Coast hotel rivals raise stakes with upgrades

• Following the renovations, the hotel recently became a member of the Preferred Hotel Group which represents more than 800 world class hotels and resorts in over 70 countries in the world. The membership will help the hotel target high-end holidaymakers.
• Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort general manager Mohamed Hersi said the hotel was spending $10 million (Sh840 million) on renovating the 338-roomed hotel.
• The refurbishment of the first batch of 120 rooms is set for completion next month, installing interactive television sets to which guests can connect to lap tops, Ipads and ipods.

Two rivals for high-end holidaymakers in Mombasa have spent a combined Sh1.3 billion in hotel upgrades, raising the stakes in competition for affluent tourists.

Nyali International Beach Hotel and Spa chief operating officer Aftab Rupshi said the hotel which was built by the British in 1946 had been refurbished at a cost of Sh500 million.

He said AP/Nyali Hotels International Limited which acquired the five star hotel in 2010 had carried out major renovations of the 179 rooms, three suites and three luxury villas.

Other works included the sprucing up of public areas like the reception, lobby, swimming pools, restaurants, bars and three conference rooms.
“When we took over the hotel in 2010 guests were complaining about poor accommodation. The investors ploughed in Sh500 million for the renovation of the establishment to international standards,” Mr Rupshi said.

World class

Following the renovations, the hotel recently became a member of the Preferred Hotel Group which represents more than 800 world class hotels and resorts in over 70 countries in the world. The membership will help the hotel target high-end holidaymakers.

Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort general manager Mohamed Hersi said the hotel was spending $10 million (Sh840 million) on renovating the 338-roomed hotel.

The refurbishment of the first batch of 120 rooms is set for completion next month, installing interactive television sets to which guests can connect to lap tops, Ipads and ipods.

“For years hotels at the Coast have been criticised for being in poor condition,” Mr Hersi said, asking, in his capacity as the Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association (MCTA) chairman, hotel owners to spruce up the facilities and attract high-end holidaymakers.

Voyager Hotel general manager Sylvester Mbandi said the hotel spent millions of shillings on improving accommodation and facilities for disabled guests. “In our renovation project we considered setting up special rooms and facilities for the physically challenged so that they can stay in comfort,” he said.

The renovations are a response to recent concerns by the Ministry of Tourism and leading European tour operators that conditions in some hotels built many years ago had deteriorated.

The state of some of the hotels was being blamed for the decline in international tourist arrivals which are largely driven by repeat visits.