newly refurbished intercontinental nairobi now open
Iconic property welcomes back ever-increasing number of tourists and business travellers in Kenya
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the official re-opening of one of its most iconic properties in Africa – the InterContinental Nairobi. The hotel has been enhanced through an extensive multi-million dollar refurbishment to cater for the significant increase in demand in Nairobi, and Africa.
Established over 30 years ago, the renovated hotel is now set to build further on its reputation as one of the city’s leading hotels and signals a bright future for the destination on the global tourist and business maps.
Tom Rowntree, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, InterContinental Hotels Group, Middle East & Africa, said: “The refurbishment is a testament to our belief that economic gains in Kenya will continue as Nairobi develops in its own right and as a gateway to Africa. Product improvement and diversification have been two of the main factors boosting tourism demand for African destinations and IHG is committed to its ongoing success.”
Recent industry figures show Africa consistently leading the world, with an increase in arrivals year on year at around 10% per annum. Kenya is reportedly experiencing even higher levels of growth as one of the most popular destinations on the continent. Investment in infrastructure has been very positive, and improved cooperation between the public and private sectors has helped to support the development.
The refurbishment project at InterContinental Nairobi covered four floors of the property, 150 rooms in the casino wing, the boardrooms and public areas, all of which have been developed to meet guests’ diversifying demands.
With the final part of the renovation now complete the hotel has already seen a high level of demand, in particular from business travellers looking for premium accommodation and amenities.
The hotel’s Club InterContinental, situated on the 6th floor, the upscale brand's exclusive facility dedicated for discerning business travellers, has undergone a complete facelift to feature the latest comforts and state of the art equipment. The floor’s stylishly private lounge, which serves breakfast and regular refreshments throughout the day, has been luxuriously decorated, creating a calming ambience. This comfortable environment ensures even the busiest business guests feel as relaxed and refreshed as possible after their stay.
Termed as a ‘contemporary-classic’ design, the guest rooms are decorated with luxurious classical dark wood furniture, along with classical fabric featuring a contemporary twist, with an African influence. Stained glass windows between the bedroom and bathroom are interwoven with a graphic interpretation of African art.
Roopi Babra, a locally based and internationally renowned artist, was responsible for the design and production of the African inspired windows. With a background of 15 years in architecture, Roopi has always been interested in decorative glass and now exports her work all over the globe.
“Inspired by the natural surroundings of the hotel, we wanted the artworks to depict Kenya and concentrate on local patterns, artefacts and crafts - hence the idea of choosing fabric patterns in geometric designs, elephants and decorated ‘Gourds,’ which are used by the Masai tribes in some of their ceremonies,” explained Roopi. “We used glass as our core material to which we applied Stained Glass Overlay colours and leaded outlines. The textured backgrounds in obscure densities helped to let light into the rooms as well as giving privacy to the bathrooms.”
The entire renovation of InterContinental Nairobi has been designed to provide guests with a quality experience from accommodation facilities to its extensive entertainment and dining options.
The Plantation is the 24 hours lobby café, 'Bhandini' brings you the essence of India, traditional Italian dishes are offered at the delightful La Prugna D’oro and for a more informal atmosphere the Terrace Restaurant overlooking the pool offers Nyama choma every evening. The vibrant Safari bar offers guests the choice to unwind and be entertained with a choice of themed nights ranging from Karaoke to Salsa, while the rooftop “Le Chateau” offers exquisite views over Nairobi for meetings, receptions and dinners for up to 130 people.
The new-look InterContinental Nairobi is conveniently located just 10 miles from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and in close proximity to the Kenyatta International Conference Centre.
