Lonrho's first easyHotel in Africa to open in Joburg

Under its exclusive franchise agreement with Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou's easyGroup, the first easyHotel.com branded hotel is scheduled to open by the end of the year at the former Stuttafords Department Store building in the Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD).

The easyHotel.com Rissik Street is the first hotel under the exclusive 20 year master franchise agreement (MFA) that Lonrho enjoys with easyHotel.

Together, easyHotel and Lonrho are committed to establishing an easyHotel network across Africa.

The MFA provides Lonrho with the exclusive rights to the easyHotel brand in Africa and sets out an agreed opening schedule for 50 properties by 2016.

"Opening its first easyHotel.com at the heart of the Johannesburg, the commercial capital of South Africa, demonstrates Lonrho Budget Hotels' corporate objective of operating hotels in Africa's high demand, high growth destinations," Lonrho said.

easyHotel will be the first trans-continental hotel brand in Africa specifically designed to be accessible to many, not a select few. easyHotel's unique low-cost business model permits the customer to enjoy an international standard bedroom at a highly competitive price.

"The "easy" brand is one of the world's most recognised and successful value for money brands and easyHotel.com Rissik Street will be built and operated to easyGroup's exacting international standards, providing clean, safe and branded hotel accommodation for people travelling on business, leisure and visiting friends and family," the company said.

David Lenigas, Executive Chairman of Lonrho, commented: "This new hotel project between Sir Stelios and Lonrho starts the roll-out of easyHotels.com throughout Africa.

"easyHotel.com Rissik Street (a Lonrho Hotel) will be the first of many hotels designed to give Africans and visitors to Africa a first world hotel experience at a budget price starting from as low as US$29 per room per night.

"There is a large gap in the market for a quality budget hotel and the easyHotel.com room offering is ideally suited to fill this much needed gap across the continent."