Carlson Rezidor opens new hotel in Ethiopia

Carlson Rezidor has started 2012 in Africa on a high note, opening a new hotel in Ethiopia and disclosing details of a new resort for Mauritius.

The new Radisson Blu Hotel Addis Ababa, which opened this month, is in the heart of the Ethiopian capital, at the entrance to the United Nations Conference Centre.

Ultra-modern in design, the property has 204 guest rooms and 16 suites.

The hotel is in the Kazanchis business and diplomatic centre of Addis Ababa, close to the city’s commercial districts, the UN Conference Centre and the African Union headquarters, said Andrew McLachlan, Rezidor’s vice-president of business development for Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

“Addis Ababa is often called the ‘African capital’ due to its diplomatic, political and historical importance for the continent, so we are very happy to have our Radisson Blu flag flying in this city in Africa.”

Rezidor has also signed a new Hotel Missoni resort deal for Mauritius, making the island the 66th country where Rezidor has a presence. Overlooking the village of Baie du Cap, Hotel Missoni Mauritius will have 80 luxury suites with views of the ocean and beaches. It is scheduled to open in 2014.

“Hotel Missoni Mauritius will surely be a great success, as it is the first ‘lifestyle brand’ to enter the Mauritius market,” says McLachlan. “Combining Missoni’s iconic fashion design with the local culture influenced by Europe, Africa and Asia, the Hotel Missoni Mauritius will be a truly unique experience.”

Food and beverage outlets will include Hotel Missoni’s signature restaurant Cucina; Choco Café, which will appeal to fans of Italian café society; and another all-day-dining restaurant, a lounge bar and a beach/pool bar.

Leisure facilities include direct access to a 650m-long sandy beach, outdoor pools, a fitness area including gym and tennis court, a kids’ club and a 900 square-metre spa. Water sports, deep-sea fishing, hiking, cycling and golf are just some of the leisure options available in the vicinity.

Business travellers will benefit from 235 square metres of dividable meeting space with AV technology.

“Building on our success over the past five years in Africa, where we have grown our African portfolio from eight hotels in five countries to 44 hotels in 17 countries, we are taking our development plans to new heights in 2012,” McLachlan said. “We have increased our development team in Cape Town to six professionals so we are able to speed up and support the growth strategy.”