By Vincent Bartoo

Royalton Hotel is the new kid on the block in Eldoret. Located on the outskirts of the town along the Eldoret-Nairobi highway, the hotel boasts a tranquil environment with its unique Indonesian seat designs, tea sets, plates and cutlery.

"Our services are designed to not only meet but exceed the demands of both our local and international clients," says Roy Kipkemboi, the hotel’s General Manager.

Royalton has raised the hotel standards in Eldoret, an agricultural town and the commercial and industrial hub of the North Rift. Its interior is designed to meet the needs of all patrons, from those who want to enjoy lunch or dinner to those coming to watch football or athletics on the hotel’s big screens over drinks.

It also has a section where children sit and enjoy ice cream as they watch cartoons. Tortoises roaming the hotel grounds also keep the kids busy.

Even with its refined ambience and modern cuisine, the hotel serves traditional food, including the region’s popular mursik (sour milk), traditional vegetables and ugali. The hotel also hosts Kalenjin nights that have grown in popularity, especially among local politicians among them Agriculture Minister William Ruto and former Keiyo South MP Nicholas Biwott.

Although Eldoret is a fast growing town, its investment in the hospitality industry has been slow. "All other investments are unique apart from hotels and restaurants. It is time the hospitality industry matched other developments in the town," says William Chepkut, the hotel’s owner.