It seems to be a season of upgrades in the hospitality industry in Kenya as some major names in the hotel industry rush to pimp up their properties at the height of increased competition and the urge to woo in that extra customer. TPS Serena, for instance, just recently announced a KES 4 billion plan to upgrade its Nairobi facility.

The facelift will see the hotel chain establish a new 300-seat conference centre next to its former hotel, a car park and 40 new rooms. The expansion is set to kick off in December and will take 3 years to complete.

Serena has also added a new camp, the Lake Elementaita Serena Camp, in Naivasha. The KES 360 million camp has 24 luxury tents and a furnished suite named Flamingo, for travellers seeking privacy and comfort in a natural setting.

The camp is located within the Soysambu Conservancy, 28 KM from Nakuru town. Visitors staying at the camp will have a chance to visit Lake Elementaita, which is the only breeding ground for the white Pelican in East Africa.

Meanwhile, the new owners of Southern Sun Mayfair Hotel, formerly Holiday Inn, have just pumped USD 1 million (about KES 90 million) on renovations to re-position the facility as a preferred destination for leisure tourists and corporate events.

The renovations, which have been done in 2 phases, have gone to giving all the public areas, including the guest lounge, restaurants, and conference facilities, a new look. The owners are now working on the rooms as they seek to pitch the facility as an affordable accommodation option in the city.

The idea is to keep the hotel middle level while projecting the identity of the South African hotel group.