Treetops, the iconic hotel that closed at the height of Covid-19 in 2021, has reopened under new management.
Speaking in Nyeri during the opening ceremony, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said the hotel would drive visitor numbers by focusing on domestic tourists and shedding its reputation as a foreign tourist destination.
Although the Aberdares is home to over 3,000 elephants, black rhinos, the rare mountain bongo, and the black forest hog, nature lovers are also attracted by the adventurous spirit of Aberdare National Park, where the hotel is located.
"It is true that people used to think that Treetops was a hotel for foreigners. However, our young Kenyans want adventure, and the Aberdares is a place designed for such fun activities," said Gachagua.
The hotel has 36 rooms, with the Queen's room—where the late British monarch stayed during a visit to Kenya—being the most coveted. Treetops is steeped in rich history. It was here that Princess Elizabeth learnt of her father's death, King George VI, on the night of 5-6 February 1952.
The hotel is becoming popular with Chinese tourists who believe in luck and hope that their fortunes might change, like those of Queen Elizabeth, by staying there.
The location was also central to the freedom struggle and a regular haunt for Dedan Kimathi. A tree within the forest served as Kimathi's "post office," where he received important messages.
"It is here that you really feel the spirit of Dedan Kimathi, the freedom fighter who fought for freedom and was captured in the Aberdares," said Gachagua.
The original Treetops was built as a game-viewing location several metres from the site of the current hotel. Back then, visitors benefited from what was termed the "no see, no pay policy," where a guest only paid after spotting wild animals.
Treetops director Keith Ikinu said the reopening of the hotel would revive the careers of workers and service providers affected by the closure.
"It is an emotional moment for me to see the careers of these people being revived once again. The hotel will also contribute to the Mt. Kenya tourism circuit with added accommodation," said Ikinu.
The opening of the hotel comes at a time when tourist arrivals have surpassed the two million mark.