Second 5-Star Hotel for Ethiopian Airlines
The Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Group has embarked on the second five-star hotel construction project in Addis Ababa at a cost of USD 150 million.
Ethiopian inaugurated the first hotel – Ethiopian Skylight Hotel – built at a cost of USD 65 million near the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport last February.
Abraham Tesfaye, Ethiopian Airlines Group manager Infrastructure Planning and Development, told The Reporter that the second hotel is being built adjacent to the new hotel on 22,000sqm of land. The hotel will have 637 guest rooms, restaurants, bars, conference hall, swimming pool, fitness center and a basement parking which can accommodate 550 cars. The total investment cost of the second hotel is estimated at USD 150 million.
Abraham told The Reporter that the Chinese construction firm, AVIC, conducted the design work. AVIC, which is the turnkey contractor, will also undertake the construction of the second hotel.
The first Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, which has 373 guest rooms was built at a cost of USD 65 million. Stretching on 20,000sqm plot of land in front of the Millennium Hall the hotel building has eight floors with a total floor area of 42,000sqm.
Ethiopian Skylight Hotel has three restaurants – a Chinese restaurant, an Ethiopian restaurant and an European restaurant. The hotel has three bars – a lobby bar, an executive (roof top) bar and a jazz club. 27 of the guest rooms are spacious suites.
The hotel encompasses a grand ballroom designed to accommodate 2000 persons convenient for conference and wedding parties. It also has five meeting rooms which can accommodate 20-30 persons.
The hotel has a health center that provides spa, massage and gym services. There is an out door swimming pool with a pool bar and mini golf court in the premise. The hotel encompasses a coffee shop, ticket office, and souvenir shop.
The Hotel was designed and built by AVIC, the Chinese construction firm, while a local consulting firm, Sileshi Consult, carried out the supervision work.
USD 65 million has been invested for the design, construction and furnishing of the hotel of which Ethiopian 35 percent of the equity financing is from Ethiopian while EXIM Bank of China provided 65 percent of the project financing.
Busera Awel, VP Strategic Planning and Alliances, said that Ethiopian Airlines seeks to offer its passengers end to end travel experience and contribute its share to the growth of the country’s tourism industry. “Addis Ababa is the main gate way to Africa. The hotel will play a significant role in boosting the tourism sector and making Addis Ababa a conference hub,” Busera said.
“We are offering tour packages (air ticket and hotel service) through Ethiopian holidays and bringing tourists,” he added.
Ethiopian Skylight Hotel is managed by a Chinese hotel management company called Grand Skylight Hotel Management Co. Ltd (GSHM).
Busera said that Ethiopian Skylight Hotel is catering for not only Ethiopian Airlines passengers but it is open for the public. “The hotel is hosting local, regional and international conferences. It is an ideal venue for company staff and management meetings, weddings and other events,” he said. When the second hotel is completed Ethiopian Skylight Hotel would have 1,000 guest rooms.
Ethiopian government is planning to make Ethiopia one of the top five tourist destinations in Africa and boost the number of tourists visiting the country to ten million.
Source: The Reporter
