Hyatt to set up shop in Kenya after all

Hyatt's Dominic Tumminaro, Kurt Straub and Tejas Shah. PHOTO| COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Data from the Ministry of Tourism indicate that some 15 high-end hotels have opened in Kenya since 2013, with about half of them beginning operations in 2016.
  • Most of them are in Nairobi and have added 1,700 rooms to the market.

Global hospitality chain Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced that its affiliates have entered into a management agreement with Kanha Ltd for the first Hyatt-branded hotels in Nairobi.

Hyatt Place and Hyatt House, comprising 33 rooms, will be located in Westlands, Nairobi, and are expected to open in early 2020.

The announcement comes exactly a year after Hyatt Hotels announced plans to open six new hotels in Africa in the next three years, excluding in Kenya, despite making Nairobi its sub-Saharan Africa hub five years ago.

During the media briefing last year, the hotel’s executives were hard-pressed to explain why they had snubbed Kenya.

The group’s Vice-President for Real Estate and Development, Mr Peter Penev, told journalists that Hyatt was not keen on investing in Kenya in the short term. But it appears they have changed their minds. Then, the luxury hotel brand was set to venture into Ethiopia, Cameroon, Algeria and Senegal between 2018 and 2020.

“At that time we did not have a project that we could talk about in Kenya. Hotel assembly takes some time and we are excited that we have a project to talk about now. We are also proud to be able to deliver on the promises we made last year,” Hyatt’s Regional Vice-President for Acquisitions and Development in sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Tejas Shah, told DN2 on phone.

NEW ENTRANTS

The new entrants in the ever growing Hyatt footprint in Africa, Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands, the management says, are rooted in extensive consumer research, indicating that guests seek stylish, comfortable, seamless experiences that accommodate their lifestyles and familiar routines. To embody this, they added, the two brands offer casual hospitality and purposeful service in a smartly designed, tech-forward and contemporary environment.

Hyatt Place, which is available in 312 other locations across the world, is expected to bring the brand’s intuitive design, casual atmosphere and practical amenities, such as free Wi-Fi and 24-hour food offerings to guests who are looking for a relaxing and uncomplicated place. It will have 173 guestrooms.

Meanwhile, Hyatt House, which has a presence in 85 locations worldwide, will offer 60 apartment-style suites with fully equipped kitchens

The two hotels will offer an array of shared services and amenities, including more than 700 square metres of meeting space, a restaurant and bar, and a swimming pool.

In recent times, several big brands have set up shop in Kenya, and indeed, in the content, in a scramble of sorts for a piece of Africa’s hospitality pie.

Last year, five well-known global hospitality brands announced plans to venture into the African market, or to increase their presence on the continent. They are Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, Pearl of Africa Hotel, Dubai-based luxury resort company One&Only, and America’s international luxury hotel, Marriot.

Data from the Ministry of Tourism indicate that some 15 high-end hotels have opened in Kenya since 2013, with about half of them beginning operations in 2016. Most of them are in Nairobi and have added 1,700 rooms to the market.

They include Villa Rosa Kempinski, Radisson Blu, Ole Sereni Hotel, Sankara Hotel and Movenpick Hotel and Residences.

Notably, Hyatt’s unaugural hotels will be located in Westlands, bringing competition to the doors of the already established Villa Rosa Kempinski, Sankara Hotel and Movenpick Hotel and Residences.

In the recent past Westlands has seen significant growth, including increased premium office space, entertainment venues, prominent retail centres, and food and beverage outlets.

“It’s no secret that we have been looking for the right development opportunities for Hyatt in Kenya for some time. Nairobi is the hub of East Africa and this landmark opportunity is only the beginning of Hyatt’s growth in this area,” said Mr Shah.

“The launch of the first Hyatt Place and Hyatt House dual-branded hotels will contribute to the growing need for flexible, select-service hotels and meeting rooms in one of the city’s key business districts.”

For his part, Mr Kanji Patel, the chairman of Kenyan real estate and construction company Kanha Ltd, said,

“We are excited and proud to be working with Hyatt and to be bringing the Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands to Kenya. With our diverse experience in real estate and construction, we are well poised to deliver ... where travellers will seek a bridge between a hotel and a home.”