The story of Clarkes Hotel dates back to the 1920s, when Mr. Ernest Clarke arrived as Manager of the then Cecil Hotel. Both Mr. Clarke and his wife Gertrude had a keen eye for talent and took a great liking to the honesty and hard work of young Mohan Singh Oberoi, the front desk clerk at that time.

On returning to holiday in England, Mr. Clarke and his wife handed over the management of the hotel to Mr. Oberoi. During their absence, he made such a success of the hotel that they decided to sell it to him upon their permanent return to England. 

Clarkes is one of Shimla's oldest hotels, and was the launching pad for the extraordinary journey of triumph and accomplishment that marked the life of the legendary hotelier: Mr. Rai Bahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi. Nowadays, Clarkes Hotel resembles a grand colonial bungalow, with all the elegance and grace of the British Imperial era.