DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA—Wyndham Hotel Group has opened the 139-room Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, marking the company’s expansion into Eastern Africa and the first property within the greater continent to be operated via the company’s management division.
“The opening of Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam is of significant strategic importance for us,” said Dan Ruff, Wyndham Hotel Group’s president and managing director, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Indian Ocean. “Given the increasing demand for quality, internationally branded accommodations in Eastern Africa, as well as our commitment to getting closer to our guests and our customers through the expansion of our managed property division, it is a key milestone in our regional growth.”
Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam offers 139 rooms and suites, including 117 superior rooms with a choice of ocean or garden views, 21 executive suites and one presidential suite. All rooms have an interactive flat-screen TV with satellite channels; free WiFi; minibar; tea and coffeemaking facilities; and private bathrooms with complimentary toiletries and walk-in shower or bathtub. Tinga-tinga artwork adds local flavor and a sense of East African spirit.
Leisure facilities include a swimming pool and rooftop gym, as well as direct access to Jangwani Beach. Those looking to host a conference or event have the choice of seven meeting rooms, catering for up to 375 guests, and five food and beverage outlets serving a range of African and international cuisines.
Throughout the construction of the hotel, which began in 2009, significant emphasis has been placed on sustainability. Key initiatives include treating and reusing 100 percent of all waste water, solar-powered water heating, LED lighting systems and beach protection measures to prevent erosion of the hotel’s private beach. In addition, the hotel plans to produce compost from food waste, which will be used to grow vegetables for the hotel’s restaurants in a rooftop vegetable garden.
Murtaza Fazal, owner of the Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam, said, “I am delighted to have signed a long-term management agreement with Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company. I am also proud to be the first investor in Eastern Africa to introduce the well-known Ramada brand to the market. I feel sure that our new resort property on the beautiful Jangwani Beach will quickly become a popular destination for local and international tourists and business visitors alike, thanks to its attractive location, elegant architecture and excellent facilities.
“I am also especially gratified to be a pioneer in the introduction of many ‘green’ energy-saving hotel features that will help protect the environment, and will hopefully set a precedent for other African hotel owners to follow,” Fazal added.