Sarova Whitesands Resort in Sh400 million upgrade

A room at Sarova Whitesands photo:courtesy

Mombasa-based Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa has embarked on the final phase of a rooms upgrade expected to cost Sh400 million.

Speaking to Weekend Business, Sarova Hotels Managing Director Jaideep Vohra said work on remodelling 138 additional rooms has started, with 48 already done and 90 awaiting completion by early 2018.

The upgrade already has 200 rooms fully redone at a cost of Sh1 billion, he said.

"Across the board, we are carrying out room and general upgrades of our units as we believe in a strong Kenyan destination,’’ said Mr Vohra.

Vohra said increased visits by high-profile personalities and their business delegations has helped Kenya market itself as a rich tourist destination.

Pope Francis, former US President Barack Obama, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Alibaba owner Jack Ma are some of the high-profile people to visit the country in recent past.

Mr Vohra added that apart from sprucing up the Whitesands, upgrade on Sarova Panafric Hotel in Nairobi will also start in a few months.

"We are looking at casting our net far and wide and after landing in Nakuru where we took over management of Sarova Woodlands, our next  target will be a property within the world-famous Maasai Mara,’’ he said.

And in efforts to bolster and expand footprint outside Kenya, Vohra said that Sarova is looking at prospects of establishing properties in Zanzibar, Tanzania mainland and Rwanda.

‘’These are some of the potential areas the Sarova Hotel brands would like to enter and offer its world-acclaimed hospitality service,’’ he said.