Nakuru town spices up hospitality menu for visitors
PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | FILE A view of Nakuru town.
What you need to know:
- According to industry experts, in a span of less than 10 years more than Sh1 billion has been used to put up nearly 10 hotels in Freehold estate
- A spot check by Smart Company established that more investors have submitted plans to the Nakuru County government planning department to put up new facilities
Once an exclusive neighbourhood for the affluent in the early 70s and 80s, Freehold estate in Nakuru town is slowly becoming a hospitality hub.
Investors are now pumping millions of shillings in converting residential houses and empty plots into ultra-modern hotels and guest resorts.
According to industry experts, in a span of less than 10 years more than Sh1 billion has been used to put up nearly 10 hotels in the area.
The latest entrant is Hotel Citymax which is now a landmark at the heart of the estate which many residents believe will in the next decade be turned into a hotel zone in the county.
Other hotels that are competing for business include the five storied Chester hotel, Marlin Guest Resort, Golden Palace hotel, Abbey hotel, Jams Hotel, Leopards Hotel, Hotel Genevive and Murius Guest house.
Owners of the hotels are now reaping big as Nakuru town in the past one year has been turned into a conferencing centre.
Last month when the self- proclaimed prophet Dr David Owuor held a crusade in town the hotels were fully booked for a week.
Prior to that, the one-week edition of the national music festivals saw operators do a booming business. It was followed by the National Council of Churches of Kenya centenary celebrations at Kabarak University.
NEW FACILITIES
A spot check by Smart Company established that more investors have submitted plans to the Nakuru County government planning department to put up new facilities.
“Since we opened this hotel on Valentine Day this year, we have been doing a booming business and we can’t complain as the number of visitors seeking accommodation at our hotel is just overwhelming,” said Mr James Munene the manager of Hotel Citymax.
He said the 60 bed hotel has employed close to 30 workers.
A manager at Chester Hotel, Mr John Towett, said due to an increasing number of clients, owners of the hotel were forced to construct a second wing across Kariba road.
Cabinet secretary in charge of Tourism and Trade at the Nakuru County government, Mr Samuel Gitau, said the government will support investors in Nakuru county to put up more hotels.
“We have put in place an elaborate plan to support the investors by improving the infrastructure and making the application of business permit easy by removing all the bottlenecks that have hindered the growth of the sector,” said Mr Gitau.
But as he promises the goodies, investors are complaining of the poor road network and poor street lighting in the estate.
The 10 hotels have employed nearly three hundreds workers on permanent basis and hundreds of others on casual basis.
“The generation of job opportunities to our young and skilled persons in Nakuru county is a big blessing to us and that is why as the county government we shall give them maximum support,” said Mr Gitau.
