Chinese company Grand Skylight Hotel Management in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines have unveiled their flagship facility in Ethiopia, the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa. The event was presided over by the country’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mr. Tewolde Gebre Mariam both who spoke at the grand opening.
Ethiopian senior government officials, diplomats, international luminaries and global media representatives were among the close to 3,000 guests.
“The hotel’s ambience is great. It’s contemporary, bright, and very luxuriously spacious, befitting a veritable landmark project in continental Africa,” H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said amidst excitement from the audience.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mr. Tewolde Gebre Mariam also briefed the guests about the hotel’s vast growth opportunities in the face of the exciting potential of local tourism and MICE market. He lauded the hotel’s pioneering team for their diligent efforts, and presented a personally signed Letter of Appreciation to the GSHM task force.
The Chairman of Shenzhen Grand Skylight Hotels Management Company (GSHM) Mr. Zhang Guochao said, “we are very pleased to work with Ethiopian Airlines, harbinger of the new African spirit. Ethiopian Skylight Hotel is a landmark hotel, commanding the most rooms locally, most comprehensive facilities as well as the largest banquet floor space.”
The $65 million Grand Skylight hotel is located adjacent to Bole International Airport of Addis Ababa on an area covering 40,000 square metres. The hotel was was built by AVIC Engineering Corporation as EPC contractor, with 373 guest rooms, three restaurants (inclusive of the biggest Chinese restaurant in Ethiopia at 900m2, and a 900m2 traditional Ethiopian restaurant), and three lounge bars. The Grand Ballroom is designed to host 2,000 guests at once, making it the largest ballroom in Ethiopia.
The hotel offers five function rooms of varying capacity, fitness centre, outdoor heated swimming pool, mini golf driving range, a 600m2 exhibition centre, boutique shop as well as ticket office and other amenities. The hotel is owned by Ethiopian Airlines, the largest, fastest growing and most profitable airline company in Africa.
Shenzhen Grand Skylight Hotels Management Company is a famous brand from China with more than 33 years of international experience, and more than 60 hotels being managed and being built. GSHM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AVIC. The company focuses on the mid-high-end hospitality sector.
