Angel Hotel, Cardiff facts for kids
The Angel Hotel is a famous hotel in the heart of Cardiff, Wales. It stands on a busy corner near Cardiff Castle. This hotel has a long history, going back to at least the 1700s. For many years, it has been one of Cardiff's most important hotels. Many famous people and even prime ministers have stayed there.
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A Look Back in Time
Some people say the Angel Hotel started in Cardiff as early as 1666. We know for sure it was around in the 1700s. Back then, it was on Angel Street, right across from Cardiff Castle. Around 1782, a man named John Bradley ran the hotel. His family was known for horse racing. Mr. Bradley was also the postmaster for Cardiff. The Angel Hotel was the main stop for the daily mail coach from London and Bristol.
Building a New Angel Hotel
About a hundred years later, the road in front of Cardiff Castle needed to be wider. So, a brand new hotel was built to replace the old Angel Hotel. It also replaced the old Cardiff Arms Hotel, which had been taken down. The land for the new hotel was bought from the Marquess of Bute.
The new hotel was designed by Mr. Charles James Jackson. It was built using red bricks from the Bute Estate Brickworks. The whole project cost over £20,000. By July 1883, the hotel was fully ready for guests. The new hotel's special logo was designed by the Marquess of Bute himself. It showed an angel holding the Cardiff coat of arms. This design brought together the names of the two older hotels.
The new building had a grand entrance at its main corner. The hotel had 76 bedrooms, bars, and a billiard room. It also had a tall, hexagonal hall inside. This hall was filled with sunlight from a glass roof. The main dining room was on the first floor. It offered amazing views of the countryside around Cardiff. It even had a balcony where local politicians could speak to people after being elected.
Famous Guests and War Time
The new Angel Hotel continued to be a popular place for important people. Many politicians and celebrities stayed there. Famous guests included Greta Garbo, The Beatles, and actor Anthony Perkins.
During the First World War in 1917, the hotel was used by the US Navy. It was even officially renamed USS Chattanooga for a while.
At the start of the 1900s, the Angel Hotel was owned by Lady Honywood's hotels. A hotel manager named Elizabeth Miles leased it. She even added a new front to the building.
Sporting Connections
The Angel Hotel has strong ties to sports. The Glamorgan County Cricket Club was started at a meeting in the hotel in 1888. Until 1967, the club played its home games at Cardiff Arms Park, which is very close to the hotel.
The hotel is also near the rugby union grounds at Cardiff Arms Park and the Millennium Stadium. Because of this, it was a favorite place for visiting rugby teams to stay. In 1972, after a match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales, there was an incident involving New Zealander Keith Murdoch. He was sent home from the tour after this event.
The Angel Hotel Today
In the 1990s and 2000s, many new, modern hotels were built in Cardiff. The Angel Hotel was still important, but it wasn't the only major hotel anymore. It was updated in 2000 to keep it modern.
In 2012, Jo McElveen became the General Manager of the Angel Hotel. She had started working there 14 years earlier as a waitress. Her story shows how you can grow in your career!
Today, the Angel Hotel is part of The Cairn Collection. It has 102 bedrooms and continues to welcome guests to Cardiff.
