Four-star hotel opens in Sekondi-Takoradi
A new four-star hotel, designed to cater for persons in all category of businesses, both local and foreign as well as leisure tourists to the oil city of Sekondi-Takoradi in the Western Region, has been inaugurated in Takoradi.
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Known as the Protea Select Hotel, the 132-room hospitality facility, located in the serene and quiet Beach Road, Dixcove Hill vicinity of Takoradi, the hotel is part of the Marriott International Hotel Group, the largest hotel chain globally, which also operates in the Middle East and Africa.
The opening of the hotel in Ghana brings to 19, the number of countries where Marriot operates.
Real estate fund
It is also part of the Mohinani Group jv and the African Capital Alliance (ACA), Nigeria, which is a $165 million real estate fund with the mandate to invest in the acquisition, development and financing of residential offices, retail (shopping malls) and hospitality estate projects in West Africa.
Protea consists of 60 square metre executive garden suites, 12 two-bedroom apartments and standard rooms available to the comfort of guests; and are well fitted with amenities to make the stay of guests memorable.
The hotel again offers conference facilities with a minimum of 150 delegates, a state-of-the-art media facility, a business centre and Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the compound, geared to meet the needs of business travellers.
Besides, Marriot Protea Select Hotel can boast leisure facilities such as a fitness centre, a pool area and a good food and beverage menu, served by its world-class chef in its large restaurant.
Unofficial operation/employment
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Group Mohinani, Mr Ashok R. Mohinani, in his welcome address, disclosed that the hospitality service building started operations unofficially on November 17, 2011 by its partners to offer first-class services to its intended clients.
Giving a brief on the Mohinani Group, he explained that it was a diversified family business, spanning packaging; consumer durable distribution; electronics retail; real estate; quick service restaurants; and currently the hospitality space.
‘‘Our investment in Takoradi is in line with our belief that the region will be the future hub for the oil and energy sector and the investment will not only create employment but also enhance the skill levels in the area,” Mr Mohinani indicated.
He also pointed out that the company’s household brands were poly tanks, electro mart and KFC, which were the most notable names everywhere in the country.
50th anniversary
The group CEO indicated that the official opening of the hotel coincided with the 50th anniversary of the group’s presence in Ghana, and added that in the last 50 years, ‘‘Our consistent investment in the Ghanaian economy has not only created jobs but also provided quality products and services to the people.’’
‘‘This hotel project was first conceived when we entered into a joint venture with ACA to form a real estate development company, Alliance Estates Limited, with the mandate to develop quality real estate products in Ghana,’’ he stressed.
Mr Mohinani added that the hotel was but the first stepping stone in the partnership, and that they were looking forward to more real estate and hospitality investments not only in Ghana but also in other parts of West Africa.
Training programme
The Senior Regional Director of Marriott Protea Hotel, Mr Philip Meyers, indicated that the Group offered a lot of training programmes for its staff to enable it to become abreast of modern ways of providing quality services to its clients.
He disclosed that the opening of the hotel in Takoradi, was among the over 100 in Africa and 4, 000 globally, operating in about 70 countries; and underscored the excellent Ghanaian hospitality culture.
The Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area, Nana Kobina Nketia observed that the country was on the rise to economic prosperity, with the establishment of such hospitality industries, saying that ‘‘reality lies in simplicity.’’