The original Cape Dutch building overlooking the front garden was built as a private house in 1911 for the London Rhodesia Mining Compay's director. In 1927 the property, which was at the edge of town, was converted to a boarding house and over the following two decades several buildings were added. Today only The Meikles Hotel and the Queens Hotel outdate the Bronte as a Hotel.

Since 1964 the Bronte has been owned and managed by the same family. Over the years many changes have been made; old buildings made way for new and the dry and dusty gardens became the oasis you see today. The changes kept pace with the developments in the country. In the 60's the arrival of immigrants, in the 80's Zimbabwe's entry into the world tourism market and in the 90's, as the word spread, Zimbabwe's immense popularity as an African Safari destination. As for the future, time will tell.

The History of the Name ‘Bronte'

Most people associate the name Bronte with the literary Bronte sisters, famous for their 19th century novels, but the name goes back further to Greek Mythology. The Greek myths tell us the universe started with the gods Gaia and Uranus (Earth and Sky) among whose offspring were the three Cyclops who controlled the elements. Brontes, the god of thunder and carrier of the lightning rod of Zeus, was the name of one.

It is of interest that a Dukedom in Sicily, at the base of Mt Etna named “Bronte”, was bestowed on the Admiral Nelson by the King of Sicily after one of his great naval victories. This Dukedom may have been so named due to a myth which tells that Ulysses came across the one-eyed Cyclops in Northern Sicily.

You may note that our functions rooms are named after the Bronte Family of north Yorkshire, Charlotte, Emily, Anne, Branwell, Patrick and Maria. There is a story as to how the literary family came to the name. The father, originally named Patrick Prunty or Brodie, (historians differ) considered Lord Nelson a great hero. He journeyed to Sicily to visit Lord Nelson's Bronte Estate and upon his return changed his own name to Bronte. However, it remains a mystery how the original house of this Bronte was so called.