One Tribe, One Planet

NAIROBI, October 29, 2009 – Yes! You can be flying over in a plane or be a bird perched near the pool but whichever way you want to look at it, the architecture at the Tribe Hotel is delightful!

I tried it and even sampled a few photos; and unless you have a biting issue nagging your conscience, it is a delight even to visit the powder room. Did I say that out loud?

Mark Somen is the General Manager at Tribe and he tells Capital Lifestyle that that is what the architect had in mind.

“Delight! That’s what he wanted all visitors to feel wherever they look in the hotel. What do you think?”

The name Tribe comes from the concept, ‘One Planet, One Tribe’, and according to Mark it’s the human tribe that is being celebrated at this massive but exquisite complex.

With more than 140 rooms, conference rooms, restaurant, lounge, bar, and sound room, all sorts of tribes are most welcome here.

“According to me, Kenyan hospitality should be world famous, because it is not this good the world over. I employ my workers based on personality, they have to have the ability to make visitors to the Tribe comfortable, special and happy,” Somen said.

The Tribe now has a new menu that blends continental with local food and at a pocket friendly rate.

“There were a lot of complaints about the costs of our food at the beginning, and rightly so. So we have worked to bring this down and still not compromise on quality and class,” Somen illustrated.

So the array (and I checked) ranges from beef carpaccio to warm goats cheese to a sushi platter to Norwegian salmon extending to butternut mash and sukuma wiki!

Small meals retail at Sh600, for medium just add about Sh200 (you can place sandwiches and burgers there) and for large pay another Sh200-300 on top. Aside from that the hotel has a cheese of the month, port of the month and wines of the month.

“I also want the hotel to be the place of choice for celebrities. Recently we had the all-white barbecue and bash which was sort of like an MTV pre-party and it was spectacular. The pool-side area is a favourite.”

Somen says that the Tribe is not done yet. They are still growing and in a couple of months will have a gym and spa in the building – just for you. Need I say more?