Obama slept in Holiday Inn during Ghana visit
President Barack Obama of the United States of America, spent the night together with his family at the Holiday Inn, the hotel’s management has said in a press release copied to ghanabusinessnews.com Tuesday July 14, 2009.
The hotel, which is situated about a kilometer from the Kotoka International Airport played host to the US first family during their first visit to Ghana, the first by President Obama to sub-Saharan Africa since he became president of the US.
Prior to Obama’s visit to Ghana, there was speculation that he would stay at the Holiday Inn, following security measures that were taken in the area. All businesses in the area were asked to close by 4:00pm Friday July 9, 2009 until Sunday morning and security officials in the premises were asked to register with the Ghana Police. But Ghana officials denied it. Indeed, even hotel staff denied it, claiming they have no knowledge about Obama’s stay at the hotel.
Holiday Inn is managed by Harare based African Sun Limited, one of the ambitious hospitality industry players in Africa. The company has already given strong indications of its desire to bite deeper into the tourism industry cherry in Ghana. It already has plans to use Ghana as a base to launch out into other West African markets including Nigeria.
According to the press release, President Obama and his family slept in the hotel’s Presidential Suite, Suite 509.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
Holiday Inn Accra Airport does not belong to African Sun. It belongs to a Ghanaian, it belongs to me. Get your facts right before you publish. If in doubt, send me a mail and we can meet, in my office, at my hotel!!!
i am a staff at holiday inn accra ghana i also would like express my view on the ownership of holiday inn which belong to MR PATRICK FARES who happens to be the owner of the hotel, so please the so call african sun they called themselve are just care takers, they even doesnt know how to manage hotel in thier life time, they come from zimbabwe where they have collapes a couple of hotels and i believe they are here to collapes the best hotels also in ghana so we must WATCH OUT.
Hi Patrick!!!! This is Debora Coleman. I met you and John when I lived in Dallas. TX. How are you and John? I would like to speak with one of you guys, if not both of you guys. Give me a call, (601)316-5899. I plan to visit Ghana and would like to speak with you. I have gone by Rytech when I was in Dallas and you guys are no longer at that location. I would love to speak with you all to catch up.
Talk with you sooon!
Hi Patrick, on behalf of the Patton family, we would like to acknowledge all of your hard work and we would also like to express to you how proud we are of your great accomplishment of having The United States Of America President Barack Obama and his family stay at your wonderful hotel. We know how much hard work you put into this beautiful attraction and we pray you will reap more positive benefits than negative.
Its all good
Whoever this hotel belongs to, it is very INHUMAN to be charging such prices for a budget low cost hotel like holiday inn in Ghana. 320 USD a night? For what? How much does holiday inn cost in the so called developed countries, that you charge such prices in the very countries where there is so much poverty?
Are those broken down basic furniture, small rooms, with distracted wireless access what such amounts of money are being charged for? The carpets in the rooms are not even hoovered but swept over with brooms. And that is worthy of such amounts a night?
As usual, pretending to help the npoor when in reality, ripping off the very same poor ones. A big shame on you ruthless sharks. What nonsense?
Ama Anima. I really don’t get your drift……………Holiday inn is not ripping off any poor Ghanaian. If they are ripping off any, then it is rather the so-called rich that they are ripping off and that is a good sign you know. No average ‘poor’ Ghanaian will ever make $320 to stay at Holiday Inn. It is you the rich and the travelled that the hotel will be ripping off (if you call charging a realistic rate to recover your invstment a rip off)
I am an investment analyst and curently analysing a business viability for an investor who wants to put up a hotel in Ghana. I hope you appreciate the cost of acquisation of land in Ghana and of the capital and operational investment that one needs to put up a hotel of that stature in Ghana.
Hotel rates in Ghana are quite expensive and that is fact. You may complain about their services and whether those bundle merit what they are charging their clients. However, to use the poor as an excuse to bash an investor is very populist. I don’t think the owners put up the hotel in a pro-poor strategic framework.
I have not stayed at the hotel so I can’t comment on their services but if it was good for the President of the United States to stay there, then I guess they meet the standard. As for their rate, they are within rate that all 3-5 Star hotels charge in Ghana.
Thank You
Hello Patrick Fares,
I’m Val Thompson, President for Houston International Trade Development Council.
We are scheduled to travel on a trade mission to Ghana September 10th to 18th 2011.
We plan to stay in your hotel during our visit.
I’m looking forward to meeting you.
Val Thompson
Its really funny he didn’t check his facts.I can testifies its belongs to Mr Patrick Fares since I was with him during the construction phase as Security Technician.He is a great and friendly Boss.
I met Patrick too. He is not bossy at all. I saw him during construction phase, and I have also seen him working along with the staff recently. I bet, you wouldn’t know he is the boss.