The United Africa Group (UAG) and Namib Sun Hotels Group (NSH) this week announced that Protea Hotels Group Namibia has taken over the Thüringer Hof hotel in Windhoek. Protea Hotels is a subsidiary of the UAG while the Ohlthaver & List Group owns Namib Suns. “After lengthy negotiations the parties agreed to the sale effective 01 May 2008 at an undisclosed amount. Located in Windhoek’s Independence Avenue, the hotel comprises 43 rooms, banqueting and conferencing facilities, plus restaurant and bar,” a joint statement said.

Changes hands! The well-known Thüringer Hof hotel in downtown Windhoek

Graham Howard, Regional Director at Protea Hotels, said it was a strategic decision to purchase the property that was both well established and perfectly located. Because of the Thüringer Hof’s central location and conference potential, Howard said the initial plans would be to extend the conference facilities and grow the already well established conference base that the hotel offers.
The addition of the Thüringer Hof brings the total to ten hotels managed by the Protea Group in Namibia.
“We are building a new leisure division with specific focus on up market lodges and hotels throughout the country,” said Henry Feris, Namib Sun Hotels’ Managing Director.
Recently the Ohlthaver & List Group announced that Namib Sun had begun operating as OLIFA Hotels & Resorts with Kempinski Hotels set to join as operator of the establishments.
“It’s certainly sad to let go of the Thüringer Hof hotel; this was however a business decision,” said Feris concluding that the hotel did not fit his company’s new strategy.