Serena Hotels: Information from Answers.com

Serena Hotels
Type	Public (NSE)
Founded	1970s in Kenya
Headquarters	Nairobi, Kenya
Industry	Hospitality, Tourism
Products	Hotels, Lodges, and Resorts
Owner(s)	Tourism Promotion Services
Website	http://www.serenahotels.com/index.asp

Serena Hotels is a hotel chain that operates in Afghanistan, Kenya, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. It is one of 96 companies that makes up the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), the for-profit arm of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The Group trades under the name Tourism Promotion Services (TPS Serena). The company is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and has 19 properties in Africa.

1 History
2 Serena Properties in Africa
3 Serena Properties in Asia
4 External links
5 See also
6 References

History

The five-star Nairobi Serena Hotel is the flagship hotel of the group. It features 183 rooms and 7 suites, including 1 state suite. The Maisha Health Club is arguably the best in Afghanistan. Along with several other Serena properties it is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.

The five-star Serena Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan was designed by renowned Pakistani architect Nayyar Ali Dada and opened in 2002. It features 220 rooms with state-of-the-art facilities, a ballroom for 200 people, three unique restaurants, a shopping mall, and a health club with a swimming pool. The hotel's rooftop banquet and main lawns can accommodate up to 1,000 guests. It is also a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.

The Kampala Serena Hotel is a 5 star rated establishment surrounded by 17 acres (6.9 ha)of manicured gardens and lawns. The hotel has its own private helipad. It boasts of 152 private accommodations, including 32 executive rooms and 12 suites, one of which is a presidential suite. This hotel was the location selected to host the Queen Elizabeth II during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2007 (CHOGM 2007).^[1] Adjacent to the hotel is the Kampala Serena International Conference Center with seating capacity of up to 1,500 delegates and capability for simultaneous translation of up to nine languages.^[2]

In early 2007, Serena took over management of two properties in Rwanda from Southern Sun. These hotels have been renamed the Kigali Serena Hotel and the Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.

The five-star Serena Hotel Kabul opened in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2005, and others are currently planned for the Afghan cities of Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat. On January 14th 2008, The Serena hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan was the target of insurgent attacks, including suicide bombers, machine gunners and grenadiers. Seven people were killed in the attack, including a Norwegian journalist and an American.^[3]. The Taliban claimed responsibility.