the hotel (which was refurbished in a classical style) with the new tower at podium level. The result was fresh: a sky lit arcade that ushered hotel guests from the world renowned hotel through the varied shopping malls and plaza created by the tower's embrace. On either side of the hotels new east facing entrance the two bronzed lions still stand on guard. Though they were never heard roaring again, they pay homage to the great history of this fine hotel, its great architecture and significance to the Central Business District of Harare. The buildings has perfect views overlooking the lush green lawns and purple jacaranda tree blossoms of Africa Unity Square. Between 1991 and 1994 the hotel undrwent a major $ZW150 million upgrade. Ref. The Author |
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