Category Archives: Hotels

TIME Hotels debuts its TIME Express Hotels brand with the opening of a new property in Sharjah this month. The three-star TIME Express Hotel Al Khan comprises 55 keys in total, spread across five floors, including five suites which feature well equipped kitchenettes and 50 standard rooms. Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels, said, “Built with both business and leisure visitors in mind, this hotel is fully equipped with everything the modern, budget conscious traveller requires, delivering a fresh and stylish environment at unbeatable value for guests not looking to compromise on quality.” TIME Express Hotel Al Khan is located just 15 minutes’ drive from Dubai International Airport, 20 minutes from Sharjah International Airport and a 15-minute walk from Al Khan Beach. The hotel will feature Foodio, an all-day dining outlet which serves sumptuous international dishes as well as authentic Arabic cuisine, offering guests both buffet and a la carte dining options. Guests will also have access to a temperature-controlled rooftop swimming pool as well as a 24-hour fitness centre which is fully equipped with top-of-the-line equipment, a prayer room and underground car parking spaces. The hotel will also feature two multi-purpose conference rooms which are suitable for a range of different events, providing state-of-the-art equipment in an efficient and comfortable environment. Accommodating up to 30 guests, TIME Express Al Khan has an experienced conference and events team on hand to ensure a stress-free and successful delivery of all events.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced the debut of La Quinta by Wyndham in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa) market with the opening of the 404-room La Quinta by Wyndham Istanbul Gunesli, bringing the brand to travellers outside of the Americas for the first time.  La Quinta by Wyndham is a leading upper-midscale brand at over 900 hotels across North and Latin America, offering contemporary design, thoughtful amenities and friendly service. Wyndham acquired La Quinta’s hotel franchise and hotel management businesses in 2018, further building upon the company’s diverse family of hotel brands and offerings around the world. La Quinta by Wyndham Istanbul Gunesli is one of the latest additions to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ presence in Turkey, where the company is the largest international hotel group with over 80 hotels all across the country. Dimitris Manikis, President & Managing Director for EMEA, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said, “We are thrilled to welcome La Quinta and its long-standing reputation for delivering quality, reliability and a great guest experience to the EMEA region, further expanding our offering of brands in such an important market like Turkey. With a record of over 13 million international visitors in 2018 alone and an incredible variety of historical, cultural and business sites, Istanbul is one of the world’s most attractive cities for travel, making it the perfect fit for La Quinta’s European debut.”

Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA announces taking over Al Dana Diamond Makkah and rebranding it as M Hotel Al Dana Makkah. Aligning with the robust expansion plan Millennium Hotel & Resorts MEA, this property will add 611 keys to its inventory of 3,240 keys in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Situated in Al Shisha – Aziziah district, at the heart of Makkah, 3.3 km from Al Haram, 2.6 km from Um Alqura, 3.2 km from Safwah tower and 75 km from King Abdulaziz international Airport-Jeddah, M Hotel Al Dana Makkah caters to both leisure and business travellers. The hotel comprises 611 rooms stylishly designed and equipped with the latest amenities. Last year alone Saudi’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah issued 7.6 million visas in the 2018-19 season and they aim to go up by 30 per cent, i.e. aim to issue 10 million visas this year. Commenting on this cherished accomplishment, Kevork Deldelian, Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Hotels and Resorts Middle East and Africa, stated, “We are fully committed to our strategic expansion plan in Saudi Arabia to extend our reach across the entire Kingdom. In the first phase, the plan includes the opening of 6 new hotels in Makkah, Madina, Tabouk, Jizan and Baha in addition to the recently opened Millennium and Copthorne Makkah Al Naseem hotels.” Closing 2019 with the opening of 11 new properties under various brands of the company, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA has a robust strategy to operate more than 15,000 new keys in the Middle East within the next three years. Focusing on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a foundation stone for its strategy, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA targets to operate …

Palladium Hotel Group celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and has chosen the Feria Internacional de Turismo (FITUR) to make the most prominent announcement of new president and CEO. Abel Matutes Prats will be the new president and Jesús Sobrino the new CEO of Palladium Hotel Group, Manager and Owner of the hotel brands. Sobrino has until now held the position of Deputy Director General, which will now go to Carmen Matutes Prats. After 50 years of experience in the tourism sector, Grupo Empresas Matutes is reforming its organisational structure to adapt to new times, with the company committed to the separation of real estate management and hotel operation. For his part, Abel Matutes Juan, founder and president of the company since its inception, will maintain the presidency of the holding company Grupo Empresas Matutes to which Palladium Hotel Group belongs. During the presentation of the company’s latest news, the president of Grupo Empresas Matutes, Abel Matutes Juan; the president of Palladium Hotel Group, Abel Matutes Prats; and the CEO of the hotel company, Jesús Sobrino, also presented a positive balance for 2019. It was the year in which Palladium Hotel Group managed a turnover that exceeded 752 million euros, representing a growth of 13 per cent compared to the previous year. In 2020, Palladium Hotel Group will continue to consolidate its expansion strategy with important openings. The first will be Palladium Hotel Menorca, a four-star all-inclusive hotel that will be one of the group’s most ambitious projects in the Spanish market and in which the company will invest 26 million euros for its renovation. Also in the Mediterranean, specifically in the north of the Italian island of Sicily, Palladium …

