Beaconsfield Hotel 1881 –

341 Beaconsfield Parade, corner Cowderoy Street, St Kilda
MEL: 57 J8

Beaconsfield Hotel, 1890s

The architect William Pitt (1855-1918) designed the Beaconsfield Hotel, which was first licensed by William Church in 1881. A massive front on Beaconsfield Parade, it is a two storey building dominated by two towers at either end of the front elevation. The original front had only a single storey open colonnade running between the two towers. A second level was added later.

The Beaconsfield was deemed a very popular hostelry in the early twentieth century.  It was a resort hotel, primarily for holiday accommodation. Advertisements and reviews of the period boast of first class accommodation and cuisine, and highlight the proximity to the beach and accessibility to the area due to the ‘Green’ tram to St Kilda. During that time, one of its largest attractions was the incredible view it afforded of the beach from its large and spacious balconies, but these have since been boarded over The building was extensively altered and extended in 1927 by the architect Harry R Johnson (1892-1954). The front colonnade was probably enclosed at this time.

In 1981, the Victorian Jazz Club moved to the Beaconsfield Hotel. When Australia won the America’s Cup in 1983, a huge celebration occurred in the Beaconsfield’s upstairs bar ‘Yachties’, which was popular amongst the yachting fraternity.  It has retained its name until today, and still functions as a hotel, featuring weekly comedy nights and musical entertainment.  

Advertising Postcard for Beaconsfield Hotel, 1920s

Beaconsfield Hotel 2004

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