Bluebay Hotels Zanzibar: Expanding to four properties across the island

Re-opening of Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa after major refurbishment / Opening of new Sultan Sands Island Resort / Supporting the transition to hotel group with a total of four hotels and asset management was by Hospitality Advance International

Zanzibar/Tanzania, September 1, 2008: Bluebay Hotels Zanzibar announces the opening and renovation of its beach properties on the island of spices. The latest addition to the portfolio, Sultan Sands Island Resort, was formerly known as La Villa Beach Resort. The hotel offers 76 rooms in single storey African style rondavels; 56 with beach views (pwani) and 20 situated right on beach, steps away from the Indian ocean. Aside the Sultan Sands, the flagship property of the group, Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa (112 rooms and deluxe suites) reopens after a major renovation in both rooms & public facilities. The upmarket resort offers a range of leisure and water sports activities and is home of holistic Oasis Spa. Both, the Sultan Sands and the Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa are located in Kiwengwa on the East coast of Zanzibar, known for its miles long white sandy beach.

The group’s portfolio also include two further properties: the Sunset Bay Hotel, a charming 40 room resort on Zanzibar’s North Coast (Nungwi) as well as the Beyt al Chai (a former tea house), a boutique hotel in Zanzibar’s historic Stone Town which runs the Beyt al Chai restaurant, known for its sumptuous Zanzibari and European seafood specialties.

The transition to a hotel group has been implemented with the support of Kostas Trivizas, founder of Aeolus Hospitality Group, who has partnered with hospitality and tourism consultancy firm Hospitality Advance International (HAI). As a Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa, he consulted BlueBay Hotels in the areas of asset management, change management, operations, business development, distribution and customer relationship management. To this effect, he assumed the duties of Group General Manager for a year.

Says Andrew Smith, owner of Bluebay Hotels Zanzibar: “With the latest addition of Sultan Sands to our portfolio, we now have the optimal room, product capacity and mix of properties on the island to cater the different needs of tour operators and guests alike. The dedication of Kostas Trivizas and the team of managers involved made the very challenging task of opening a new resort while renovating our flagship property Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa smooth and the end result is outstanding. I am excited to take our properties forward under the common roof of Bluebay Hotels for marketing and sales benefits.”

Kostas Trivizas, who also served as east coast regional director for the Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors (www.ZATI.org) adds: “It was a rewarding experience to manage a project in the Indian Ocean and to be associated with one of the island’s earliest and most visionary investors; Andrew Smith and his family. Zanzibar, gaining popularity also as a post safari, beach destination, has a lot of potential and the government is working on improving the infrastructure. Still, the majority of tourism projects on this island are driven by private investors and hoteliers. I look forward to using the gained insights, to benefit future clients and projects in East Africa and other developing resort destinations.”

For more information about Bluebay Hotels Zanzibar, please visit www.bluebayzanzibar.com

For more information about Hospitality Advance International please visit www.hospitalityadvance.com

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Title: Bluebay Beach Resort
Text: Reception, Bluebay Beach Resort, Zanzibar
Image credit: © Bluebay Zanzibar Hotels

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Title: Nungwi Beach
Text: Zanzibar is famous for its white, sandy beaches
Image credit: © Bluebay Zanzibar Hotels

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