Serena chain acquires Tanzania’s leading business and tourist-class hotel

TANZANIA (eTN) – East Africa’s leading hotel chain, Serena Hotels, has taken over the business of the Movenpick Royal Palm Hotel Dar es Salaam.

Once operating as Movenpick Royal Palm Hotel Dar es Salaam, the 230-room facility will soon be operating under a business brand name of Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel.

Reports from Serena Hotels’ head office in Nairobi Kenya said that the flourishing and leading Serena chain had acquired the total business of the Movenpick Hotel in Tanzania’s capital city of Dar es Salaam, but no more details were made available yet.

Located at the heart of the business district in the city center of Dar es Salaam, the hotel is one of the most popular accommodation and meeting place for corporate business and social events.

Movepick Royal Palm Hotel opened its business doors late in 1995, once operating under franchise of Sheraton Dar es Salaam Hotel, before changing its business to Royal Palm Hotel under Legacy Hotels of South Africa, and later the Swiss franchise, the Movenpick.

The hotel offers nightlife recreations, dining, business, shopping, and cultural diversions, while located a ten minute’s drive from Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) and within walking distance of the city center.

Acquisition of Movepick Hotel brings to 10 Serena luxury hotels, lodges, and camps in Tanzania. The Serena chain entered Tanzania in mid-1996 when former Tanzania President Mr. Benjamin Mkapa and His Highness The Aga Khan cut a ribbon to open two lodges and a hotel in northern Tanzania wildlife parks, the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Serengeti Serena Lodge, and Lake Manyara Serena Hotel.

The total number of lodges other than Ngorongoro, Serengeti, and Lake Manyara facilities currently under ownership and management of Serena portfolio in Tanzania are the Arusha Mountain Village (46 room), located at the foot of the wooded slopes of Mount Meru outside the tourist city of Arusha in Northern Tanzania, and Zanzibar Serena Inn (51 rooms) on the island of Zanzibar.

Other facilities under the Serena chain are Mivumo River Lodge in Selous Game Reserve, Kirawira Tented Camp, and Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camps in Western Serengeti and Selous Luxury Camp in Selous Game Reserve.