A Global Luxury, French Novotel Hotel Opens Up In Nairobi Westlands
A GLOBAL LUXURY, FRENCH HOTEL OPENS UP IN NAIROBI WESTLANDS:
As the Westlands area, a few minutes’ drive from Nairobi CBD, gets more attractive to investors and hotels and residential homes developers, the area is gaining a new identity as a beautiful, vibrant and awe-inspiring modern extension of Nairobi City. In recent years iconic buildings and structures have been constructed giving the area not only a modern but also unique and dynamic look and ambience. It is in the area that the Novotel Nairobi Westlands Hotel, one of Accor Hotels Group flagship hotels entity opened softly on 7th August 2024. The Accor Group is renowned as a champion of balanced living in the midst of luxury in its establishments globally.
On November 14th, 2024 a visit to the hotel left I and colleagues not only amazed but also awe-inspired and also very amazed at the untold and magnificent luxury that guests to the hotel enjoy. There is an immediate freedom feeling given the spacious areas & high ceiling spaces in the hotel right from the lobby and reception area to guests’ areas in the upper floors. Essentially, the new hotel seamlessly balances moments of adventure, relaxation, business, and pleasure, offering a truly re-energising experience just 20 minutes from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Guests can explore multiple attractions with ease such as the Nairobi National Park, modern shopping malls, entertainment spots, the Giraffe Centre, and the Maasai traditional Market. The hotel caters to business travellers and families eager to share quality moments.
Novotel Nairobi Westlands offers 347 stylish rooms and suites, all featuring the brand’s signature design concept by RF Studio, which emphasises adaptability and sustainability, creating a comfortable, modern atmosphere. For business travellers, the hotel offers 13 versatile, intuitive meeting and event spaces, including a ballroom that can host over 100 guests – ideal for conferences, corporate functions, and social gatherings.
For guests seeking relaxation, the hotel’s state-of-the-art spa offers a range of curated signature massage therapies, designed to provide the ultimate rejuvenation experience. Each treatment is crafted to melt away stress and restore balance. For those looking to stay active, the fitness centre provides expert-led individual and group training sessions, offering a mix of tailored workout routines to suit all fitness levels.
“We are excited to introduce Novotel to Nairobi, a city that beautifully blends rich cultural heritage with modern dynamism,” explains Fabio Gonsalves, General Manager (GM) of Novotel Nairobi Westlands, Kenya. ‘’Our goal is to create a welcoming space for business travellers and families alike, where quality moments lead to a more balanced life. At Novotel Nairobi Westlands, where modern living meets the pulse of cultural fusion, we offer flexible workspaces and relaxed dining options to suit everyone. It’s a place where guests can truly unwind, connect, and leave feeling invigorated,” he adds.
The hotel’s four distinct dining concepts take guests on a culinary journey. The rooftop Trunk & Tandoor Gastro Bar offers Indian-inspired cuisine paired with breathtaking views of Nairobi’s skyline, creating the perfect setting for a relaxed evening. Moreover, the Gemma’s Italian Kitchen & Bar provides an all-day dining experience with rich Italian flavours in a welcoming atmosphere. Located at the heart of the lobby, the Safari themed Social Hub coffee lounge and bar adds a unique local flair, inviting guests to connect and unwind. For those seeking a more laid-back experience, the roof top Pool Bar serving light bites and refreshing drinks, is perfect for unwinding under the sun while enjoying the stunning panoramic city views. Undoubtedly, the hotel offers travellers and other people the perfect environment to connect with family, friends, and colleagues and share quality moments as they endeavour to complement a safari adventure or to enjoy a family getaway.
“With the opening of Novotel Nairobi Westlands, we are proud to reaffirm our commitment to Africa. The hotel offers a gateway to Nairobi’s vibrant experiences and marks a significant milestone in our growth strategy, as we continue to expand our footprint in key markets across the continent while enriching local communities.” explains Paul Stevens, Chief Operating Officer Premium, Midscale & Economy Division, Middle East & Africa for Accor.
Following a longstanding commitment to support its guests’ pursuit of sustainability and balance in their lives, Novotel announced a three-year agreement with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to champion the protection and restoration of the world’s oceans, the greatest source of balance for the planet’s climate, through science-based action and conservation projects. Novotel has designed a three-year Positive Impact Plan, rooted in three of the United Nations’ (UN) priority ocean-related actions, namely: reducing marine pollution and ocean acidification, particularly from land-based activities; fighting overfishing and promoting sustainable fishing models; and increasing scientific knowledge and research for ocean health.
In celebration of the opening, Novotel Nairobi Westlands offer rates were from Ksh 20,020, including breakfast. True to the Novotel Family Promise, up to two children below 16 years can stay for free in their parents’ room.
Members of the brand’s ALL loyalty programme, can unlock 4X Reward Points were urged to book stays on all.com with offers elapsing on 24/11/2024, and for stays up until 12/01/2025. Guests can join the loyalty programme for free and earn points towards a number of benefits, including free hotels stays.
Novotel Nairobi Westlands is Safe Hotels Certified, ensuring guests’ peace of mind with globally recognized safety standards. Apart from CCTV cameras in all public areas, alarms for emergency happenings are also installed. This certification highlights the hotel’s commitment to a secure, comfortable, and welcoming stay.
Unique & attractive features at the Novotel:
With guests check-in time set for 3pm and check out at 12 noon (but open for extension if guests request extension and depending on room occupancy), the Novotel Nairobi Westlands Hotel disallows smoking in public areas except in designated smoking rooms on first floor and next to recreation areas such as the rooftop Trunk & Tandoor Gastro Bar and the roof top Pool Bar.
