Ker & Downey’s new Grays Eden Sanctuary in Maun – the gateway to Botswana’s Okavango Delta – brings a new level of luxury to the small town, and  has been lauded as a crucial development in stimulating the country’s tourism sector.

Underscoring the significance of the luxury boutique hotel, Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi, Acting Minister of Environment and Tourism, Nnaniki Makwinja, and Minister of Trade and Industry, Mmusi Kgafela, led the official opening on August 10.

Overlooking the Thamalakane River, the boutique hotel comprises 12 luxury rooms, including five villas and seven cottages, and brings world-class restaurant, wellness and recreation amenities to Maun. The hotel employs 40 people, expected to grow to 60 at peak operation.

The project is born of successful foreign direct investment (FDI) efforts facilitated by the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC).

"It is testament to Botswana’s efforts to attract FDI," said Masisi at the launch. “For this reason, I wish to recognise the important role played by the BITC in attracting and facilitating the project until conversion.”