This year marks the City Lodge Hotels’ 40th anniversary, a significant milestone for a proudly South African brand that reshaped the country’s hospitality landscape. On 1 August 1985, the first “select services” hotel group was born with the opening of City Lodge Hotel Randburg (now Bryanston).
It was a bold concept introduced by Swiss-born founder Hans Enderle, offering quality and professionalism without the costly extras. The choice of launch date was also symbolic: 1 August is Swiss National Day, a fitting tribute.
Today, City Lodge Hotels operates 58 hotels across Southern Africa under its Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel, Town Lodge, and Road Lodge brands.
The Vision Behind 40 Years of City Lodge Hotels
CEO Andrew Widegger says the strength of the group lies in its clear, consistent focus.
‘The select services model was perfect for the time. Business travellers didn’t need silver service – they needed a great bed, a proper desk, decent lighting and plug points, and a good breakfast. That became our signature. We’ve never lost sight of what people actually value in a hotel stay, and what they’re prepared to pay for.’
The idea of only paying for what you use struck a chord with South African travellers, and the model remains relevant. The group entered a market crowded with luxury hotels and offered a fresh alternative that was practical, efficient, and friendly. This approach set them apart.
In recent years, the group has responded to changing travel needs by rolling out Eat-in restaurants offering à la carte lunch and dinner menus to all Town Lodges and Road Lodges.
This expansion adds to the popular #Café restaurants at City Lodge Hotel properties and the Club Lounge in the Courtyard Hotels.
‘That was a big shift for us, expanding our food and beverage offering, and it worked. Throughout the past four decades, we have kept evolving while staying true to our core principles.’
~ Andrew Widegger, CEO
Reflections on the City Lodge Hotels 40th Anniversary Journey
Clifford Ross, the group’s first General Manager, who later served as CEO until 2018, recalls those early days with affection.
‘We were launching something completely new. The sceptics didn’t think it would work here, but we proved them wrong. It was working in the US, and we adapted it to our local market. You paid only for what you needed, and the value was obvious.’
~ Clifford Ross, Former CEO
Clifford helped roll out the 1992 Service Excellence Programme, based on Hans’s TLC philosophy:
Tiptop: everything in excellent condition, modern and maintained.
Loving: caring service for guests and each other.
Clean: spotless from bathrooms to car parks.
In 1995, the company marked its 10th anniversary by launching what Clifford calls “probably South Africa’s first true Black Economic Empowerment scheme”, the Employee Share Incentive Scheme, which made every staff member a shareholder.
‘That gave the Service Excellence Programme real depth. People weren’t just working for a company; they were building it together.’
~ Clifford Ross, Former CEO
Memorable Moments from Four Decades
Of course, no 40th birthday is complete without a few legendary stories. Clifford shares some fond and funny memories from his tenure:
‘At the opening of our first hotel in 1985, Hans lit a big fire to welcome our VIP guests, but the builders had left a cement slab over the chimney. The whole place filled with smoke and everyone had to evacuate.
Memorable start!
In Bloemfontein in 1989, the raclette cheese at the launch party filled the entire hotel with a smell no one could identify – we thought the landscapers had used manure too early. It nearly ended the party!mAnd then there were the Hunt Lascaris ad campaigns. They made us a household name and people still mention them today.’
~ Clifford Ross, Former CEO
Future-Focused
Andrew states that the group focuses on growth, innovation, and long-term impact as they look ahead.
‘Celebrating 40 years of welcoming guests was a proud and deeply personal moment. I’ve been part of this journey for 32 years… We have weathered multiple economic cycles, adapted to disruption, and emerged from COVID as a more agile, future-ready business.’
Andrew is most proud of the many individuals who joined the group decades ago in entry-level roles and have now risen to management positions.
‘That kind of continuity speaks volumes about who we are. It’s a living testament to our identity as a people-focused business… it’s our people who have always been, and will continue to be, the key to our success.
‘City Lodge Hotels has always been about people caring for people. That ethos remains our anchor… a living principle that drives us to keep adapting, performing, and delivering meaningful, people-centred hospitality to every guest we welcome.’
As we look ahead, we do so from a position of strength… I am confident that the foundation we have laid over the past 40 years, and the direction we have set for the years to come, will continue to serve our guests, our people, our business, and our stakeholders well.’
~ Bulelani Ngcuka, Chairman
A 40-Year Anniversary Timeline: Major Milestones
1985: City Lodge Hotel Randburg (now Bryanston) opens.
1990: Town Lodge brand is added to the portfolio.
1992: City Lodge Hotels Limited lists on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
1995: The City Lodge 10th Anniversary Employees’ Share Trust is established. Road Lodge and Courtyard Hotel brands are added.
2013: Town Lodge Gaborone opens in Botswana.
2020: City Lodge Hotel Maputo opens in Mozambique.
2021: Courtyard Hotel Waterfall City opens in Midrand, Johannesburg.
2022: Sale of four hotels in Kenya and Tanzania. Rollout of Eat-in lunch and dinner offering at Town Lodge and Road Lodge.
2023: Renewed reinvestment in the hotel portfolio. Launch of a new brand positioning: Life is hard. Check into easy.
2024: R165 million invested in refurbishment projects. Installation of solar energy solutions at 16 additional hotels.
2025: City Lodge Hotels celebrates its 40th anniversary. Ongoing hotel refurbishments ensure a fresh product. Level 1 Contributor B-BBEE status achieved for the first time.
