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Search forRemarkable history of Upper Norwood hotel revealed
Sunday, August 03, 2008, 07:00
But back in the late 1800s and early 20th century the area's Queens Hotel, in Church Road, was the place to be seen.
With famous names from a renowned writer to foreign royalty having stayed there, it has a little-known but rich history.
French writer Emile Zola, nurse Florence Nightingale, and even German emperors Wilhelm II and Frederick III are all former guests of the hotel which still welcomes guests today.
Historian Brian Lancaster explained: “It's an important part of Croydon's history in terms of people that visited it.
“There were quite a few big names.”
The famous names are believed to have chosen the hotel for a variety of reasons.
Mr Lancaster explained: “Among those who stayed there were Florence Nightingale but I have no idea when.
“Emile Zola stayed there in exile from France in 1898-99.
“Kaiser Wilhelm, stayed there between 1901 and 1914.
“He would have been there two or three times perhaps because he was related to our royal family.
“And Emperor Frederick III of Germany stayed there in 1887.
“He was recommended that the air in Norwood was the finest anywhere. I do not know who by, his doctor presumably.”
Another famous royal to use the fashionable hotel was King Faisal I of Iraq, early in the 20th century.
The hotel was built in the 1850s and was popular because Upper Norwood was away from the hustle and bustle of London.
Mr Lancaster, who is secretary of Croydon Natural and Scientific Society, said: “ People were very conscious about not staying in London because of the pollution and noise.
“People who came to see Queen Victoria preferred to stay somewhere the air was clean and Norwood was a very fashionable area.
“The Queens Hotel was outside London and quite high up.
“The hotel was in beautiful grounds and larger grounds than it has now.
“The view was quite beautiful and you could hear Big Ben from Upper Norwood in those days because it was such a quiet place.”
Mr Lancaster thinks the hotel became less popular with the rich and famous when Upper Norwood became more built up.
He said: “It's not the same first class hotel it was and it does not have the same people visiting it.
“It's not a fashionable area any longer but it is still very nice.
“Back then Church Road was quite a fashionable road and people like retired generals and writers lived there, notable people of their time.”
It is now a two-star rated hotel and current manager Akbar Muneer says customers are mainly tourists and businessmen.
He said: “This hotel is famous for so many things.
“A while back we had three or four visitors from Germany and France trying to find out which room Emile Zola was living in.
“There is a blue plaque to Emile Zola but unfortunately I don't know which room he was staying in or even the area of the building.
“The plague is quite a tourist attraction and people are coming from different countries to look around the building.”
FAMOUS GUEST: Florence Nightingale
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