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| Dar
es Salaam, Tanzania - Africa |
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Extraordinary - Merit
February - 2008 |
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5
Stars & 4 Stripes
Overall - 'Hotel & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| We landed at 9.05 pm at Dar es Salaam International,
Tanzania on a
SWISS Airbus 330, at the exact predicted arrival time. We were not surprised; after all, 'time' is SWISS International's business. Tanzania is the largest among the East African countries; Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It has a spectacular landscape of three unique regions featuring the islands and the coastal plains to the east; the inland 'saucer shaped' plateau and then the highlands. This country has one of the largest concentrations of wild animals anywhere in the world. Here one finds pristine, white sandy beaches and Africa's highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro, still snow-capped. Tanzania is home to the world famous National Parks and Game Reserves of: Ngorongoro Crater, Selous Game Reserve, Gombe Stream, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Mikumi, Arusha, Ruaha, Saadani, Udzungwa Mountains, and Mkomazi Game Reserve. Dar es Salaam is the commercial capital and major seaport of Tanzania's mainland and serves its neighboring land-locked countries of Malawi, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, as well as Eastern DRC. Because of its prefect location, the Dar es Salaam seaport presents itself as the gateway into East and Central Africa. Our destination is the Kilimanjaro Hotel, an East African institution since 1965. The 'Kili' has played host to important world leaders as Nelson Mandela, many internationally renowned personalities, celebrated stars and most recently the US President. Africa's hotel icon lost its grace when Tanzania's fortunes faltered in the late '80th. Today, after a forty million dollar renovation, which took circa two years, the 'Kili' is once again Tanzania's finest. It is maybe seen as a testament to Dar es Salaam's history and it's independent, bright future. We arrived at the Kilimanjaro Kempinski after a half hour ride from the airport, immediately drawn to its unexpectedly modern look, white-lit palm trees reflecting the dark star-studded sky. |
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| Check-inn was quick and painless and then the doors to
our domicile opened, with views over the charming,
night-lit
pool and the still busy harbor. Our well-appointed accommodations, # 520
located on the 5th floor, presented a chic, comfortable and luxurious life
style.
The
bathroom featured a fabulous deep soaking tub and a separate glass enclosed
rainforest shower with large glass doors allowing natural light to flood. A
large, invitingly dressed bed, a multi functional sitting area, with a nice
secretary accommodated a laptop, granted quick high-speed Internet access and
WiFi. That evening, though it was relatively late, we discovered the still busy
'Level 8 Bar' (long pants requested). Packed with a whole bunch of fun loving
people, enjoying a live local band, we ordered Moet Chandon at very reasonable
prices and couldn’t get enough of the knockout views of the skyline.
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| We had breakfast at 'The Palm' the next morning and
indulged on 'wake-me-up Lattes’ on the palm tree-studded veranda. With the
scent of exotic flowers and temperatures already in the 80's we were ever
reminded that we were far, far away from wintry northern Europe. We had a
fabulous time at the ‘Kili’, especially the
Anantara
Spa, which delivered a truly memorable experience, fully living up to
demanding, uncompromising, global standards. We experienced, both,
extraordinarily well-executed seventy-five minute Elemis Visible Brilliance and
Elemis Pro Collagen Marine facials with eye treatments. The therapists used
products made of nothing but nature, generating instant results and erasing
jet-legged lines. Later, after Kebobs of exotic fruit and detox herbal teas, we
both had ninety-minute Thai Herbal Therapies, erasing all the tension to our
bodies and the exciting African world out there.
The
Anantara spa & salon is well on the way to becoming a sanctuary and
offers already more then just, 'feel good therapies'. We actually had to be
reminded later on that we had dinner reservations at
The Oriental Restaurant, an exotic dinner experience that we gratefully did not miss… |
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“The Kilimanjaro Hotel, with its the eloquent
fusion of modern African
and European splendor, is designed for business and
pleasure.” ~ TB |
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| GM and Regional Director Lena Kasfiki Livanidou has
the expertise of leading this world-class hotel and spa.
Her
fabulous team has been empowered through her compassionate leadership and
intense experience. She is a mother of two adult children, who comes across as
a most gracious host, challenging her team to raise the bar. Mrs. Kasfiki
Livanidou is also managing the team that will soon open the first Hotel Lodge
in Tanzania. Once again the Kempinski Group continues to grow its brand beyond
expectations with the opening of the first Hotel Lodge of its kind world-wide
thereby epitomizing luxury accommodations in truly exotic surroundings. All
this paired with Kempinski hospitality, what else is there to say? |
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by Thorsten Buehrmann & Simone Buehrmann
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
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| © 2008 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
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