Mira Heights guests welcome the festive season at
their facility / BRIAN OTIENO
Joan Chebet, a tourism stakeholder in Mombasa, at
the Mira Heights on Monday / BRIAN OTIENOAs the festive season peaks,
tourists streaming into Mombasa are increasingly choosing experiences that go
far beyond the usual sun, sand, and sea offerings.
While about 5,000 visitors are
arriving in the city every day, hotels are yet to hit full occupancy, with most
hovering between 80 and 90 per cent.
Where are these travellers going?
Morris Kitheka, general manager of
Mira Heights Suites and Conferencing, says tastes are shifting.
Today’s holidaymaker is no longer
content with a standard room and a fixed routine.
Instead, many are gravitating
towards serviced and hotel apartments that offer the freedom, space and
intimacy they crave.
“We’ve seen a change in dynamics
from the travellers who prefer to stay in serviced apartments,” he says.
Mitheka spoke during a cake-mixing
and Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Monday.
He said modern guests want
flexibility — ability to manage their own laundry, cook for themselves or pay
for services only when they choose to.
Beyond convenience, the allure lies
in privacy. Unlike traditional hotels that sit along major roads, hotel
apartments are often tucked away in quieter, more secluded environments,
creating a sense of retreat that many visitors now seek.
Mira Heights director Anne Cherop
says the shift in demand did not take long to notice. Her initial plan was to
build regular apartments, but she soon realised that hotel apartments were in
higher demand among the swelling numbers of domestic tourists flocking Mombasa.
“During this Christmas season, we
have made this facility homelier and private so as to give guests the lifestyle
they want to have as holidaymakers,” she said.
Cherop said about 80 per cent of
their guests are Kenyans, reflecting a growing embrace of local tourism. Mira
Heights’ 66 two- and three-bedroom units are currently at 75 per cent
occupancy.
To make the experience even more
enticing, serviced apartment facilities are throwing in extra perks. At Mira
Heights, for instance, guests are transported to and from the beach at no cost.
“We schedule the trips, stay with
you at the beach until you’re done, and then bring you back,” Kitheka said.
Joan Chebet, an industry player
says this trend caters to visitors who want to enjoy the beach without
necessarily staying at the beachfront.
The convenience of private transport, she
says, ensures guests don’t miss out on the quintessential Mombasa experience.
The hotel apartments also offer
dedicated chefs for guests who prefer personalised meals — a luxury that fits
perfectly with the growing desire for autonomy while on holiday.
Chebet says with the new commuter
rail service linking the Mombasa SGR Terminus in Miritini to the CBD, more
travellers are now venturing into the city to explore its sights.
Kitheka credits enhanced security —
a joint effort between national and county governments — for giving tourists
the confidence to move freely.
“With security, businesses thrive,”
he says, calling for continued vigilance.
For many visitors, the appeal boils
down to one simple thing, freedom.
“Most guests today want somewhere
where they can cook anytime and anything they want, rather than sticking to a
schedule or a menu,” Chebet says.
At Mira Heights, that freedom comes
as a hybrid experience. Guests can prepare their own meals in the fully
equipped apartments or dine in the in-house restaurant, blending the best of
both worlds.
For Ukrainian tourist Oleg
Martynovskyi, who has been staying at the facility with his wife for two
months, the warmth of the people is as memorable as the weather and culture.
“We feel at home, especially in
this complex because friends referred us here,” the three-time skydiving
champion who has appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records said.
With a week left before returning to Kyiv, Martynovskyi says the hospitality has made their stay unforgettable. “The personnel here are very nice and beautiful,” he said.
