The Indaba Hotel was first known as the "Little Rose Neath Hotel'. It had a warm country house feel and consisted of a mere 14 bedrooms, a small bar and restaurant. Situated in Fourways it was considered a day's trip from Johannesburg and was famous for its Sunday lunches.
The Hotel was well known amongst the mink and manure community. Guests would arrive on horse back and hitch their horses under a tree whilst enjoying an ice cold beer or welcomed gin and tonic accompanied by a delicious luncheon.
In the early 70s the hotel was sold to a Greek lady by the name of Madame Stetakis. She added on a function room, known today as the Ndaba Palace. This venue was very popular for weddings and other functions. Madame Stekakis was a colourful, flamboyant and vibrant lady. She lived next to the Indaba Hotel and continued to support it for many years until her passing in 2006.
Shortly thereafter, the Hotel was sold to an American company who renamed the Hotel - The Fourways Gardens Hotel. Thereafter the land and the hotel were sold to Barclays Bank. Bob Aldsworth the CEO of Barclays Bank and Sandra van der Merwe a well known interior designer refurbished the hotel and built an additional 120 bedrooms and 22 conference rooms as well as the Auditorium.
The Hotel was managed by Gerhard Stannic on behalf of Barclays Bank and became known as the largest conference and accommodation establishment in the country and was used primarily for the training of Barclays Bank staff.
In 1989, as a result of sanctions, Barclays Bank was forced to pull out and leave the country. The Hotel was sold to Selwyn Hurwitz and Paul Johnson of Karos Hotels. From 1989 — 1994 the Hotel was managed by Gary Bisset, it was during this period that the Injabulo function room as well as an additional 88 bedrooms were built.
From 1994 — 1996 Knut Kramer took over as General Manager. The Epsom Terrace Restaurant was extended and the Siphuza Bar was remodeled. Shortly thereafter, from 1996 — 2000 Bruce Humphreys took over as General Manager and in 1999 Karos Hotels was sold to Movenpick Hotels, an International Hotel chain. Later that year the company was liquidated.
In 2000 the Hotel was retained by Standard Bank and managed by Thomas Overbeck. The Hotel then went into liquidation and in 2002 it was bought by African Procurement Agencies. The new directors of the Hotel were John Mynhardt, Peter Laaks and Martin Baker. The Hotel was initially managed by Fanie Botha and Robert Mickel, who in 2008 were appointed onto the board of directors as the Financial Director and Operations Director respectively.
Over the years the Kgotla function venue, 50 additional hotel bedrooms, a gym, a beauty salon and Chiefs Boma, an African themed restaurant were built. In addition a joint venture was born and the well-known Mowana Spa was opened on the Indaba Hotel property.
The Hotel continues to grow from strength to strength and will soon sport a brand new hotel called the Indaba Lodge,with an additional 170 hotel bedrooms.
