Dubai’s Emaar Hospitality expands with hotel in Sub-Saharan Africa

Dubai developer Emaar’s hospitality division is set to enter Togo this summer, marking the group’s sixth international destination and first project in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The tallest building in the capital Lomé, previously managed by Radisson Blu, has been refurbished and the 30-storey hotel will be rebranded Address Hotel 2 Fevriér Lomé Togo under a 15-year management contract.

Alongside 256 rooms and 64 serviced residences will be themed restaurants and meeting venues which will appeal to nearby embassies, banks and corporate offices.

Emaar Hospitality Group CEO Olivier Harnisch said once the hotel has been repositioned as a luxury hotel, it will look at other opportunities in the region.

Read: Dubai’s Emaar to manage three hotels at $6.5bn Sharjah project

China, India, Indian Ocean islands and European capitals are among the key destinations on Emaar’s international wish-list – and so the fact Togo has jumped above them is a surprise.

Connectivity is weak with no Gulf carriers serving the country and regional executives will have to change planes at Lagos, Abuja or Addis Ababa, but Garnisch is optimistic that the hotel will draw business and leisure travellers.

The hotel is located 7km from Lomé-Tokoin International Airport.

Emaar has partnered with Kalyan Group and the Republic of Togo’s government for the project.

Ashok Gupta, CEO of Kalyan Hospitality Development Togu SAU, was asked about money-laundering allegations involving Australian company Getax and replied they were “wholly, fully untrue”.

Garnisch said “we select our partners carefully”.

Emaar recently reopened the Address Downtown hotel in Dubai after a 2015 New Year’s Eve blaze caused by an electrical short circuit

Read: Dubai’s Address Downtown hotel reopens after New Year’s Eve fire