Marriott International announces signing an agreement to open a St. Regis in the New Administrative Capital of Egypt. In the second quarter of this year, the St. Regis Almasa is expected to occupy an existing luxury hotel at the entrance of the up-and-coming city that is slated to become the administrative and financial hub of Egypt. The owner of Almasa Royal Palace plans an extensive and phased renovation of the existing building. Almasa Royal Palace, which the owner has operated for the past year, is located adjacent to a 42,000-square-foot convention center that hosts official government conventions and events, as well as official foreign presidents’ visits. The hotel consists of 270 rooms, 90 suites, 60 apartments and 14 villas. Other facilities include outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a gym, spa, club house and 20 food and beverage outlets. When it opens, The St. Regis Almasa is expected to encompass the hallmarks of the brand such as its rich traditions and rituals, and signature St. Regis Butler Service.  Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International, said, “This signing further enhances the St. Regis brand portfolio in Middle East and Africa and underscores the tremendous momentum that our luxury brands have in the region.” Speaking on the occasion, Colonel Waleed Samy Salama, CEO, National Authority for Management & Investment commented, “The St. Regis Almasa will be positioned as the luxury hospitality hub in the New Administrative Capital and with the largest state-of-the-art convention center in Egypt, the hotel will be the ideal host to the country’s largest events, conferences and summits. We are confident that this deal signing will play a vital role in the development of tourism …

Millennium Hotels & Resorts Middle East announced the signing of its first Millennium Central property in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in partnership with Hasaad Real Estate, on stage at the Saudi Arabia Hospitality Investment Conference (SHIC), held in Riyadh from January 21-22, 2020. Following the opening of the first Millennium Central hotel in Downtown Dubai just six months ago, Millennium Central Jeddah will mark the brand’s debut in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is the fourth hotel in the Millennium Central brand portfolio. A four-star hotel with 210 rooms and suites spread across two towers, the Millennium Central Jeddah will feature three food & beverage outlets, a swimming pool, a health club, three meeting rooms and an event hall with outdoor area. Millennium Central is the group’s urban four-star brand in central urban locations featuring contemporary design fused with local influences including signature art in each of the properties. In December, Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA revealed its ambitious development plans for Saudi Arabia with a goal of operating 25 hotels kingdom-wide by 2025. The group is targeting strategic locations in every region across the country as it maps out its blueprint for growth over the next five years. Commenting on the signing, Kevork Deldelian, Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA, said, “The signing of the Millennium Central Jeddah represents our ongoing commitment to development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a market we have been operating in for five years.”

Avani Hotels & Resorts announces signing of the first Avani property in Kenya. The Avani Nairobi Suites is currently under development by Fedha Group, one of Kenya’s leading real estate developers. Scheduled to open by the end of 2020, the new-build 15-storey property will further strengthen the Avani brand’s presence in Africa, alongside its existing properties in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique and Lesotho. Avani Nairobi Suites will offer 120 keys, comprising of 90 one-bedroom, 20 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom serviced apartments. The all-suite property will be located in the heart of Westlands, a prime business and leisure district of Nairobi, with direct access to an array of multi-national corporations, restaurants and bars all just a 40-minute drive from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. “With Avani already present with six properties in Southern Africa in addition to a very successful resort in the Seychelles, this is a significant strategic step for the brand to debut in Kenya,” said Javier Pardo, Vice President Avani Hotels & Resorts. Ramine Behnam, Vice President Development for EMEA Minor Hotels, also commented, “We are thrilled to partner with Fedha Group for this new property in Nairobi’s strategic Westlands district, introducing the Avani brand in Kenya and bridging a strong existing leisure offering across East Africa.” “Minor Hotels are exactly the growing and forward thinking hotel group that we are proud to partner with – Nairobi is again deservedly in the news with a new facility worthy of its International City status.” said Dhruv Pandit, CEO of Fedha Group, the Developers.

Marriott International announces signing a landmark agreement with Nahdet Al-Mashaer to open a 2,600-room Fairfield by Marriott property in Makkah. The agreement is expected to deliver the first Fairfield by Marriott property to the Middle East and Africa region, create the largest Fairfield hotel in the world and bring one of the largest hotels to the growing religious destination of Makkah. Construction for the Fairfield by Marriott Makkah Al Naseem has already commenced and the hotel is slated to open in 2023. “We are thrilled to be working with Nahdet Al-Mashaer to create a distinctive Fairfield by Marriott that will serve Makkah, the sought-out destination for rising numbers of religious pilgrims. We expect this hotel to become a popular destination, especially given the strong demand for high-quality lodging in the Holy City.” said Jerome Briet, Marriott International, Chief Development Officer, