Merica's generations of love and castle that shapes Nakuru city

Merica Hotel in Nakuru town. [File, Standard]

February arrives wrapped in Valentine’s roses and candlelight, but the foresight sees beyond the bouquet. It discerns what endures: quiet acts of intention, rooted deep, one echoes with absence; the other multiplies in silence.

In Nakuru, two stories stand in stark relief, one of a man building 52 rooms for a woman who never came; the other of the famous Merica Hotel’s soil sown in patient love, planting trees for children it will never meet.

One echoes with absence; the other multiplies in silence.

Way back in Nakuru, Lord Egerton built his Castle. Fifty-two rooms, electric lights in 1938, a ballroom that waited for the first dance that never happened.

He poured his fortune into turrets, chandeliers and stone, hoping architecture could replace affection. Victoria never arrived; Egerton’s solitude became the lesson. Today, tourists wander its halls, admiring spectacles and mules.  

Nakuru understands endurance differently. Set along Kenya’s highlands, it anchors the path from Naivasha. Perched on Kenya’s high ground, it anchors the circuit that draws travellers from Lake Naivasha to Menengai Crater, Bogoria’s Geysers, and Baringo’s calm waters.

All paths curving back here. Nairobi rushes, Nakuru insists you pause. The elevation clears the mind, distance hushes noise, and the town itself insists on humility.

This week’s signal

At the town’s heart stands Merica Hotel, not a mere stopover, but a place where clarity crystallises. Most hotels promise comfort, Merica delivers clarity.

It offers spacious, secure parking. Evenings come alive with its Karaoke and Salsa nights spark laughter. Quiz nights kindle friendly rivalry, and the upcoming jazz night promises soulful sophistication.

This Valentine’s Day, Merica invites couples to a dinner of genuine warmth and luxury accommodation-romance grounded in purpose, where the aroma of fresh Kenyan coffee mingles with blooms at dawn, and every detail whispers care.

Boards meet at its conference rooms and emerge aligned, decisions crystallise, stalled deals conclude, training and seminars resonate, mergers and acquisitions align, and great men of God feel spiritual nourishment here.

Nakuru residents call it “The Kismat” hotel because success arrives here with uncommon grace. The secret lies not in polished brochures, but in what unfolds unseen; it’s about values and a strong value system.

“It’s remarkable how organisations grow into the persona of their founder,” says  Merica Hotel Director Emmanuel Kulei. “Our bigger Sovereign Group Vision is simple: make the world a better place even when no one is watching. Our Group Chairman always reminds us that when you create employment, plant trees, or give to people you will never meet, the return is linear; it multiplies. That is how Founders’ values become corporate identity”.

You see that philosophy outside the boardroom, too. Merica’s latest Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was at Bishop Kigen Children’s Home to offer support and at Mama Ngina Primary School, with their “Adopt a Tree Campaign” where it donates the trees while the kids look after the fruit trees.

This is actually how the campaign long-term plan looks: a child in Grade Two plants a fruit tree, by Grade Four, they’re watering branches they can barely reach, by Grade Six, they’re picking fruit to take home, by Grade Eight, they graduate alongside a tree that’ll feed families and the community for years. It’s the only one of its kind in Kenya.

Schools should start to become centres of community-run fruit processing projects, tying together sustainability, learning, and livelihoods. This is a living classroom for nutrition science and a self-sustaining ecosystem.

 What it means for business  

From the Castle story to Merica’s success, it’s clear that a vision alone, unshared, fades into silence. Put people first, set the tone for things like values and value systems.

Hospitality brands across the world must maintain sovereign control over their guest experience and focus on value pricing, selling outcomes, transformations and strategic frameworks that are scalable. That is how full wallet share is captured.

What it means for policy  

Programmes like Merica’s “Adopt a Tree” Campaign are a foresight mindset that should be emulated globally. To ensure sustainable operations, companies should develop sustainability policies that incorporate CSR

What it means for people  

It’s important to note that business is about values. People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Merica shows us that hospitality can still be real, purposeful, and grounded.

Afterthought  

Business isn’t just about outlasting your worthy rival; It’s about building a legacy, something that lasts and matters. It’s about an infinite mindset.

From a castle built out of longing to a hotel that grows living legacies, Nakuru keeps teaching the same lesson. The future belongs to the people who build quietly and for others.  “Decisions are made on the radar screen, but the future is yours.”

-The writer is a human-centred strategist and leadership columnist