The Crescent Hotel

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Built in 1931 and opened in 1932, the Crescent Hotel's spacious, colonial style with deep verandahs and high ceilings were appropriate for the hot, humid climate of Aden. In the early 1960's however it was refurbished to include fans and air-conditioning. The bar lounge and resident's lounge enjoyed the comfort of air-conditioning whilst the dining room with its terrace extension was well equipped with fans. Each of the 70 bedrooms were fitted with an air-conditioner and had a private bath or shower.

 

At the rear a 27 room Annexe was opened in 1950 which featured phone extensions in every room. Three rooms in the main hotel were also fitted with phone extensions. The Annexe was built for and by A. Besse Company. Gino Almondo was the project  supervisor. At this time both the Crescent Hotel  and the  Annexe were Besse's properties. During the 1950's the Hotel Manager was Mr Girolamo Volpi.

 

After Antonin Besse suffered a stroke in 1948, and aware of his failing health,  he set to the task of compiling a detailed report on his expansive business empire for his successors to follow. He wrote of the Crescent Hotel, "Until everything is in working order and runs smoothly this project will be a white elephant, but it has never been my habit to abandon a scheme once undertaken and I have no intention of doing so in this case until everything is perfect and runs to my satisfaction. The materials accumulated seem to be sufficient for opening up the hotel, serving meals, looking after the bar which should become popular if well organised".

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In the hotel was a small boutique selling luxury goods whilst the Annexe had a hairdressing salon and an Aden Airways booking office off the lobby.  A familiar site around the hotel in the 50's was a young gazelle who would eat cigarettes supplied by the tourists.

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" I was stationed at the RAF Hospital Steamer Point and with APL in 1955/56. Two of us used to go on Sunday evenings, when we are not on duty, to the roof of the Crescent Hotel for the weekly Sunday evening concert. Our favourite drink was rum and coke as it was cheaper than beer !! "          ~   Fred Caroe