Accor (www.group.Accor.com/en), a world-leading hospitality group with over 400 hotels across India, the Middle East, Africa and Turkey is expanding its footprint in Africa, with the signing of a twofold project: a Novotel hotel and the first Novotel Living in Africa, both located in Conakry, Guinea.

Strategically located in the Centre Business District (CBD) of Conakry, in close proximity to embassies, ministers and presidential palace of the city, the Novotel and Novotel Living will find home right in the city centre, both offering easy access to important arterial roads and main leisure destinations.

Accor is collaborating with KAKANDE-IMMO, a real estate subsidiary of GUICOPRES Group, who’s Chairman and CEO is Mr Kerfalla Camara, also known as KPC in his country.

Founded in 1998, GUICOPRES has quickly become one of the country’s leading private companies in regards of turnover and jobs created, through its four main subsidiaries: Guicopres BTP, Kakande-Immo, Guico-Multiservices GMI(Company of import/export and distribution) and Nalou-Transit (Transit Company).

Kakande-Immo – already very dynamic in the real estate development market – is taking a new strategic direction with these two projects with the ambition to become, in the near future, a major player in hotel development in Guinea.

“I am very pleased to have reached an agreement with Accor for the management of our future ‘Novotel’ & ‘Novotel-Living’ properties following successful negotiations, which now allow us to move forward for the realization of these two beautiful projects – including the Novotel-Living specialised in long-stay, thus becoming the first establishment opened by the Accor Group in Africa under this  brand. Furthermore, I would like to congratulate and thank my partner on the Novotel-Living project – Ms Hadja Gnouma Traoré – as it is with her confidence that I have been able to finalize the negotiations with Accor; and that the first Novotel-Living property in Africa will soon be opened in Kaloum: at the heart of Conakry. With regard to the Novotel hotel – a direct partnership between Kakandé-Immo and Accor– I am proud to have been able to integrate a vast International Conference Centre with several meeting rooms of all sizes, which will certainly help boost the attractiveness of the destination-Guinea. Business tourism is indeed an economic development opportunity for Conakry, which will improve its competitive position relative to other capitals in the sub-region.”

Statement by Mr. Kerfalla CAMARA – KPC at the signing ceremony

Novotel Living has been developed to meet the expectations of guests looking for long-term accommodation. In fact, guests looking for the comfort of a home with the services of a hotel will be pleased to stay at the Novotel Living while the Novotel Conakry will offer a key new addition to business and leisure travel to the city of Conakry and overall country of Guinea.

“We are pleased to see the Novotel brand re-enter the Guinean market”, said Mark Willis CEO of Accor India, Middle East, Africa & Turkey. “This project not only marks the introduction of the first Novotel Living in Africa but also reflects the group’s support to the authorities in the repositioning of Conakry in the geography of business in West Africa, giving life to two wonderful sister properties under the Novotel brand with the introduction of the Living brand in Conakry”.

Novotel and Novotel Living properties are expected to both accommodate business travellers, host government delegations from Guinea, as well as a leisure clientele.

Novotel Living will feature 80 keys divided between 35 square meter studios and 75 square meter 2-room apartments, becoming the first aparthotel in Conakry operated by an international hotel group. It will feature luxury boutiques, a food shop, a panoramic restaurant, fitness & Spa facilities and private residential lofts.

On the other hand, the Novotel Conakry will feature 120 rooms with a prime beachfront location with shops located around the hotel. Moreover, it will also offer a rooftop lounge, a swimming pool, fitness & Spa facilities, alongside an International Conference Centre of more than 1,500 square meters, with rooms for meetings, which will make it the ideal hotel for residential seminars in the capital.

Accor currently operates 156 properties (26,598 keys) in Africa with another 84 (17,739 keys) in the pipeline.