Hilton opens new hotel near Karura Forest after CBD closure

Hospitality chain Hilton has announced the latest addition to its fold of hotels in the country, one month ahead of the close of the iconic Hilton Hotel in Nairobi city centre.

The 102-room facility called ‘Kwetu Nairobi, Curio Collection by Hilton’ is located along Peponi Road in Nairobi’s Kitisuru area and overlooks Karura Forest.

“We’re opening in February 2023, but aren’t accepting reservations yet,” the hotel says on its website.

In April, the Hilton Hotel announced it is closing its doors after over 5 decades of operations at the heart of Nairobi.

The ritzy hotel which has the government accounting for 40.57 percent of shareholding in its operator, International Hotels Kenya Limited, said it will cease operations on December 31 this year and send home an unspecified number of workers.

And while many luxury brands have been scaling down operations or shutting down outlets altogether in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hilton said its closure does not entirely stem from the pandemic.

“Covid-19 created unprecedented challenges for our industry. However, the decision to cease operations is not directly connected to the pandemic,” a Hilton spokesperson said at the time.

The hotel said another section of its staff would be redeployed to Hilton Nairobi Hurlingham and Hilton Garden Inn Nairobi Airport, its other outlets within the city.