The Royal Hotel Knysna is situated on the corner of Main and Queen Street in the heart of Knysna. Surrounded by a beautiful old stone church and gardens, a museum, a number of art galleries and in walking distance to restaurants, shops and the Knysna Waterfront. The historical building has been beautifully restored. It’s verandas and walkways boast loads of old world charm.

A Part of Knysna’s History.

Captain Thomas Horn acquired “The Royal Hotel” from Charles William Dutton in 1856, and ran a small thatched hostelry, the St. George’s Tavern here, which he enlarged into a corrugated iron structure. After the 1867 royal visit by Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh second son of Queen Victoria of Britain, the hotel was renamed The Royal Hotel. During this visit the Prince hunted elephant in the Knysna forest. The hotel remained in the hands of the Horn family until 1930 when Donald John Fraser purchased it, having leased the property from 1923. he present building was designed by architects Simpson & Bridgman of Oudtshoorn and built by Claude Rogers of George in 1938-1939. The foundation stone was laid by CW Thesen in October 1938, who also officially opened the hotel on 10 December 1939. The Royal Hotel has now been redeveloped into a centre with a hotel, gym, offices and retail shops.