History
The Royal Victoria Hotel, originally built in 1828 as the focal point of Burton's St Leonards, derives it name from Queen Victoria who is among the the hotels many famous visitors who include King George V, Prince Albert, Edward VII, Gladstone, Palmerston & Tennyson.
This Hotel, originally named the St. Leonards Hotel, was built in the year 1829 and subsequently became the favorite rendezvous of the Royal Family and received the Royal Charter from Queen Victoria, and again from King George V.
Queen Victoria’s signature is to be seen in the distinguished visitors book as Victoria Crown Princess of Prussia and Princess of Great Britain and Ireland. Others of the Royal Family in this book are: King George V, Prince Albert, Princess Louise, King Edward VII and Edward Prince of Wales, whose signature is one of the last Royal visitors before the war. (page 347)
More than five hundred of the most distinguished families of Great Britain have stayed in this Hotel whose signatures testify their satisfaction in this book.
Down the list will be seen: Gladstone, Palmerston, Tennyson, King of the Belgians, H.R.H. the Grand Duke of Baden, the Duke of Saxe Cobourg Gotha, H.R.H. Marguerite of Orleans, Queen Emma, Compte de Paris, Prince Esterhazy, etc.
Amongst the Dukes and Duchesses that have stayed in this Hotel are: Bedford, Abercorn, Buckingham, Norfolk, Westmorland, Northumberland, Westminster, Newcastle, Athol, St. Albans, Leeds, Montrose and Rutland. Some of the foreign visitors include: Ducs de Chatres, de Brabant, de Flanders, de Nemours, Maharaja of Jodhpur, Countess de Noailles, etc.