Located on Kenyatta Avenue near Milimani, Sarova Panafric Nairobi is an iconic hotel in the Kenyan capital and one of the best-known establishments in the hospitality sector. The hotel is currently undergoing a US$ 20M refurbishment project as part of the Sarova Group’s continuous improvement of its facilities in a bid to offer the best possible experience to its customers.
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The said project entails the redevelopment of the existing Kenyatta Avenue 90 rooms into 84 standard rooms and three suites, and the construction of nine new rooms bringing the total room count to 96.
To complement the new rooms, a new health club consisting of a gym, aerobics, spa,
changing rooms with steam rooms, and saunas has been incorporated. The existing
swimming pool has also been refurbished and an outdoor pool bar added.
To take advantage of the rooftop views, a new steampunk-themed 7th-floor restaurant and bar has also been added to the exciting Nairobi rooftop bars and restaurants. The public
areas will also be renovated in keeping with the newly refurbished rooms.
The popular Flame Tree restaurant which is synonymous with the Sarova Panafric Hotel will also receive an uplift of interior decor and additional indoor seating space. The reception
and entrance porte cochere, meeting rooms, and the addition of an executive residents lounge will form part of the final construction phase of the planned renovations and additions.
Environmental sustainabilityÂ
The entire building exterior has been remodeled from the 70’s design that featured
decorative fins that had become a hindrance to the maintenance of the building’s
façade. The fins were demolished and replaced with wide acoustic windows to cut out
the noise from Kenyatta Avenue and reduce solar ingress, effectively reducing energy
spend on air conditioning.
The renovation also incorporated solar water heating panels on the rooftop reducing sole reliance on the boiler for hot water requirements of the hotel. The incorporation of a water recycling plant to recycle water required for flushing washrooms is another aspect aimed at conserving water and reducing freshwater demand from the mains supply.
The washrooms feature electronic taps that dispense water on demand avoiding wastage. The toilets also feature water-saving flushing systems. Lighting is on-demand with light sensors fitted in public corridors and washrooms, automatically switching on when one approaches the space.
The new facility will still maintain the existing Kenyatta Avenue access adjacent to
Valley Road Shell petrol station on the lower side of the site. The uppers side access
to the Flame Tree restaurant next to the NSSF building has also been retained.
Sarova Panafric Nairobi refurbishment project completion
The Sarova Panafric Nairobi refurbishment project contract was awarded on 17th October 2018 and the contractor broke ground on 5th November 2018.
The project’s first phase consisting of hotel rooms, health club, gym, and changing
rooms would be handed over to the client by end of July 2021. The spa would be
completed by end of August 2021, and the public areas interior design would be
completed towards the last quarter of the same year for implementation in 2022.
PROJECT TEAM
Architect: Symbion Kenya Limited
Structural/Civil Engineer: Tamcon Consulting Engineers
MEP: Umakant International Ltd
Quantity Surveyor: Tower Cost Consultants Ltd
Main Contractor: Cementers Ltd
Painting and Artwork: Colortunes
Kitchen Equipment: Sheffield Steel Systems Limited
Furnishings: Techpro Systems Limited
Aluminium Windows and Glazing: Prime Aluminium Casement Limited
Roof Contractor: David Engineering
Sail Shades: Instarect Limited
Window Cleaning Systems: Bells Associates Limited
