Starwood Hotels & Resorts continues expansion across Africa with the signing of new Sheraton Kigali in Rwanda
Scheduled to open in 2018, Sheraton Kigali will mark the entry of Starwood into Rwanda |
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Starwood Hotels & Resorts continues expansion across Africa with the signing of new Sheraton Kigali in Rwanda
Scheduled to open in 2018, Sheraton Kigali will mark the entry of Starwood into Rwanda |
Category: Africa Indian Ocean - Rwanda - Industry economy
- Hotel projects
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2014-05-12
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. today announced that it has signed an agreement with Century Park and Hotel Residences Ltd. to open a new Sheraton hotel in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. Scheduled to open in 2018, Sheraton Kigali will mark Starwood’s entry into Rwanda and will be the company’s 50th hotel in Africa. With this signing, Starwood is on track to increase its African portfolio by over 30% with more than 15 new hotels to open over the next five years.
“We look forward to partnering with Century Park and Hotel Residences on this milestone entry into Rwanda as we continue to expand our presence in Africa,” said Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “Our innovative approach to managing lifestyle brands continues to set us apart from the competition and, with the signing of this agreement, we are proud to debut Starwood and the Sheraton brand in Rwanda’s economic, cultural, and transport hub."
“The hospitality sector is one of the main industries driving infrastructure development in Rwanda and is also a key foreign exchange earner for the country. We seek to tap into Rwanda’s rapidly growing real estate and hospitality markets, which growth has been spurred on by a rising demand for hotel accommodation resulting mainly from a conducive business environment,” Billy Cheung Yiu Tung, Chairman, Century Park Hotel & Residences Ltd. commented. “With this objective in mind, we are delighted to secure a strategic partnership with Starwood Hotel & Resorts to operate our first hospitality project in Kigali.”
Situated in the prestigious Gasabo district, Sheraton Kigali will be located seven kilometers from Kigali International Airport and offer easy access to the city center, key government offices as well as the lush surroundings of Lake Nyarutarama and Nyabarongo River wetlands.
The 136-room hotel will feature signature Sheraton experiences, including the all-white Sweet Sleeper beds, the Sheraton Club Lounge and rooms, the Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft and the Sheraton Fitness by Core Performance™. Guests will be able to enjoy relaxing treatments at the Sheraton Shine Spa, inclusive of an outdoor swimming pool, as well as easy access to adjoining retail shops.
Sheraton Kigali will also include 62 serviced apartments available to guests for extended stays in the capital, as well as an all-day dining venue, a specialty restaurant and a lobby lounge. With 900 square meters of meeting space and a business center, the hotel will be the new gathering place in the capital for international business travellers and their local counterparts when it opens.
Starwood in Africa“Starwood has a long history of being first movers in Africa and around the world, and our entry into Rwanda speaks to Sheraton’s strong, global brand recognition and Starwood’s reputation as a leading hotel operator,” said Bart Carnahan, Senior Vice President Acquisition & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa & Middle East. “Our development strategy is focused on working with the right partners on the right deals in the right locations and this new hotel will strengthen our growing portfolio of properties on the continent.”
Starwood has a long history of being first movers around the world and this holds true in Africa where Starwood first opened the Sheraton Cairo in 1971. Currently, Starwood operates 37 hotels in 15 African countries, representing more than 10,000 rooms in Algeria, Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda. By 2015, Starwood plans to have nearly 50 hotels in Africa with new hotels opening in Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Senegal and Mauritius.
About Sheraton Hotels & ResortsSheraton helps guests make connections at more than 400 hotels in 70 countries around the world and recently completed a $6 billion global revitalization and is now in the midst of an $8 billion global expansion over the next three years. Sheraton is owned by and is the largest and most global brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with nearly 1,200 properties in 100 countries and 181,400 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft and Element. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands.
About Century Park Hotel & Residences LtdCentury Park Hotel & Residences Ltd comprises shareholders from China, Hong Kong and Rwanda and it is a fully incorporated company with its head office in Kigali, Rwanda. The company’s vision is to become the leading property development company in the East African region while the mission is to provide high quality and consistent services at the best price and ensure sustainable investments with optimal returns to shareholders. The company’s core values are defined in integrity and professionalism, customer satisfaction as well as health, safety and environment conservation.
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