“We provide spacious and well decorated, carpeted rooms for ultimate guests’ comfort which are also open for staycation offers. We also provide dedicated guests’ pets’ rooms for our guests’ peace of mind,” explains GM Gonsalves explains in a follow up interview.
“Here we are not worried about competition from other hotels in the area. We do our best and focus on our product to make it the best in the area. We’ll continue further on-the-job training for our employees, majority of them Kenyans, since we’re committed to becoming and remaining the most vibrant and dynamic brand in this location,” the GM affirms. A staff training manager is in charge of such training. “Accor believes in hiring and training Kenyans for career development,” Gonsalves assets. The hotel also regularly hosts events that promotes cultural heritage of its diverse guests including Africans.
He revealed that 95 per cent of the materials used, in the majorly naturally lighted building courtesy of large window and related openings were locally sourced. “So far managing this hotel has been an amazing experience for me. I’m very grateful tour teams that have given me lots of support,” the GM added. According to Gonsalves, the Westlands area enjoys a huge potential given its proximity to many diplomatic missions, multinational/international corporate offices and the UN Gigiri office complex. “We continue expecting great numbers of guests and we always curate our products given that we also listen to the customers’ and guests’ valuable feedback. We’re also collaborating with private firms and government agencies in order to offer the best products and services,” he asserted.
Novotel’s Director of Sales, Joseph Kimondo expounded and explained some of the hotel features during a brief tour of the premises. Superior rooms also known as family rooms are spacious including two bedrooms and lounge and a working desk, minibars and coffee & teas making spaces and ironing areas. Executive rooms are also the same size as Superior rooms. Other spaces include the 3-bedrooms deluxe rooms and executive suites and deluxe suites. The deluxe suites, very spacious and naturally lit and with bathtubs/showers and private meeting spaces and view of the legendary Karura forest, are just one-level below the three-bedrooms presidential suites spaces at the Novotel.
“To conserve water and attain our sustainability goals we inform our guests to request for linen (bed sheets & towels changes) when necessary since we don’t do it daily but at the end of each stay. We also provide the Accor fee Wi-Fi that directly connects to devices that have previously connected with other Accor facilities,” Gonsalves added during the tour.
According to Kimondo, the hotel’s 1st floor is the busiest every other day with five meeting/board rooms and a private dining area. The first floor also hosts wellness & recreation centres including the spa and salon & barbershop and fitness centre for guests.
Charity Wahome is the Wellness Manager in charge. “Our Spa opens at 10 am to 7pm and we provide one hour sessions and even 2–and-a-half session in the couples’ spa space and we ensure to use high quality and healing local wellness and beauty products,” asserts Wahome. Steam rooms are also available for individuals and couples as required. At the fitness centre, Sales Manager Margaux Venturiri explains that the space is open for both individual and corporate membership. The centre also has a children’s corner with a play station and board games among other attractions and is also accessible for People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs).
At the Lobby, the Italian kitchen and restaurant offers Ala Carte Italian recipes at any time of the day. The main restaurant also at the lobby offers multicultural cuisines including a main buffet & grill or barbeque ‘Nyama Choma’ (the country’s popular and favourite for many–roast meat) with lunch being served 12.30 (or earlier as per guests’ special request) to 3pm and dinner from 6 pm to 11pm. Nevertheless, guests can get meals of their choice through the hotels 24 hours room service. The buffet meals also offer salads & cheese and two soup types.
Emphatic about sustainability, Gonsalves asserts that Accor is a game changer for sustainability initiatives as seen in the extensive use of glass and bamboo in construction and use of small long-lasting wooden blocks that hold scan-able menus as opposed to use of paper. And apart from partnering with the WWF in oceans protection as aforementioned, the hotel group believes in use of green buildings and fully avoids single-use plastic in all its operations. “We also monitor food wste to avoid CO2 emissions. We are keen to reduce waste per kilogram of food by providing smaller plates and encouraging our guests to return for additional food if un-satiated. We also urge our chefs to serve reasonable portions to ensure guests don’t have watts leftovers,’ explains the GM. “We’re, however, happy that feeding habits are constantly changing with people serving and consuming smaller portions with minimal wastage,’ he adds. He reveals that saved food ingredients can be served to the needy as a means of giving back to society. He says there is constant need for greening of Nairobi City including properly maintaining the nearby Karura forest known as one of Nairobi’s the City’s lung. The hotel also monitors its year by year energy consumption trends with a target to heat its water 100 per cent via solar in the next few years.
According to him the hotel is open to all guests and does not discriminate against anyone including the so called ‘backpack’ tourists. “Accor offers different products and services and maintains its status as a mixed brand for all social groups.
Private meeting spaces especially for evening events are also availed at the rooftop Trunk & Tandoor Gastro Bar and at the roof top Pool Bar with prior booking and arrangements.
Remarkably, Novotel Hotels, Suites & Resorts offer high-quality hotels designed as comforting, comfortable and energising places where guests can achieve balance in their busy lives, whether they are traveling for work, leisure or a blend of both. The brand’s wide array of hotels, suites and resorts offer a multitude of services, including spacious, modular rooms with natural and intuitive design; relaxed restaurants with nutritious choices; flexible workspaces; attentive and proactive staff; family zones for the youngest guests; multi-purpose lobbies; and accessible fitness centres. Novotel, which has over 590 locations in more than 65 countries, is part of Accor, a world leading hospitality group counting over 5,700 properties throughout more than 110 countries. Novotel is also a participating brand in ALL – Accor Live Limitless – a lifestyle loyalty program providing access to a wide variety of rewards, services and experiences.