Hotel industry mourns Fred Gottgens
Fred Gottgens, South
Africa’s first registered
hotelier and the person
responsible for introducing
and starting the Holiday Inn
hotel chain in SA, died aged
83 on September 19, after a
long battle with cancer.
Born on August 18, 1931,
Fred came from a family of
successful hoteliers and
leaves behind a legacy that
revolutionised the South
African hotel industry into
what it is today.
In 1951 Fred completed
his hotel training at École
Hôtelière Lausanne,
Switzerland, followed
by an apprenticeship at
various renowned hotels in
Switzerland and the Royal
Automobile Club in London.
Returning to SA in 1955,
he joined the Edward Hotel
in Durban as a reservations
clerk. In 1961 he held his
first managerial position at
the Riviera On Vaal hotel in
Vereeniging and six months
later he became the general
manager at the Marine Hotel
in Sea Point. When the
Marine Hotel burned down in
the latter part of 1962, Fred
returned to the Edward Hotel
as general manager.
In 1966 the Hotel Act
came into law in South
Africa, requiring hotels to be
registered. “I have Fedhasa
certificate number one, in
his name, as the first fivestar
hotelier in South Africa,
proudly on my office wall,”
said Pete Gottgens, Fred’s
son and fourth-generation
hotelier.
In 1967 Fred went to
America where he got the
licence to bring the Holiday
Inn hotel chain to South
Africa. A year later he
became operations director
for Holiday Inn Southern
Africa and in 1982 developed
Inn on the Square from an
office block in Greenmarket
Square, Cape Town. Fred
also suggested the idea of a
flea market at Greenmarket
Square, which still runs
today as a popular tourist
attraction.
Fred lived in Simon’s Town
since 2000 and was retired
at the time of his death.
“He retired a few times.
After Holiday Inn he retired
then his retirement project
became Inn On The Square
until he had another idea. At
one stage he had five Mike’s
Kitchens,” said Pete.
Fred leaves his second wife,
Bydie, son Pete and daughter
Kate and two stepsons,
Grant and Andrew. A funeral
service was held on Friday,
September 26, at St Francis
Church in Simon’s Town.
