US-based global hospitality chain Hyatt Hotels Corporation has entered into a management agreement with Kenyan real estate and construction company Kanha Ltd for introduction of the first Hyatt-branded hotels in Nairobi.
Hyatt, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Wednesday said under the agreement it will be entering Kenya with dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Hotels as it seeks to expand its brand footprint in Africa.
The hotels will be located in Westlands, Nairobi and are expected to open in 2020.
“It’s no secret that we have been looking for the right development opportunities for Hyatt in Kenya for some time. Nairobi is the hub of East Africa and this landmark opportunity is only the beginning of Hyatt’s growth in this area,” said Tejas Shah, Hyatt regional vice president for development in sub-Saharan Africa.
Hyatt, which made Nairobi its sub-Saharan Africa hub in 2013, currently runs five hotels in Africa – Hyatt Regency Casablanca (Morocco), Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay (Morocco), Hyatt Regency Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt), Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Park Hyatt Zanzibar.
Kanha chairman Kanji Patel said the firm’s diverse experience in real estate and construction is poised to deliver on the need for select service and extended stay hotels in the new business district of Nairobi where travellers seek a bridge between a hotel and a home.
With 173 guestrooms, Hyatt Place will bring the brand’s intuitive design, casual atmosphere and practical amenities such as free Wi-Fi and 24-hour food offerings to guests looking for a relaxing and uncomplicated place.
The Hyatt House will offer 60 apartment-style suites with fully equipped kitchens.
Together the two hotels will offer an array of shared services and amenities, including more than 7,700 square metres of meeting space, a restaurant and bar and a swimming pool.
Headquartered in Chicago, Hyatt Hotels Corporation has a portfolio of 14 premier brands, and as of June 30, the firm’s portfolio included more than 750 properties in over 55 countries across six continents.
East Africa is part of Hyatt’s focus in the region due to it’s infrastructure development, growing middle-class and stability.