As you traverse the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), you will certainly come across a prestigious hotel that stands out from other structures due to its aesthetic nature and design.
The Four Points by Sheraton is a one-of-a-kind hotel that has asserted its dominance within the hospitality industry.
Recently, the hotel bagged its fourth straight title as the best luxury airport hotel in Africa, according to the International Hotel Awards.
The hotel consists of 172 rooms, event spaces, a dedicated business lounge all-day dining restaurant, a pool bar, and grill, a coffee lounge, and a spectacular view of the Nairobi National Park.
It's owned by Marriott International, arguably one of the leading multinationals in the world. The company was founded by John Willard Marriott.
According to the company's profile, Marriott's interest in business began at a young age. At the age of 13, he would grow lettuce on the family's farm and sell the harvest amounting to Ksh23,000 at the end of every season. He would give the money to his father.
Developing a business mind at a tender age, Marriott and his family moved from Utah to Washington in order to set up a root beer stand. Seeking to diversify their sales and cater for the market demand, Marriott began to incorporate a variety of cuisines from various countries.
A year later, he transformed the business into the first drive inn hotel, Hot Shoppes Inc.
The business piqued the interest of various officials from the United States government who contracted Marriott to be delivering food to their offices. With the recognition, Marriott renamed the shop to Marriott hotel- the first of many chains of restaurants that would follow suit.
Over the years, Marriott shifted the company's business model from hotel ownership to property management and franchising, which scaled the business' portfolio and growth.
As the chains of hotels grew, so did their profit margins. After establishing itself as a top-tier company in USA and UK, Marriott signed a contract in 2016 in order to set up franchises in Africa primarily Cape Town, Nairobi, Cairo and Mauritius.
Currently, the company has established Four Points by Sheraton in Kenya's capital in two strategic locations; JKIA and at Hurlingham a few minutes drive from the Central Business District.
