The Red Carnation love story began in 1952, when a beautiful young woman called Bea, caught the eye of a distinguished young hotelier named Stanley, who was known for wearing a Red Carnation in his lapel. Today a Red Carnation flower is proudly worn by each and every member of our team as a symbol of our passion, commitment and care. Today the Red Carnation Hotel Collection proudly stands at 20 exceptional properties around the world, each unique and special, whilst sharing the founding values that define the family-owned and run business. As part of the TTC family of brands, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection celebrates over 100 years of hospitality since Solomon Tollman opened The Paternoster Hotel in 1920.
Founder and President of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, Beatrice Tollman, has built one of the most successful and admired hotel collections in the world. As one of the most widely respected and acclaimed women in hospitality, Beatrice has been widely praised for her contribution to the industry, with recognitions including The Leading Hotels of the World’s ‘Leading Legend’ accolade and a Catey Lifetime Achievement Award. Beatrice was studying to become a nursery school teacher when she fell in love with the late Stanley Tollman, a second-generation hotelier known for wearing a red carnation in his lapel. As newlyweds of modest beginnings, the couple leased a small Johannesburg property in 1954 and Beatrice took charge of the kitchen. As something of a trailblazer, at the age of 22 Beatrice was running her own hotel kitchen – something unheard of for women in South Africa at the time – meticulously tasting each dish and sampling various methods and techniques until they