Where it all started……

by | Feb 25, 2021 | Carosini, History, Paternoster Hotel | 8 comments

Johan and Giorello Carosini

Johan Carosini was born in the small West Coast town of Laaiplek in 1939 and is of Italian descent. He started his hotel career together with his wife Wilna in the sixties at the Hoedjiesbaai Hotel in Saldanha Bay. They continued their journey as hoteliers to Elands Bay and became co-owners of the Elands Bay Hotel.

In 1973 Johan bought the Paternoster Hotel from Hendrik De Goede and eventually became known as one of the best and most well-known hoteliers in the West Coast. Johan and Wilna turned the hotel into a flourishing tourist and holiday destination, attracting guests from all over the world to Paternoster.

Johan’s eldest son, Giorello, became the co-owner of the hotel in 2002 and Johan and Wilna finally decided to retire in 2016 after an impressive 48 years in the hotel business. 

Johan is well known for his unique style of operating the hotel and entertaining the guests with his stories about the local people and hotel escapades during his career. Following in his father’s footsteps, Giorello upholds his father’s unique style of hospitality. He and his wife, Elmare, are continuing the Paternoster Hotel legacy together with their two daughters, modernizing and upgrading the hotel, whilst keeping the history of this unique property alive.

8 Comments

  1. Reg Ferreira

    Cannot wait to visit this Hotel again. Have not been there in over 40 years!!! Johan was still alive and well. What a great guy he was. Worked with my Dad in Tokai in the 60’s.

    Reply
    • Elmare Carosini

      Hi Reg

      Wow, Johan used to entertain us with his Tokai stories often and remembered every colleague fondly. You should definitely visit us – 40 years is just too long!

      All the best wishes for the New Year.

      Elmare Carosini

      Reply
  2. Andre Gerber

    What an amazing weekend spent at the hotel for our engagement breakaway. My wife to be said YES and we could not have done it at a more special place. We cannot fault anything at the hotel…. the food, staff, room and wine was just perfect and we will be back very soon – Thank you for making us feel like locals and treating us like family!!

    Reply
    • Elmare Carosini

      Dear André

      This is such exiting news!

      Congratulations on you engagement. May you have a long and happy future together.

      Thank your for the wonderful feedback. We appreciate it very much and hope to see you soon again.

      Kind regards
      Elmare Carosini

      Reply
  3. Ryno Brand

    Hi. Was Giorelo in die vloot in Januarie 1993?

    Reply
    • Elmare Carosini

      Hallo Ryno

      Vertrou dit gaan goed? Giorello was in 1993 in die Vloot by Saldanha basis.

      Groete
      Elmare Carosini

      Reply
  4. Pete Frielinghaus

    Hi Elmare

    I published a book with Johan in the early 80’s called “Pittige Padkos uit Paternoster” – I was wondering if you had any copies left in the bar, would love to get one again (mine all disappeared)
    Look forward to hearing back from you
    Cheers
    Pete

    Reply
  5. Elmare Carosini

    Hello Pete

    It is so nice to hear from you. We have 1 or 2 copies left. I recently sold most of what we had left in the Sea Shell Shop here at the Hotel. So many wonderful memories! I will check and let you know if we have a spare one for you.

    Greetings from Paternoster
    Elmare Carosini

    Reply

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