Sponsored by Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
First of all, I must admit that I struggled deciding where to start because this is not a hotel review; it’s a fascinating story about my experience at the newest hotel establishment in Nairobi, that is the dazzling Park Inn by Radisson.
As you may have noticed, the name sounds familiar. The hotel is one of the Rezidor Hotel Group’s brands, alongside Radisson Blu, Radisson Red, Prizeotel and Quorvus Collection.
On chilled out Monday evening, precisely the 17th of April 2017, I walked into the doors of the hotel. The sliding glass doors ushered me into a whole new world, excellent in its colorful decor and minimalist in the overall design.
A view of the hotel from outside.
The lighting was subtle; the floor at the reception (they call it the operator’s desk) was spotlessly clean. As I approached the desk to be ushered in, I could see the wide smiles of the receptionists. After a few minutes of recording my details, one of them offered to help me settle in my room. That was the warmest welcome I have ever gotten in my entire life.
The room scent hinted of recently finished furnishings. The windows are massive to make maximum use of natural light. The gigantic bed, which has a glowing strip that subtly light up the room at night is one of the things I loved most about the spacious rooms.
Whenever I visit other hotels, I am usually confined to bed. There’s no space to move around; one step, you’re out into the hallway. With Park Inn, I felt like I was at home. There was simply no hassle. The design was done with the traveler in mind.
Their Smart TV has a wide range of programs to select from. Whether you want to enjoy action, Sci Fi, soaps, local channels, select African movies, documentaries, kid shows…literally everything you would like is there. After hours of relaxing, I was taken to the 11th floor to have a look at the Attic Rooftop, which has a nice bar, swimming pool for residential travelers and a state-of-art gym.
The panoramic view of town is one of the many priceless memories that you can collect from the hotel.
For dinner, the menu offering was mind-blowing. It was not easy coming down to a conclusion on what I wanted to have. After minutes of deliberation, I settled for prawns as a starter, then king fish and mussels as main course. For dessert, I ate sticky toffee with banana pudding. I was so full — but satisfied — before I left the ground floor dinner place.
The restaurant
Going back to my room, I wished I could stay past the next day. Unlike many hotels, the check-out time is 12 noon. So you can get to enjoy the breakfast in a relaxed mood. My night was so good. An exotic bed, a classy shower, sparkling toilet…what could I ask for? Not forgetting the attendants who treated me like royalty? It doesn’t matter who you are…at Park Inn by Radisson, you value for your money.
The next morning, I woke up to have a delicious breakfast; I opted for croissants, cappuccino, eggs, sausages and passion juice. That’s around the same time I got to sit down with the General Manager, Carsten Wappler for an exclusive interview about the new business. I’ll post it soon!
The unmistakable hotel is located in Westlands, off Waiyaki Way, a location carefully selected for this locality is popular for its vibrant night life. Many developers are setting up properties in this area of Nairobi for it offers a myriad of opportunities.
Just like the outside, the interior design of the rooms is simplistic and adds color to life. Park Inn by Radisson Nairobi Westlands is Rezidor’s 35th hotel in Africa. The Group’s Africa & Indian Ocean portfolio now features 16,600+ rooms in operation and under development.
The bathroom
The mid-range hotel targets business travellers and corporates, especially for conferences and big meetings. I first entered the establishment two weeks prior to my night stay. There, the management explained several things about the brand.
“This iconic ‘tablet-shaped’ hotel is set to make a big mark on Nairobi’s landscape and Rezidor’s African portfolio. Before the doors opened, the hotel has already claimed the Best New Hotel Construction & Design at the 2016 Africa Property Awards. This landmark property will certainly set the bar very high for the midscale hotel brands in Africa, with its contemporary design and architecture, and international standards,” said Marc Descrozaille, Area Vice President of Africa & Indian Ocean for The Rezidor Hotel Group.
I totally recommend that you pass by one of these days. You won’t be disappointed!
About Park Inn® by Radisson
Park Inn by Radisson® is a colorful, dynamic, midscale hotel brand providing a hassle-free and easy hotel experience. Friendly. Positive. Vibrant. Uncomplicated. Park Inn by Radisson is designed for modern travelers. The brand adds color to life through flexible and functional spaces, staff and energy at any of its 140+ hotels across the globe.
Park Inn by Radisson is a part of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, which also includes Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu®, Radisson®, Radisson RED, Park Plaza® and Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM. For more information and reservations, visit www.parkinn.com. Connect with Park Inn by Radisson on social media: @ParkInn on Twitter, @ParkInnbyRadisson on Instagram and Facebook.com/ParkInn.
A view of the room.
About The Rezidor Hotel Group
The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the most dynamic hotel companies in the world and a member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The group features a portfolio of more than 480 hotels in operation or under development with 105,000 rooms in 80+ countries.
Rezidor operates the core brands Radisson Blu® and Park Inn® by Radisson in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), along with the Club CarlsonSM loyalty program for frequent hotel guests. In early 2014 and together with Carlson, Rezidor launched the new brands Radisson RED (lifestyle select) and Quorvus Collection (luxury). In 2016, Rezidor acquired 49% of prizeotel. Rezidor has an industry-leading Responsible Business Program and was named one the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the US think-tank Ethisphere.
The lounge at ground floor.
In November 2006, Rezidor was listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm, Sweden. HNA Tourism Group Co., Ltd., a division of HNA Group Co., Ltd.—a Fortune Global 500 company with operations across aviation, tourism, hospitality, finance and online services among other sectors—became the majority shareholder in December 2016.
The Rezidor Hotel Group and its brands employ 43,700 people in EMEA and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
For more information, visit www.rezidor.com
Twitter @carlsonrezidor
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/2364
Instagram www.instagram.com/rezidor_ourpromise
