KCB VENTURE 1 final

INDUSTRY FOCUS: HOSPITALITY
“We have 1400
square meters
of function
space, always
(in) day light
facing south and
north. Amazing
views facing the
national park
on one side and
the CBD on the
other side. You
really notice
that you’re in
Upper Hill when
you look to the
north,”
for any hotel, not just for its
stunning views but surrounded
by competition for what will
be Kenya’s tallest building in
the foreseeable future. In the
Upper Hill District, Britam is
building what will be the tallest
building followed by KCB Bank,
UAP Insurance Company and
then World Bank. This brings
business to within walking
distance of Radisson Blu.
“I think many of those in
Westlands would wish their
hotels are situated here,” says
Mr. Brandin.
The road taken by the hotel
has not been smooth at all. The
iconic dream that has become
part of the more than 1,400
hotels around the world run
by the Carlson Rezidor Hotel
Group has long become a
reality; it was eight years in the
making actually.
The outfit that today
routinely hosts heads of State –
they had four during the Tokyo
International Conference on
Africa Development (TICAD)
held in Nairobi at the end of
August – was the brainchild of
Mr. Michael Kairu.
His initial idea was to build
executive serviced apartments
on the two-acre property, said
Mr. Brandin, until a Danish
architect convinced him that
the bigger the dream the easier
it would be to attract funding.
“The Danish Architect
suggested that they go big
to attract funding … Out of
a medium small residential
apartment idea it became a big
beautiful hotel ….which we’re
in now,” says Mr. Brandin, his
hands swooshing in tandem
with his pronouncement to
illustrate the fulfilment of the
moment.
The dream graduated from
the serviced apartments into
this magnificent structure that
now boasts 271 rooms and a
secure more-than-ample 240
parking lots which opened its
door to guests in November
last year.
“When you think about a
project that’s been eight years
in the making … imagine when
you plan for the space, for the
layout … you cannot change
it from one day to the other.
I think we really got it right;
the mix between 271 rooms
the rooms, standard, superior,
suites with the function
space…” said Mr. Brandin.
Those staying in a Business
Class Room or in one of
the Suites receive access
to the exclusive Business
Class Lounge, which serves
complimentary breakfast, tea
and coffee each morning and
canapés, wine and beer during
club hours between 5pm and
7 pm.
Just before it all began to
come together, there was the
elephant in the room; where
to get Ksh7 billion needed to
bring the superstructure to
life, complete with its glamour
and glitz. Mr. Kairu and his
business partners in Elgon
Road Ltd certainly didn’t have
it.
They drew up a plan and
turned to banks with an
elaborate proposal on just how
to turn the multi-million dollar
dream into reality.
“As far as I know he
approached many banks in
Kenya and a lot of them,
obviously foreign banks, were
not able to see the vision he
saw,” said Mr. Brandin. “But he
was fascinated by the flexibility
and partnership that he
received from KCB. Bank”
“It’s great to see that there
is entrepreneurship and trust
because money and banks need
to come first before dreams can
become a reality,” he added.
KCB Bank came in and
financed the project to the tune
of Ksh5 billion.
Mr. Brandin, a German
national who’s working for
the first time in Africa having
worked previously in Europe, is
happy that the hotel is up and
running and just can’t seem
to get enough of the Kenyan
spirit.
“It’s great to be in a country
where you have such a
hardworking workforce. We do
not have to train our staff how
to be welcoming. The staff have
this in them,” he says adding,
“They have the most amazing
natural smile that you can find,
FEATURE
Radisson
Blu and
the Green
Key
Taking responsibility
for the environment and
local community has been
an important part of the
broader commitment of the
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
to sustainable development
for many years.
The Radisson Blu Hotel,
Nairobi Upper Hill is
proudly certified with the
international Green Key
eco-label. This international
eco-label for hotels
1,800
Establishments in 34
countries around the
world who are certified
with the international
Green Key eco-label.
currently covers over
1,800 establishments in
34 countries worldwide.
It is based on ecological,
social and technical criteria
that surpass official
environmental laws within
the respective countries.
Green Key aims to raise
the awareness of hotels,
staff, and clients about
sustainable methods of
operation and technology
and the running of
ecologically sound and
responsible businesses,
thereby reducing resource
and energy use.
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