A new addition to the Harare skyline is on the way, with Hilton set to make its debut in Zimbabwe after signing an agreement with Terrace Africa to develop a 140-room Hilton Garden Inn in Harare’s upmarket Highlands district.
The project will be the first major hotel development in Harare in several years, coming as the capital faces a significant shortage of quality accommodation.
Scheduled to open in 2029, the hotel will form part of the Highlands Precinct, a mixed-use development being built by Terrace Africa. The announcement was made Wednesday at the ZimReal property investment forum.
Carlos Khneisser, Hilton’s Chief Development Officer for the Middle East and Africa, says the group’s entry into Zimbabwe was aimed at meeting growing demand for hotel rooms.
“With Harare serving as a key commercial, diplomatic and regional gateway, we see strong opportunity to bring Hilton Garden Inn to a market where demand from business and leisure travellers continues to grow,” Khneisser says.
Brett Abrahamse, Director of Terrace Africa, says the partnership would strengthen the Highlands Precinct’s position as a connected urban destination.
“Our Highlands Precinct has been designed to reflect Harare’s growth and evolving lifestyle needs,” Abrahamse says. “Partnering with Hilton to introduce its first hotel in Zimbabwe is a defining milestone for the precinct and reinforces our ambition to create high-quality, mixed-use environments that serve residents, businesses and visitors alike.”
Hilton’s entry comes as Harare faces with a shortage of quality hotel accommodation. Industry estimates suggest the capital needs more three- to five-star hotel beds, with fewer than 11,000 currently available against an estimated requirement of about 20,000.
The deal adds to Hilton’s expansion across Africa, where it currently operates more than 70 hotels and has over 100 more in its pipeline, with more than half of those developments in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its Hilton Garden Inn brand has more than 1,100 hotels across 65 countries and territories.
Since its formation in 2011, Terrace Africa has delivered more than US$230 million worth of property projects across Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa. It is also the Asset Manager of the ZSE-listed Tigere REIT.
