The first Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Uganda, delivered by FBW Group, has opened its door to guests.
The hotel in Kampala is set to play its part in the continuing post pandemic recovery of Uganda’s visitor economy.
FBW led on the multi-million dollar hotel development in the Ugandan capital providing its architecture, structural and civil and MEP engineering expertise.
The hotel offers 142 guest rooms and suites, restaurants, bars and a ballroom as well as meeting rooms, swimming pool and fitness centre.
The official opening in September came as Uganda looks to attract more visitors from across the world with a new marketing initiative.
The ‘Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa’ brand promises to provide visitors with a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, according to the Uganda Tourism Board, which is behind the plan.
Recent figures also show Uganda’s tourism trade continuing to rebound post-pandemic with visitor numbers rising 59 per cent in 2022. Last year the country welcomed around 814,508 international visitors.
Sitting at the foot of Kololo Hill, an upscale residential area, and near to Nakasero, Kampala’s central business district, the new Four Points by Sheraton Kampala is around 40km from Entebbe International Airport.
FBW delivered a full design and construction service on the project, covering project management, architecture, structural and civil engineering as well as MEP engineering.
Nigel Tilling – Director of Projects
Nigel Tilling, project director at FBW Group, said: “The whole construction and design team had to cope with the extra pressures brought by the pandemic in the middle of the project.
“The newly delivered hotel stands as testament to the professionalism and determination of everyone involved, from the client team and construction crews to the engineers and architects.
“Four Points by Sheraton Kampala is part of the 31 Marriott International brands and one of the fastest-growing hospitality brands in the world and is sure to make a big impact on business and leisure travellers. It is an impressive sight.”
Four Points by Sheraton is a multinational hotel brand operated by Marriott International Inc that targets business travellers and conventions.
As of June 30, 2020, Marriott operated 291 properties worldwide under the Four Points by Sheraton brand, with 53,054 rooms. In addition, Marriott had 130 planned hotels with 27,342 additional rooms.
FBW has played its part in the development of the visitor economy in Uganda. It delivered Kampala’s first boutique hotel The Emin Pasha is set in two acres of tropical gardens in the centre of the city.
FBW was the architect, project manager and engineer on the luxury 20-room hotel development, which remains a popular destination.
The group’s architects and engineers have also worked on a number of high-profile signature hotel and leisure projects across East Africa, including the multimillion refurbishment of the Hotel Umubano in the Rwandan capital Kigali, several bespoke boutique lodges in Rwanda and Kenya and the design of a major international branded hotel in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
Stuart Harley – Director of Operations
Stuart Harley, the group’s chief operating officer, said: “The growth in hotel investment in Kampala and other cities in East Africa has mirrored the development of the visitor economy and we’re proud of the part we’ve played in some key developments, including this latest Four Points by Sheraton development.
“The hotel projects we have been involved in have played their part in raising standards and delivering quality experiences for visitors to Uganda as well as helping the growth of the tourism sector, which is now beginning to bounce back from the impact of Covid.”