Hilton Hotel has announced its plan to open a new hotel in Nairobi, hardly a month after it announced that it would wind up its business at the iconic Hilton Nairobi.
The new outlet has been named Kwetu Nairobi, Curio Collection a move the firm said will be to reaffirm its commitment to the hospitality market in Kenya.
Speaking during the East Africa Development Forum in Nairobi Hilton Development, sub-Saharan Africa Managing Director, Andrew McLachlan said Curio Collection will create more than 100 local jobs once opened.
“This incredible new hotel will set the standard for upscale hotels in Nairobi as part of our Curio Collection by Hilton brand. Our Kenyan-based Development Team is looking forward to meeting with the East African hotel owner and investor community in Nairobi this week as we grow our hotel portfolio in this dynamic market.”
Located at the junction of Peponi Road and Kitisuru Road in the Westlands Business District, it will offer 100 guest rooms across five distinct buildings.
The much-anticipated hotel will feature stylish boutique interiors as well as several dining venues, bars and ten meeting rooms.
The East Africa Development Forum hosted by Hilton aimed at showcasing its significant opportunity in East Africa to develop hotels as part of the company’s portfolio of four brands present in the market.
In April 2022, Hilton announced the closure of the historic Hilton Nairobi, laying off an unspecified number of workers, underlining the troubles of hotels in the wake of COVID-19 travel slump.
The Kenyan Government has a 40.57 stake in the hotel and has exist enjoyed its stay in the capital city for the past 50 years of operation.
According to the MPC Hotels Survey of January 2021, employment in the sector continues to recover towards the pre-COVID levels, averaging 57 percent in January 2021 compared with 53 percent in November 2020 and 37 percent.
The hotel market in Kenya, however, benefited from an increasing number of foreign tourists as travel advisories were lifted and the country enjoyed a period of peace and security.
This registered a 53.29 percent growth in 2021 following a 34.76 percent increase in revenue which translated to Ksh.169.7 billion, from Ksh.102.9 million in 2020.
The Curio Collection by Hilton is expected to open in late 2022.
