Hemingway’s Collections puts Kenya on the destination map
Alastair Addison.
Scottish-born but Kenyan based Alastair Addison’s passion for Kenya’s hospitality industry is admirable, if not overly impressive.
I probably learnt more from him in one sitting than I would have in a full week’s lecture. He would fit well calling the shots at the Kenya Tourism Board but as I later found out, he is perfectly suited in making all the decisions as Hemingway’s Collection’s CEO…
First and foremost, how do you start your day? How does it end?
Well, my day starts very early (with some good Kenyan tea with no milk or sugar) and ends very late. I have to make sure that all my people are in and organised for the day first thing in the morning. I then deal with any issues that arose the previous day as I catch up on the day’s emails, which may continue late into the night. It’s a 24/7 business!
Tell us a bit of what Hemingway’s is all about
Hemmingway’s Collections is a hotel division of the international Hemmingway’s holdings — a luxury travel company. We have three properties, at the Maasai Mara, Watamu and the new hotel opening in Nairobi in early April. We officially set camp about 23/24 years ago in Watamu and we’ve now developed the company into an overall tourism group.
For the Nairobi branch, our aim is to create a very luxurious top-end experience for our overseas clients and businessmen coming to the city. We aim to offer a service level that is not available anywhere else in East Africa.
And we think that Kenya will be very proud and popular as a destination. We’re spending money on something that we think is very unique and very different.
Why did Kenya seem like a potential for your start up?
I think Kenya is a very exciting country. We have the best people –and you don’t see too much of this around the world and that’s a basic asset in setting up any business.
Another thing is that most of our staff are Kenyan or have grown up here. Our manager himself has lived here for a while. Nairobi is increasingly becoming a very big and important city - it’s all rounded quality is what makes it an ideal place to set up business.
What is your personal work ethic, and how does this affect the company culture?
I think everything is about teamwork; it’s about sitting down and communicating to your team about the core vision of the business. This way, it reflects to the people we serve and interact with on a daily basis.
Where are your favourite for business lunches or leisure?
As you can see, I have quite a healthy appetite (laughs). I enjoy food. And I will repeat that Nairobi is an international city with fantastic restaurants. Seven Seafood and grill is my favourite. Every time I have been there, I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Are you a whizz in the kitchen or do you order out when you have to fend for yourself?
I do cook, but not very much. I can be lazy and mostly prefer going out to grab a bite. But when I have time, I head out and buy the ingredients to cook and I enjoy it.
What inspires you most about what you do?
For me, it’s about making people happy; that makes all the hard work and challenges worthwhile. Especially if we get encouraging comments and repeat clients because of the quality of service we offer them.
What future plans should we look forward to from Hemingways?
We’re definitely looking to expand; we’ve done a lot in the past two years consolidating our hotel collections. Hemingways Nairobi is soon opening but we also want to expand beyond the boundaries of Kenya.
