The Village Market Hotel, located in the heart of Nairobi’s Gigiri district is Africa’s newest luxurious boutique hotel.The Kenyan architect, Meghraz Ehsani, who first conceptualized the now world-renowned Village Market with his brother Hamed, is a visionary who is changing the face of Nairobi.
After the Village Market won the coveted International Council of Shopping Centers’ Design Award, he began work on the newest addition to the complex, TRIBE Hotel. His primary influences include Persian architecture, and an understanding of African light, space, and sense of place.
A rebellion against the typical Holiday Inn-style “box”, TRIBE is a low-rising structure, confounding guests with its atypical angles. It plays on light and space with very generous, light-filled public spaces.
The slick, modern architecture is complimented with African warmth in handmade wooden furniture, local fabrics and artefacts. The building faces North, in stark contrast to traditional Colonial architecture – as the British built everything facing South as they would in the Northern Hemisphere. The huge glass windows in the atrium are only possible because of the North facing viewpoint, which maximizes sunlight and warmth. Owing to this, TRIBE is able to cut down on electricity, upping its green factor. The pool is solar heated, and all fixtures have been updated to be LEED certified – making this not only a wonder of modern African architecture, but an outstanding example of green architecture.
The hotel offers a variety of special rooms, each with TRIBE’s signature style. It boasts 140 luxury rooms including lofts, an Ambassadorial Suite, Presidential Suite, and Penthouse.
