Fairmont opens first Africa property

from yesterday's Hotels newsflash

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Debuts in Africa
October 29, 2007

"Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced today the Fairmont Mara Safari Club has opened following an extensive renovation program. Surrounded on three sides by the Mara River, and on the edge of the world’s Seventh “New” Wonder of the World – the Masai Mara - Fairmont Mara Safari Club is the epitome of tented luxury. The resort will be joined by two additional renowned Kenyan properties in the coming months; in total, US$35 million of phased enhancements have been invested into Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Fairmont The Norfolk and Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, providing rich and distinctive offerings to guests." ...

"Guests can choose from a wide range of activities at Fairmont Mara Safari Club, including game drives and balloon safaris over the Mara plains capped with a champagne breakfast on the savannah or a stroll in the footprints of the hippo-trodden path escorted by a Masai Moran. The location provides a perfect base for visiting the Masai Mara, one of the world’s richest wildlife reserves, and home to an astounding array of animals including zebras, cheetahs, wildebeests, gazelles and of course the “Big Five”." ...

"Also opening under the Fairmont banner are Fairmont The Norfolk and Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, which are in the final stages of refurbishment. The collection of three properties will afford travelers a variety of options from which to enjoy warm hospitality and create truly memorable experiences. Opened in 1904, Fairmont Norfolk stands as one of Africa’s most talked about gathering places, hosting luminaries like President Theodore Roosevelt and Out of Africa’s Isak Dinesen. Today, the 165-room property serves as a hub of Nairobi business and ideal safari departure point, with four restaurants, an outdoor pool, an elegant ballroom and four function rooms.

Just 190 kilometers (118 miles) to the north, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, situated at the base of Mount Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa, features 120 rooms in cottages, villas and suites on 100 acres of grounds, as well as a nine-hole golf course, pool, tennis and varied opportunities for adventure including horseback riding, bird watching, fishing, and an animal orphanage, as well as being a celebrated base for safaris. Founded by Oscar-winning actor William Holden, club membership included Winston Churchill, Bing Crosby and John Wayne."

for the complete press release see:
http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDispla
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