Kenya picked to host Hilton’s second ‘airport hotel’ outlet in Africa

New York Stock Exchange-listed company Hilton Worldwide has announced it has signed a franchise agreement with Reliance Hotels to open Hilton Garden Inn hotel at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.

The hotel becomes the 12th Hilton Garden Inn property under development in Africa, and is expected to open in early 2016.

Hilton Garden Inn Chicago OHare Airport Hotel. The JKIA hotel outlet becomes the 12th Hilton Garden Inn property under development in Africa, and is expected to open in early 2016.

(PHOTO: COURTESY)

The 171-room hotel will be located two kilometres from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), the country’s largest airport and a busy hub for sub-Saharan travel.

Its location off Mombasa Road, the main link between Nairobi and Mombasa, is expected to make it an ideal base for local, regional and international visitors.

“Hilton has long pioneered the concept of airport hotels and in recent years has added new properties in aviation hubs, including London Heathrow, Istanbul Ataturk and Amsterdam Schipol airports,” said Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president of development, Europe and Africa, for Hilton Worldwide.

“Agreeing our first Hilton Garden Inn for Kenya, and adding a second airport location to our African portfolio (after Nigeria’s Hilton Garden Inn Abuja Airport), demonstrates how we are growing and evolving our presence across the continent.”

With a population of about four million people, Nairobi is the largest and most populous city in Eastern Africa. It is a political and financial centre, and regional base for several international companies, bringing significant levels of business travel to the city, where Hilton has been present since 1969.

Visitor hub

Long-term plans to refurbish and expand JKIA are also expected to boost Nairobi’s status as a visitor hub in the region.

“We are delighted to be working with Hilton Worldwide to develop the first Hilton Garden Inn for Kenya, a milestone for the country’s hospitality industry. The location of the hotel will serve travelers well for both inbound and outbound travel from Nairobi, as well as for nearby cities,” Noorali Manji, the chairman of Reliance Hotels, said.

On completion, the hotel will feature more than 300 square metres of events space, a business centre, fitness centre and outdoor swimming pool.

“As we sign yet more Hilton Garden Inn properties across Africa, we are delighted to agree our first for Kenya,” said Adrian Kurre, the global head of Hilton Garden Inn, who oversees the franchise’s more than 625 global outlets.