GRAND HOTEL DE L'UNIVERS

Grand Hôtel De L'Univers

The hotel underwent several name changes during its life. From photos we've seen that were taken between 1898-1900 we can see that the Hotel de L'Univers had signage 'Gd Hotel de L'Univers', so the later change to 'Grand Hotel' and 'Grand Royal Hotel' were not a total name change.

If you look at the picture lower down you will see that the name is now 'Grand Royal Hotel'. Maybe they added "Royal" following a royal visit? This name also appears on several different Benghiat postcards cards dating from around 1908 onwards - so the Univers name disappeared well before WW1. From a report by Captain F.M. Hunter in 1877 we know that this hotel and the Hotel De L'Europe, further along the Crescent, were both operated by Frenchmen.

On 8 Jan 1913 a Mr Fischstein applied for a licence to open the Grand Royal Hotel on the former premises of the Hotel De L'Univers which had recently been closed. Mr Fischstein had come from Egypt and the authorities in Aden took the wise precaution of checking him out with the Egyptian police.

They reported that "it appears that the establishment he kept in Suez was of a disorderly nature"! However, this report was largely based on the fact that he was living with a woman who was not his wife. The Resident did not feel this was sufficient to warrant refusing him a licence, but initially only a temporary one was issued. The previous man running the Univers was a Mr B. Menahem Messa (This is perhaps Banin Menahem Moshe, the 2nd Jewish President. Moshe was sometimes spelt Messa.)

It is speculated the man seated second on the right could be Arthur Rimbaud

"They generally stopped at the great Hotel de l'Univers. The owner, Mr. J. Suel, arranged matters with me in such a way that the level of comfort left nothing to be desired. From the spacious galleries of this establishment, one has a view onto the main square, the harbour, and, as a backdrop to what is a already a striking picture, the distant dark outlines of the mountains of the Yemen." ~ George Revoil. 1882.

Novelist, Evelyn Waugh stayed at the Grand Hotel. He wrote, " The hotel is as expensive as Torr's at Nairobi; the food has only two flavours - tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce; the bathroom consists of a cubicle in which a tin can is suspended on a rope; there is a nozzle at the bottom of the can encrusted with stalactites of green slime; the bather stands on the slippery cement floor and pulls a string releasing a jet of water over his head and back; for a heavy extra charge it is possible, with due notice, to have the water warmed; the hall porter has marked criminal tendencies; the terrace is infested by money-changers. The only compensating luxury, a seedy, stuffed sea-animal, unmistakably male, which is kept in a chest and solemnly exhibited - on payment - as a mermaid."

The original hotel building closed down in 1936/7. In 1957 the Grand Hotel opened in a more modern building in The Crescent, occupying the top four floors. There were 30 rooms all with private baths and airconditioning. We have not been able to find a photo of this building.

Room Rates 1961

Room & Breakfast Full Board

Double room - 2 persons 60/- 100/-

Double room - one person 50/- 70/-

There was an additional charge of 15/- a day for use of the airconditioner.

Meals: Breakfast 5/-; Lunch 8/-; Dinner 12/-

Service charge 10%

The arcade of the Grand Hotel De L'Univers in 1890

Photo (right) taken circa 1880 on the front steps of the Grand Hotel De L'Univers. There is much speculation on the identity of the persons in the photo and there are 2 leading schools of thought. Left to right:

Georges Révoil (French explorer and photographer of the picture, 27 years old), Maurice Riès (French merchant, 22 y.o ), standing Henri Lucereau (French explorer, he died 2 months later, 30 y.o), standing Edouard Joseph Bidault de Glatigné ( French photographer in Aden, 30 y.o), Jules Suel (owner of the Grand Hotel de l'Univers, where the photo has been taken, 49 y.o), Arthur Rimbaud (French poet, 25 y.o), Emilie Bidault de Glatigné (Edouard Joseph's young wife, 19 y.o). This proposes the photo was taken in August 1880 and Arthur Rimbaud would have just arrived in Aden.
Pierre Dutrieux (Belgian doctor, 31 y.o), Maurice Riès, Henri Lucereau, E.J Bidault de Glatigné (photographer of this picture), Jules Suel, Unknown, Emilie Bidault de Glatigné. This proposes the photo was taken November 1879.

Emilie Bidault was the daughter of the owner of the second hotel in The Crescent at Steamer Point, the L'hôtel de l'Europe.

This 1901 postcard is very odd. This is a view of the infantry barracks in Crater looking towards Sira Island. As far as I know the building in the foreground was known as the patcheries (married infantrymen's quarters).

The Hotel De L'Univers in The Crescent, Steamer Point we know was already open in 1877.

Does the postcard simply have a printing error? I tend to think so.

View across The Crescent and the newly planted "Victoria Gardens". At this point the hotel is called "Grand Hotel". The 3-level building to the right of the hotel is "Livierato & Co. (a coffee trader and, I believe, cigarette manufacturer). The next 3-level building along to the right houses "The English Chemist" and "Elite General Store".