KAMPALA HILTON MORE EMPTY PROMISES OR FOR REAL THIS TIME
Officials of the AYA Group have yesterday announced that the hotel, due for completion by October 2007 when the Commonwealth Summit was held in Kampala, would now finally open its doors in March 2013.
Full mouthed statements, often bordering the grotesque if not outright incompetent, had at the time of breaking ground, and over the years, purported to finish a floor a week, before it became obvious for Kampalas hospitality industry observers that the developers lacked the capacity to do anything of the sort. Subsequent opening announcements needless to say also came and went, made worse when wrangles with lawyers and issues with other AYA Group companies appeared in the local media.
At one stage the hotel was reportedly put up for sale, at which stage according to some sources government let it be known that this was NOT to happen, as the land was given to the Hamid brothers for literally free, which would have earned them a hefty windfall but left government once again trailing in the wake of hot air.
Subsequently the interested parties pulled away from the deal leaving work at the hotel to meander along at snails pace.
Although a delegation from Hilton was reportedly in Uganda a few months ago, staying at Kampalas best, the Kampala Serena Hotel and getting a taste of what superior hospitality quality can be like in Uganda, no confirmation could be received from Hilton if indeed they are still interested to manage the property or if perhaps another global hotel group may enter the market, which since the discovery of oil in the Albertine Graben has suddenly regained sharp momentum.
New entries in the wider region were Hyatt, taking over the management of a top hotel from Kempinksi, which is now set to open a property in Nairobi, Marriott, due to open a brand new hotel and conference centre in the heart of Kigali while other global groups have reportedly been sniffing around in Nairobi and other regional capitals with the aim to assess market potential.
Hilton is represented in the region in Nairobi and Addis Ababa, but has sold their Taita Hills and Salt Lick Lodges some time ago to Pollmans Tours of Kenya these two lodges are now managed by Sarova Hotels and may therefore indeed wish to get a wider footprint with a presence in Kampala. There, the building of the proposed InterContinental Hotel at the site of what was supposed to become hotel under the Gulf based Kingdom Hotels, is progressing well though no official opening date has yet been set, wisely one should say considering the minefield of public spats and arguments the Aya Group went through when their repeatedly given new dates were all missed by extremely wide margins. Time will therefore be the only one to tell if the latest date of March 2013 will indeed hold water and the hotel finally be completed, or if another twist in the tail of this long standing comedy is yet in store for us all.
Watch this space for regular updates from East Africas hospitality sector.
29 Responses
I am hotelier by professional who is looking forward to see the opening of hilton hotel in kampala and my wish is to be employed by this hotel.
Hello, its great that the Hilton will be opening soon,cos I look forward to work there.I would like to know how & where to drop my resume
You need to apply with them, not here.
Thanks for reading my blog.
W.
Dear when are you finished the hotel i need a job
Dear when are you finishing the hotel i need a job
The big question is WHEN is is going to be finished … these guys talk a lot of hot air and have until now missed every deadline THEY gave. Good luck working for such people. W.
Hi, every one including my self is asking when is the dubai building going to open coz i to um ahotelian and we er tired of lummers. plz open.
wish to work with you guys
Dear, can i kindly get to know the posts on the administration? Need to know what posts i can apply for because i need to work with Hilton Hotel Kampala.
Hi, i would like to know when Hilton hotel is going to be opened and the posts of administration please..Thanks alot!
Hi, i would like to work with you people because your are professionals on the international level since i ever worked with Sheraton kampala hotel as a cost controller.
Dear John, the “expected hotel operator” is a really professional institution, but the contractor is a stupid Circus clown. My sugestion: try to find a job in another building, because that one has no proper fire evacuation route, and can not pass the structural inspection from Waterman Consutant. The Ball room of this circus tent had fall due to un-standard concrete casting methode.
Am looking forward to opening of Hilton and we get jobs
For sure am waiting for Hilton to open in Uganda and i get ajob with them for sure iwant to work with you KAMPALA HILTON HOTEL.
I would lyke to work with Hilton hotel,pse
hi im jane iwould like to work with you guys
am Barbra. an accountant looking 4 a job
hello am very ready to work wiz kampala hilton hotel
am frank who is a hotelier and am looking foward to work with you as soon as hilto hotel opens. thanks
i need a job wth u plzz
am lukwago henry .a hotelier .i wish i also get a chance to work with hilton hotel. thank you for thinking about us
Make Kampalans occupied open up for the job seekers my request is already there.
I hold a dip. In proc. & logistics mgt an acumen in supply chain mgt, marketing & contracts mgt with hotel experience. I will be grateful when given an oppurtunity to serve hilton hotel kampala.
hvt u shortlistd yet
What exactly would I shortlist?
Ho Hum. So this is still going on? I worked on the “project” briefly back in 2010. Don’t anyone hold your breathe for getting a job here. Should the hotel one day be finished, and you get a job there, make sure you get paid
I worked at a five star Hotel at coastal of Kenya and now working at a five star at the city i believe to have an experience in hotel industry.i need a job
at Hilton Nakasero,call me +254713411380
i would like to work at hilton thats my dream
Either apply to Hilton Hotels elsewhere or be prepared
to wait for some more time as the so called Kampala
Hilton is far from ready.
Thanks for reading my blog posts, even though it is years old!
W.