Best Western Hotel owner in deal with French group to launch Pullman Nairobi

The owner of Best Western Plus Creekside Hotel in Mombasa is building a luxurious hotel in Nairobi that will be managed by French group AccorHotels under the Pullman brand.

Mombasa businessman Amjad Rahim will own the building that will host Nairobi Pullman Hotel, an upscale brand targeting high-end guests.

The coast-based tycoon told the Business Daily in an interview that the 11-storey hotel currently under construction in Westlands, behind the Westgate Mall, would be completed early next year.

He, however, declined to disclose the cost of the project. AccorHotels — which will manage the facility — said the Pullman Hotel in Nairobi would be finished to the chain’s global standards.

“Some adaptations and design needed to be done by the owner to match with the ‘upscale’ market and the Pullman brand. That explains the delay,” said Manoël Parrent, AccorHotels’ operational marketing director for Middle East and Africa, explaining why the project will not be completed as per the earlier deadline of November this year.

“We are first targeting the corporates and meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (mice). It is in line with the growing demand from international and African travellers throughout the continent,” Mr Parrent told the Business Daily.

The French hotel group said it was attracted to Kenya because Nairobi offers higher returns than hotels in European cities.

“Returns on investment are generally higher here in Nairobi than in European capitals,” said AccorHotels.

The 340-room Pullman Hotel Nairobi will increase Nairobi’s bed capacity in tandem with growing demand for accommodation and meeting rooms driven by the city’s status as the regional hub for many multinationals.

It will feature two restaurants, two bars, a gym, spa, swimming pool and a total of 14 boardrooms tailored for business meetings.

Mr Rahim also owns Cowrie Shell Beach Apartments in Bamburi, Valley View Office Park in Muthaiga, Nairobi, and an upcoming holiday apartment in Diani named Golden Sand Resort.

AccorHotels, listed on the Paris bourse, becomes the latest global hotel chain to announce plans to establish presence in Kenya’s hospitality industry which has recently witnessed increased activity.

The French hotelier also owns five other luxury hotel brands such as Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Grand Mercure, and The Sebel. Its mid-level offering are Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, and Adagio.

AccorHotels’ economy brands are: ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget, adagio access and hotelF1. The upcoming hotel in Nairobi adds to Pullman’s six existing units across Africa located in Morocco (Marrakech and El Jadida), Dakar, Abidjan, Kinshasa, and Douala.

Pullman has also signed management contracts for two other upcoming hotels in Addis Ababa and Lubumbashi.

Pullman said it plans to grow its network on the continent and be “present in the 30 main cities all over Africa”.

Pullman has a global network of more than 95 hotels and resorts in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

Other upcoming hotels in Nairobi are Park Inn, Tune Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Ramada, Mövenpick Hotel, and Four Points by Sheraton.