r/Durban • u/angryhoodie • 2d ago
The Gregory Hotel: Questions
So like what's the deal with this place. It obviously LOOKS like a hotel, but I never see anyone there, lights are on but the curtains are drawn. And ownership has changed constantly.
Is this some shady hide out? I must know 🤣
7
u/ScurvyLegsMcGinty 1d ago
The mysterious house on your left while driving down Fields Hill is commonly referred to as the Glass House, the “Spookhuis”, or the Round House. But did you know that its mysterious owner called it the Capricorn?
Georgia Anna Boediker built her blue and white dream house in 1936 for £12 000. All the materials they used to build this mansion with was imported, apart from the South African marble that was used for the floors in the three entrance halls and kitchen, four fireplaces, and the pillars in the music room.
The round room that can be seen on the left of the house was called the Mirror room. In this majestic room with its domed ceiling of nine metres high and measuring 10.5 metres in diameter, stood a lime green Steinway piano on German oak floors.
The second lounge was not overlooked, with its walls covered in silk and camphor that she imported from Hong Kong. Around the house 31 teak double doors led you to the enchanted garden with three swimming pools. Situated on the lower level of the house was the dining room. Strangely during Georgia’s lifetime, the top and lower levels were never connected. If you wanted to go to the kitchen you had to go outside. The kitchen was the only room in the house with windows; four to be exact.
Georgia was a mysterious woman, and not much is known about her life as a Pinetown resident. She refused to live a conventional lifestyle, which captivated the conservative Durban area residents even more. The locals referred to her as Shanghai Lil as she wore Chinese-style clothing and owned a shop in West Street known as Arts and Crafts, where she sold Oriental ornaments.
The speculation and gossip started as she changed her surname to Gale, after her English diplomat step-father. This change happened right when World War 2 broke out in 1939. Locals claimed that she provided a safe house for the German spies and watched the Durban Harbour for allied shipping movements. It was claimed that Georgia would then report back to Berlin via a radio transmitter that she hid in her house. No evidence of such a conspiracy was ever presented, though.
There were many rumours about Georgia, including one that she buried a solid gold statue of Buddha on her property; however, when her estate was auctioned, there was no statue to be found. Then it was said to have been hidden in one of the panels in the house. Other rumours included a treasure supposedly hidden in the kitchen, stories of underground rooms and passages, a ditch around the house that was home to silver-coloured snakes, and that a Chinese man was murdered in the house and buried under one of the pools. She was also accused of smuggling opium in the camphor wood boxes she imported, but no evidence was found.
Georgia lived her life mostly alone, and never got married. She suffered a stroke and passed away at the age of 60 on the 4th of January 1951, oddly leaving no photos of herself.
Capricorn and everything in it has never been the same after her death, and it was auctioned off in July 1953 since Georgia never signed a will. This mansion with its rich history and beautiful garden has since been burrowed, used as a restaurant, and more recently as office space.
If only these silk covered walls could talk…
1
u/ScurvyLegsMcGinty 1d ago
Premises was built originally built by an eccentric woman. Held the record for the house with most doors opening to the outside. Almost no windows. Take note next time you drive past
-1
u/mamazombieza 2d ago
Well firstly it gives me haunted vibes. Am pretty sure it's a money laundering front because I drove fields hill all the time and never see anyone there.
4
u/MusicBooksMovies 2d ago
It has hosted a few events over the years. I know they hosted a wedding last year and an acquaintance stayed there last year.
That location has never been great for business. Every business since it was a restaurant has struggled.
They were very helpful during the floods.