CityBlue, whose headquarters are in Dubai, operates establishments in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda with a new property slated for Zambia.
The chain brand debuted in Kenya last year after taking over CityBlue Creekside Hotels and Suites in Mombasa, previously managed by BestWestern under the Plus brand.
It opened the first hotel under its brand in Rwanda in six years ago.
African hotel chain CityBlue is relocating its headquarters to Nairobi in the first quarter of 2019 as the chain targets continued expansion in the continent.
The hotel chain, whose headquarters are in Dubai, operates establishments in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda with a new property slated for Zambia.
“We are tapping into Kenya as the hub for East Africa. The local talent has understanding of the local markets within and beyond its borders,” said Kenyan-born Jameel Verjee, founder and chief executive of CityBlue during the Africa Hotel Investment Forum 2018 in Nairobi yesterday.
The chain brand debuted in Kenya last year after taking over CityBlue Creekside Hotels and Suites in Mombasa, previously managed by BestWestern under the Plus brand.
It opened the first hotel under its brand in Rwanda in six years ago.
CityBlue is one of the few brands with international presence to venture into the Coast, as international brands shy away from the area.
The hospitality chain has been taking over and branding existing properties as opposed to building their own.
“We take up leases no less than 20 to 30 years or management contracts,” said Mr Verjee.
This lowers the capital needed to run get the hotel up and running compared to building.
CityBlue will expand into Nairobi in 2020 and also increase its presence Mombasa.
“Our target is to set up small and mid-scale hotels,” said Mr Verjee.
Four Points by Sheraton and Best Western chains have also refurbished and rebranded properties in the country, taking over management.
Four Points by Sheraton last year took over a hotel in Hurlingham in Nairobi previously under the Best Western Premier brand, while Best Western rebranded Meridian Hotel in the city centre to a Best Western Plus.
Kenya topped key sub Saharan Africa rivals Nigeria and Tanzania in the count of global chain hotel brands presence.
According the Knight Frank 2018 hotels report, growth will be increasingly concentrated in the large cities of sub-Saharan Africa such as Luanda, Lagos, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and Addis Ababa between 2015 and 2030.
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