Iconic InterContinental hotel mulls permanent closure, to fire all staff

InterContinental Hotels Corporation Limited Kenya is considering winding up its local operations which would end the closure of the Iconic InterContinental Nairobi.

In a notice of the intention to declare redundancies within 45 days, the hotel sighted operational reasons for the plan which would end in the loss of all employment positions.

“We write to inform you that InterContinental Hotels Corporation Limited Kenya (IHCL) is for operational reasons, considering a permanent closure of InterContinental Nairobi and winding up its operations in the Republic of Kenya. As a consequence of such intended winding up, all employment positions would become redudant,” read part of the notice to individual staff members seen by Citizen Digital.

The hotel management did not however disclose whether its woes were linked to the COVID-19 pandemic which has so far claimed casualties in the hospitality industry among them the Norfolk Hotel which ended up with a change of ownership guard.

The 51-year old hotel has previously been the subject of a looming auction in early 2019 over unpaid debt.

The hotel which draws admiration from its strategic location on the backdrop of both the Parliament Buildings and KICC inside the Central Business District (CBD) could now the be subject of a buyout by a new owner.

In February, the Privatisation Commission revived the sale of government stake in the hotel through the Tourism Finance Corporation (TFC) following previous unsuccessful offers.

The government controls a 33.8 percent of the hotel mother company.

The hotel renowned for hosting business travellers from the world over hosts a poolside restaurant, a coffee shop and a number of bars.