Tune Hotels - JAMBO KENYA

TUNE HOTELS ANNOUNCES EAST AFRICAN THRUST

First hotel to be in Nairobi, Kenya

Group CEO of Tune Hotels Mark Lankester (right) and Managing Director of Queensway Group Naushad Jivraj unveiling 'Jambo Kenya'

NAIROBI, 3 July 2014 – International value hotel group Tune Hotels today announced the establishment of a partnership for expansion into the East African region and concurrently, its first hotel in the African continent in Nairobi, Kenya that is scheduled for opening by June 2015.

Working in partnership with Imba Investments Limited, the consortium has strategic plans for a further 15 Tune Hotels in the East African region.

Group CEO of Tune Hotels Mark Lankester made the announcement here today, with Naushad Jivraj, the Managing Director of UK-based Queensway Group, who represented Imba Investments. 

Mark Lankester said: “To have our very first African hotel here in Nairobi is a significant milestone for Tune Hotels. We are looking forward to providing local travellers as well as tourists and visitors to Kenya and Nairobi a compelling accommodation option that is of international quality, clean, safe and on top of all, affordably priced. As in any new market entry, it’s important to understand the market and we feel the aspirations of a new generation of smart and savvy Kenyans and East Africans today are absolutely in tune with our pioneering business model, where a whole new wave of consumers can now have choice in customising their stays via our online add-on pay-per-use business model, helping to conserve energy and our natural resources. By booking online and in advance, guests will always be able to enjoy the best rates.”

“We would like to thank the Government of Kenya and Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Ms Phyllis Jepkosgei Kandie for their invaluable support and assistance towards Tune Hotels’ expansion efforts in Kenya. In addition, we are delighted to be in a position of embarking on this African journey with our old and dear friends, the Queensway Group, who are our Tune Hotels partners in the UK and I welcome our new friends in the Imaran and Despec Groups, also part of Imba Investments. This is a strong testament to our commitment to the country and to the efforts of continuing to woo international tourists and providing affordable options to African travellers,” added Lankester.

Naushad Jivraj said: “We have held a very strong belief in Tune Hotels’ value for money accommodation concept that has done so well in other parts of the world and we have been party to experiencing its success in the London market. When we first broached the idea of Kenya with Tune Hotels, it was an immediate meeting of the minds and I trust Kenya and East Africa too will warmly welcome Tune Hotels and quickly embrace the value model. Kenya has so much potential for further economic growth and we are very pleased to be able to help, in our own small way, the tourism industry.”

Tune Hotel Westlands Nairobi will have 280 rooms and located on Rhapta Road in the vibrant suburb of Westlands.

To suit the local landscape and travellers’ requirement, the 12-storey hotel will feature a serviced restaurant and a rooftop bar that will offer hotel guests great convenience. Other guest facilities include 24-hour security, secure parking spaces and shuttle services to-and-from the airport and popular tourist destinations.

Tune Hotel Westlands Nairobi is perfectly located in the vibrant suburb of Westlands, approximately three kilometres northwest of the central business district (CBD). Apart from being Nairobi’s second CBD, it is also the City’s social, leisure and entertainment centre, with a lively cluster of shops, restaurants, bars, and other entertainment venues. 

The hotel is easily accessible from major roads and highways connecting to the airport and other parts of Kenya all the way to Uganda.

Nairobi is the undisputed regional capital of this part of sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of the most prominent cities in Africa both politically and financially. Home to thousands of Kenyan businesses and over 100 major international companies and organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the main co-ordinating and headquarters for the UN in Africa & Middle East, the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON), Nairobi is an established hub for business and culture.

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Executive Chairman respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia Group.

Tune Hotels seeks to innovate and revolutionise the way services are made available and has employed efficient web-based technologies to reach and engage its customers, presenting a unique lifestyle opportunity.

Focusing on high-quality basics, Tune Hotels provides international class accommodation with clean environment at central locations. Operating in a similar way to low cost airlines, guests stand to enjoy great savings for high quality, value for money accommodations by booking early at www.tunehotels.com.

From just one hotel in Kuala Lumpur that opened in 2007, Tune Hotels has grown into a current network of 45 Tune Hotels that are available for booking across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, England, Scotland, Australia, India and Japan.

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook and on Twitter

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

About Imba Investments Limited:

The Tune Hotel Westlands Nairobi and future Tune Hotels in Kenya and East Africa are exclusively owned and developed by Imba Investments Limited, a company owned jointly by the Queensway Group, Imaran Group and Despec Group.

Queensway Group is private company based in London, UK. Queensway has owned and operated franchised hotels in the UK, Europe and the US over the past 40 years, having worked with leading industry brands. Queensway brought the Tune Hotels brand to London in 2010 when it was given exclusivity to develop and operate Tune Hotels in London.

Imaran Group is a privately held investment firm headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies with a key focus on real estate development. The Imaran consortium includes the Freight Forwarders Group (FFK), a leading provider of clearing, forwarding and logistics services in East & Central Africa.

Despec is a diversified group with business interests covering IT, office supplies, real estate and air transport logistics, with subsidiaries throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa. Its name is derived from the phrase “Dedicated Specialist”. It has a strong presence throughout East Africa, operating from its main regional office in Dar es Salaam.