Hospitality outfit – Hilton, has confirmed that an additional 76 guest rooms will be added to Curio, The Legend, Lagos Airport, bringing the room count up to 130, so as to further strengthen its expansion in the country.
The hotel, which is due to open 2017, will be the first within the airport environment, giving guests and airline passengers alike unrivalled ease of access to the airports’ facilities.
Hilton Worldwide, while marking this year’s African Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Kigali, Rwanda, made the announcement of new properties and extensions in three African countries. This, according to the hotel, is continuing the company’s commitment to expansion across the continent as it seeks to double its footprint from its existing 39 hotels to more than 80 hotels in the next three to five years.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president development, EMEA, Hilton Worldwide, said, “Having been present in Africa for more than 50 years we’re proud to have remained at the forefront of pioneering hotel growth on the continent.
“This year at AHIF we are breaking new ground in the region with the announcement of our first modular build hotel, a fast-paced construction solution that we feel has huge potential in Africa, with quicker returns for investors and a world-class hospitality experience for guests.
“We remain hugely committed to Africa across our portfolio of world-class brands, continuing to introduce our hotels to new markets across the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa in the coming years.”
Among the new hotels agreed is Africa’s first modular build hotel the 280 guest-room Hilton Garden Inn in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, a concept that Hilton first premiered in 2014 through a partnership with CIMC Modular Building Systems.
While Hilton builds on its industry leading airport hotel legacy with an extension to the recently signed Legend Curio at Lagos Airport. Hilton will manage all three properties as it continues to expand its managed hotel portfolio.
Modular construction according to Hilton is an innovative solution that can be used to drive hotel development, offering numerous benefits including faster development, streamlined design and cost efficiencies.
“The process involves assembling portions of the hotel – including guest rooms and hallways – in China, before transporting them to the final site for completion, thereby significantly reducing the time taken for construction. The model helps ensure consistent quality and accelerates the build schedule on site, a particular benefit for developers and investors in emerging markets.
Ian Morris Director Independence Properties and CEO Trasacco Estates Development Company said: “After building a number of three star plus properties in West Africa the option to go modular and improve on room quality, project delivery and minimise construction risk was warmly embraced by our development, design and construction teams and we feel is the future of the industry.”
