The world's renowned hotel brand, Kempinski, has come to Namibia bringing with it the country’s first five-star hotels. The hotels will be in Windhoek and Swakopmund. Kempinski's arrival in is through the Ohlthaver & List Group of Companies that sold half its hotel portfolio in Namib Sun to IFA Hotels and Resorts, a Kuwaiti-based firm.The joint venture is valued at N$550 million.

The Namib Sun portfolio consists of the Strand Hotel in Swakopmund, Midgard Lodge, Mokuti Lodge, Thuringer Hof Hotel and the Chobe King's Den lodge in Kavango.A yet to be named joint venture company will take over all the hotels and lodges with the exception of Midgard Lodge and Thuringer Hof Hotel.

Ulrich Eckhardt, senior vice president at Kempinski for Middle East and Africa, and Sven Thieme, executive chairman of Ohlthaver & List group of companies, immediately after the signing of the joint venture.

Strand Hotel will be demolished and a new hotel will be built near the beach. In Windhoek, the hotel is most likely to be situated along Independence Avenue, on the grounds that were once occupied by Zeda Car Rental. The planning and sought of approval from the local authorities has already started, said Wessel Witthum, the vice president for development for IFA Hotel and Resorts Africa and India Ocean.
The Chobe King's Den lodge, which has 13 rooms, is to be refurbished for possibly increasing the rooms, said Witthum. The Mokuti Lodge will undergo a re-branding exercise within the next four months. The architects are Cape Town-based DHK Architects. The computer generated impressions of the hotel shows a modern hotel by international standards.
Kempinski, IFA Hotel and Resorts, and O&L signed the deal on Tuesday morning at Zimbali in Durban, South Africa.
Sven Thieme, the executive chairman of O&L, said the Kimpinski brand will “surely” help to attract clients to the hotels and to Namibia.
“Kimpisnki is known for its high level of standard at all its hotels in the world,” said Thieme.