South Africa—31 Jan 2026

Sun City hotel reviving the glamour of its early years

The Sun City Hotel, the first hotel to open at the popular North West Resort in the 1970s, is aiming to restore its former glory through recent refurbishments.

Developed by hotel magnate Sol Kerzner, the hotel first opened its doors in December 1979, when the Sun City Resort was first built.

At the time it opened, it was the only accommodation option at the resort. In just one year, it attracted 300,000 guests to its extravaganza and theatre shows alone.

It became clear that the luxury hotel couldn’t keep up with growing demand, and further hotels, such as the Palace, the Cascades and the Cabanas were opened.

However, the Sun City Hotel has stuck in the public imagination to represent the glitz and glamour of the early days at Sun City.

In 2024, the hotel announced it would embark on a three-year transformation, upgrading all 340 of its rooms, its bedroom corridors, terraces, the sun terrance and infrastructure.

The hotel’s last transformation cost R1 billion and saw the hotel’s name changed to “Soho”. However, the Sun International team underestimated the fondness South Africans held for the iconic hotel.

“It seemed an appropriate time to give the hotel its own identity, but this never resonated with customers and they continued to refer to the ‘Sun City Hotel’,” said Brett Hoppé, General Manager of Sun City.

“While we expected some resistance to the change, we were surprised by how resolutely people would cling to the original name.”

“When we realised how affectionately the Sun City Hotel was embraced by South Africans, we restored the hotel’s original name.”

Now, instead of aiming for total transformation, the hotel’s current upgrade will aim to restore the original opulence of the first days of the hotel, but with a modern touch.

While the hotel’s golden days of poker tables and glamorous theatre shows have faded, modern luxury in the form of DJ islands and state-of-the-art digital poolside casino games is only just beginning.

“When Sun City opened in 1979, the world was quite different to the way it is now. Leggy models in ostrich feather plumage were very much part of the glamour of the exciting new hotel and casino, known for sheer extravagance and entertainment,” said Hoppé.

A history of sheer extravagance

The entrance to the Sun City Hotel in its early days of opening.

Construction of the Sun City Hotel in 1979.

“Times change,” he said. “The grand dame needs a bit of a cosmetic lift to maintain the razzle dazzle for which the resort is world famous.”

In the latest phase of the upgrade, the hotel has unveiled a grand central staircase leading guests down to an entertainment pool level with a dedicated DJ island.

Not only can guests dance under the stars at this new venue, or lounge poolside with signature cocktails, but counter-top slot and poker machines allow guests to enjoy casino features in the pool area.

“Swimming and sunbathing are still very much on the menu in this area, but MVG members and day card holders can now also spin the wheels on six new countertop machines right at the poolside bar, the first of their kind in South Africa,” said Hoppé.

Each machine offers slots, poker, and roulette games, the same as those found in the casino. Friendly technicians are available to assist with any questions.

For those who prefer the original luxury of the indoor casino, the iconic entertainment area has also recently been upgraded with an updated floor and new gaming options.

The new interior of the hotel, which it is in the process of updating, pays homage to the Tswana culture and the surrounds of the resort, with bespoke carpet designs and carved furniture pieces.

“The first hotel to be built at Sun City and as such, the long-established heart of the resort, the Sun City Hotel is set to enter a new era of hospitality excellence with its upgrade. Not just the beating heart, but the beaming face of Sun City,” Sun International said.