Hospitality Design - January/February 2014 - 83

3. One of the 14 homey
suites at the Villa
Monticello in Accra,
Ghana.

5. A minimalist palette
dominates a guestroom
at the Majlis Resort in
Kenya.

4. The striking exterior
of the Transcorp Hilton
in Lagos, Nigeria, by
Perkins Eastman.

6. A rendering of Ernie
Els' Johannesburg
restaurant, the Big Easy.
7. A bathroom at one
of the six cottages at
Singita Castleton, set on
45,000 acres of the Sabi
Sand Game Reserve in
South Africa.

6
doors and breeze-inducing sliding sash windows, slatted ceilings bring
in natural light, and metal doors and white subway tiles add modernindustrial intrigue to bathrooms. "Low stone walls, randomly laid slate
tiles, and timber roof canopies supported by crooked leadwood posts align
the buildings closely with their surroundings. Colors reflecting shades
of natural grasses blend the buildings subtly into the landscape,"
Tsiliyiannis says.
"Africa has what is so fast disappearing in other parts of the world-
huge open spaces, fresh air, and wild animals in their natural habitats;
things that past generations took for granted but for future generations
will be regarded as a luxury," explains Mark Whitney, Singita COO.
"Prior to this we launched Singita Serengeti House, a private eight-bed
villa in Singita Grumeti Reserves, our Tanzanian property, and the
immediate success indicated there is substantial demand for exclusive villa
accommodation on high-end safari itineraries."

Unexpected Developments

Accra, Ghana, the favorite playground among Nigerians, is fast emerging
as one of Africa's hippest cities. Radisson Blu is headed there-as well as
to South Africa, Gabon, Kenya, Rwanda, Côte D'Ivoire, Guinea, Benin, and
most recently, Tunisia-but on a more intimate scale, Villa Monticello is
making a splash. The family-owned hotel flaunts 14 homey custom suites
by South African designer Linda Furrutter.
In Zanzibar, the Best Western Premier opening this spring in Stone
Town will be a 26-room boutique property with a rooftop terrace and
garden restaurant. It will accentuate "the key Swahili and Arab influences
from Zanzibar's history with traditionally handmade balconies, window
arches, and intricate, handmade carvings in the doors, panels, and
furniture," says Karl de Lacy, international development manager at Best
Western International, adding that an increase in international travel to
Africa has raised expectations for hotel comfort, services, and facilities.
"Local investors understand the value of partnering with an international
brand, which will ensure their hotel will enjoy the exposure needed. We
expect that destinations like Uganda and Zambia will be key growth spots
over the coming years." Next up: Best Western's first Ethiopian venture,
the Best Western Plus Abyssinia, followed by the Best Western Noah, both
in Addis Ababa.
The new Transcorp Hilton in the Ikoyi neighborhood of Lagos,
Nigeria-opening in late 2015-will be a 20-story tower fashioned as
two curling waves that symbolize the country's waterfront and maritime
culture, says Shawn Basler, principal and director of New York-based
Perkins Eastman, the firm that handled the hotel's architecture. The
façade is a blend of glass and precast stone panels with terracotta louvers,
while the hotel tower sits atop a podium containing the lobby; the top of

the podium features a landscaped terrace with pool decks. The sustainable
practices in place (hot water will be solar-heated, for example) are one bold
draw, as is the tower's bi-level restaurant, poised to be a centerpiece. "It
will be a beacon seen from all areas, illuminated on the top of the building.
With full floor-to-ceiling glass, the 'windows on Lagos' will offer views of
Lagos Lagoon, the Atlantic Ocean, and the sunsets to the West," Basler
points out. Nigeria, Basler believes, is one of the fastest growing economies
in Africa but has an underserved hotel market. Currently, Perkins
Eastman is working on two additional mixed-use developments there, each
with international hotel brands attached. "Nigeria has a somewhat stable
democratic government, which has led to an influx of investment in the
country, particularly in real estate," he says.
Federico Moccia, owner of the recently opened Majlis Resort in
Lamu, Kenya, cites Africa's abundance of natural resources and "how
they appeal to Asia, Europe, and the U.S." as one source of growth. Kenya
is a rapidly developing nation that is key to East Africa, he says, and the
Majlis is helping target a new demographic. Here, travelers appreciate
the minimalistic palette dominated by white and accented by Swahili
style-high-beamed ceilings, flowing linen, carved doors, and armchairs
embroidered with kaleidoscopic pearls. "There was a gap on the Kenyan
coast for a luxury hotel that could cater to the increasingly wealthy Kenyan
upper class," says Moccia, "and to the international tourists who fly to
Kenya for a bush safari but also want to unwind by the beach."

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