By Mkala Mwaghesha

Mombasa, Kenya: A mega luxury hotel expected to transform the East African coast is set for completion in October.

The Sh4.8 billion English Point Marina will be a fully-serviced luxury hotel offering private and commercial yatch, and give boat owners the luxury to dock in a service yard in mainland Mombasa.

Speaking during the official launch of the hotel last week, Alnoor Kanji, the co-owner of the facility, which architecturally resembles a cruise ship, said contractors are currently working on interior finishes in the apartments and boardwalk. Work on hotel and external areas is on-going while piling for the floating pontoon is already done.

Eight penthouses

A hotel with 96 apartments and eight penthouses, English Point Marina will have a gourmet restaurant, a wellness centre with a spa and gym, water sports centre and a basement parking for cars.

On the sea front, the hotel will have a boardwalk that will have restaurants and shops, and a serviced marina that can take 45 to 60 boats of about 47 metres.

“The Marina is a dream come true as I had not decided what to do with the four acres when I bought them for double the market value in 2007,” said Kanji. The ground-breaking of the marina, which Kanji described as ‘ultimate in living’, was done in 2010.

Project lauded

Mombasa Governor, Hassan Joho, who graced the official launch said: “We will market Mombasa using The Marina.”

He also encouraged public-private sector partnership to bolster the economy of the county and the country as a whole.

Also present was Vision 2030 CEO Mugo Kibati, who lauded the project as a good example of a county embracing the vision. He challenged investors to look into building an international convention centre.

Marina Apartments are the most expensive worldwide, and English Point will be a fresh breath for tourists and boat lovers as there is no marina along the coast between Mauritius and Morocco in the north.

“The country will benefit economically as the hotel will attract tourists. Once people around the world know of its existence, we should expect boats to be constantly docking,” said Philip Jones, the general manager of the hotel.

 

Total cost

With most international and local banks unwilling to fund the project, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) jumped into Kanji’s idea and is financing 65 per cent of the cost.

According to KCB CEO Joshua Oigara, the bank will finance both residential and commercial investors who are eligible for mortgages.

“We are proud to work with entrepreneurs and businessmen. This project is in a good location and it is eco-friendly, which is in line with our green agenda,” he said.

With three of the six advertised penthouses already sold, the management is upbeat about the success of the hotel, giving an eight-year period to have the mortgage paid off.

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