New Crested Crane Hotel almost set for commissioning

Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The newly built Crested Crane Hotel in Jinja is nearing completion and is expected to be handed over to the government by the end of this month, according to the project implementers.

The hotel is expected to be assigned 3-Star class when it is commissioned, as planned in October this year, according to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA).

The ministry says, however, that the 7 million dollar (26 billion shillings) facility is good enough for 4-Star classification, but for the absence of requisite amenities like swimming pools, a gym/health club and other accessory services.

“When later these facilities are out up, definitely, it will have a higher classification because other infrastructure like the buildings, rooms and conference facilities and other services are already there,” said an official during a tour of the site Wednesday.

The project funded by the World Bank under the Competitiveness and Enterprise Development Project (CEDP) is part of a larger program that involves the construction of a new Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) where the former Crested Crane Hotel stood until last year when it was demolished.

The hotel project was supposed to be completed 12 months after works commenced in 2018, but was delayed by slow delivery of materials by the contractor, Roko Construction, before COVID-19 hit, according to site engineer, Isa Mbogo.

Also the ministry revised the contract from a 2-floor to a 3-floor facility to match the required standards, all pushing the completion date to December 2023, and now to July 2024.

Eng Mbogo is sure that the final touches that include painting, fittings in the bedrooms, kitchen and laundry, among others, will be completed by in time for the handover and subsequent commissioning.

With the ultramodern-equipped hotel, the adjacent UHTTI is set to achieve its vision of being a regional centre for tourism and hotel training in the region, according to Daniel Kazungu, the Public Relations Officer at the UHTTI.

Mbogo says with a total of 85 rooms, including Queen and double bed rooms, the hotel has the capacity to accommodate between 150 and 200 people at once.

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