Bristol Hotel, Karachi
| Bristol Hotel | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Karachi, Sindh |
| Address | Sunnyside Road, Civil Lines Road, Karachi |
| Coordinates | 24°50′30″N 67°02′06″E / 24.841590°N 67.034992°E |
| Owner | Tariq Rizvi |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
The Bristol Hotel is a defunct hotel located in Karachi, Pakistan.[1][2]
History
[edit]The Bristol Hotel, originally built between 1907 and 1910, was constructed as a mansion for Dossabhai Byramji Minwalla, a Parsi businessman.[1][3] Notably, it was the first three-story building in the area.[1][3] The hotel was part of a group of four railway hotels, which included the North Western, Carlton, and Killarney hotels, built to provide accommodation to passengers arriving in Karachi by train.[3][4]
Bristol Hotel was known for hosting events such as the May Queen Ball and attracting a predominantly expatriate guest list.[5] The hotel remained a major establishment in the city during the post-partition period, serving as a venue for social gatherings in Karachi.[5] Notably, it hosted regular Saturday night discos and New Year parties until the prohibition era under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[5][6]
In the early 1950s, the Bristol Hotel's ownership was transferred to the Rizvi family when Ale Niaz Rizvi acquired it from another Parsi businessman for Rs 60,000.[5][7] Currently, it is under the management of Ale Niaz Rizvi's son, Tariq Rizvi.[5]
Guests
[edit]Bristol Hotel has been noted for hosting foreign dignitaries and guests, including Portuguese officials displaced from Goa.[5] Its guest list also included public figures such as Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Khan of Kalat, as well as high-ranking military officials.[5][7]
Architecture
[edit]The Bristol Hotel was one of Karachi's first three-story buildings.[5] The hotel featured distinct architectural elements, including stained-glass windows in each room and doors that opened onto spacious hallways.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Karachi: Bristol bliss". Dawn (Newspaper). 10 August 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ "Bristol Hotel, Sunnyside Road, Civil Lines Road Karachi".
- ^ a b c Salman, Peerzada. "Bristol Hotel, Karachi". heritage.eftsindh.com. Endowment Fund Trust for Preservation of the Heritage of Sindh. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ Husain, Rumana (December 2013). "Karachi's Lost Jews". Newsline. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Fatima, Mahnoor (25 February 2018). "An echo of the past". The News (International). Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ Fatima, Mahnoor (14 October 2018). "Bristol Hotel: An Echo of the Past". Medium. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ a b Akhtar, Abeera (16 September 2016). "Bristol Hotel: A haunting remnant of the old, glittering Karachi". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 3 May 2024.