By Mkala Mwaghesha
Mombasa, Kenya: The English Point Marina has been touted as a first of its kind project, at least in Kenya.
Less than a kilometre from Tamarind Hotel and past the historical Krapf Graveyard on Cement Road in English Point Mkomani area, the Marina sits directly behind the Mombasa Show Grounds.
An area that is only busy once a year, during the Agriculture Shows of Kenya Mombasa circuit, English Point is located far from the public view.
On a recent visit to the ground-breaking of the Sh4.8billion project, this writer struggled to find the place. The directionas are so complex. Even seasoned airport taxi drivers who are known to know every crevice and access roads were clueless of where the Marina was, apart from not knowing what it was. Maybe once it is complete, the situation will be different.
When you get here, however, all this is forgotten. The hotel has the best view of the Old Town area; from State House Mombasa to the west and a section where the old Nyali Bridge was on the east. The iconic Fort Jesus sits almost at the middle of the view.
Set for completion in October and opening in November, the hotel that the developer describes as ‘ultimate in living’ is 30 per cent done with one block of the four being put up already open for viewing.
The Marina has 96 three-bedroom apartments ranging from 1,655 to 2,100 square feet.
With an average of two en-suite rooms in each apartment, the apartments are made with the need for space in mind. They come in three types, with the difference in the specifications, sizes and design. Beautiful and symmetric guardrails form the boundary on the balcony, for safety measures.
Penthouses
Eight penthouses sit on the top floor of the four wings of the hotel, with three already sold.
The penthouses, which have three bedrooms each, en suite, have a better view of the place from the topmost balcony. The penthouses also have a spa/Jacuzzi, a gym and a sauna, features not found in the apartments.
A hotel is also part of the development, with 26 air-conditioned rooms and three suites. Some apartments will also operate as the hotel inventory, especially the apartments that have been bought, but given back to the hotel management as leases.
The apartments, penthouses and hotel rooms will be electronically efficient, with most facilities like the kitchen and bathroom having modern top of the range electrical facilities.
Apart from a secure and ample underground vehicle parking for its guests, the Marina will have a bay area for yacht and smaller boats to dock in. Sixty yachts of up to 45 feet will be able to line up along the bay area as owners and tourists enjoy the luxury of the hotel.
“We will also be selling yachts and small boats from the Marina, with willing buyers paying in instalments,” says the hotel manager, Philip Jones.
He adds: “We will operate the yachts for owners who will lease them to tourists for tours along the Coast.”
On the front open area, we shall have retail shops, eateries, restaurants and bars with indoor and outside seating for hotel residents and other guests. A swimming pool and water sports facilities will complete the boardwalk look.
Security will be taken care of by beach patrols, CCTV cameras, secure lighting and rapid response security service.
The top of the four buildings that make up the cruise ship-shaped hotel will have solar panels that will be used to heat the buildings and provide alternative energy. Four bio-digesters will be used to recycle waste from the hotel, with the extracted water used for irrigation and toilet use.
“The apartments will be cost from Sh45,000 to Sh50,000 per night. A group of up to six people can occupy one,” says Jones.
The hotel rooms will cost Sh12,000 per night, and the penthouses Sh100 million, with buyers paying in instalments. The hotel can lease the penthouses for the buyers until the full amount is paid back to the hotel. The apartments go for Sh58 million with the amount going up depending on size.
For recreation, the apartment owners will have free membership to the exclusive Nyali Golf Club. A ferry will operate from the Marina to Fort Jesus and Old Town area on a regular basis, to allow for easier access to the island from the Nyali area.
