About Our History
The Sandringham Hotel was built in the 1880’s. Previously known as the Black Lion, it is a landmark in Cardiff’s St Mary Street. The famous stone lion on top of the building is a great reminder of that era.
The Dutton Family owns the Hotel since 1989. Mr. Eric Dutton MBE, a well known figure in the capital, served as president of Cardiff Chamber of Trade and was a former chairman of Cardiff Initiative. He was also the first-ever patron of the Cardiff Hoteliers’ Association. In 2003, Mr. Dutton was awarded an MBE for over fifty years of loyal voluntary service to the community in Cardiff. He has now sadly passed away but the hotel remains operated by his sons Simon and Michael and his daughter in law Alison.
21 years ago, the Hotel became the mecca for live jazz performances in Cardiff. This innovation resulted from the sale of the premises that housed Cardiff's famous Four Bars Inn. In November 1995 the Four Bars Inn at SANDYS was opened. Since that day, the Hotel bar and restaurant, trading as CAFÉ JAZZ, played host to a multitude of fine musicians from across the globe and of course the UK. It also provided a platform for local musicians and students from the Royal Welsh College Music and Drama to regularly take to the stage at Café Jazz. Sadly we have had to close Cafe Jazz due to the pressures of the COVID Pandemic. However a new tenant has taken over the premises and live music will continue.
The hotel remains open and still run by the Dutton family.
Recently, the Hotel has raised money for a defibrillator, which will greatly benefit the local community.
