Kenya’s renowned Hilton Hotel, a multi-story tower that was formerly one of the city’s tallest structures, is set to close in December, according to reports.
The hotel was erected in 1969, six years after Kenya got independence from the United Kingdom, and has since become a metropolitan landmark.
Its planned closure coincides with a drop in tourism and hospitality as a result of the Covid outbreak.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, a number of major hotels in Nairobi closed their doors, some indefinitely. Hilton however claims that its closure has nothing to do with Covid.
It informed Kenya’s Business Daily newspaper that some of its employees will lose their jobs as a result of the closure, while others would be reassigned to other firms in its portfolio.
“Following extensive discussions with the hotel ownership, Hilton Nairobi will close its doors for the last time on 31 December 2022 and cease operations,” a Hilton spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Since December 17, 1969, the hotel has stood tall in Nairobi CBD, about 8 minutes’ walk from the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and Jamia Mosque.
It was one of the capital’s highest buildings at the time, with 287 rooms, including 45 twins, 185 doubles, seven suites, 22 pool rooms, and 27 executive rooms.
It has welcomed world leaders and other high-ranking guests over the years, acquiring recognition and status in the region as a result of its amenities.
It also comes months after Nairobi’s Intercontinental Hotel shuttered its doors, with the building’s owners announcing that they were considering transforming it into a shopping mall.
International Hotels Kenya Limited, which owns the Hilton, controls 40.57 percent of the company. It also owned 33.83 percent of Kenya Hotel Properties Limited, which ran the InterContinental Hotel, which closed in August 2020 as well.
Other stockholders have been angered by the State’s reluctance to invest in the two premium hotels. A number of top hotels, including Laico Regency and Radisson Blu in Nairobi’s Upper Hill, have ceased operations as a result of the coronavirus economic fallout.
Kenya’s tourism industry is beginning to recover from its deep Covid-19-induced collapse, as local tourists take advantage of lower rates, but foreign visitor numbers remain far below pre-pandemic levels.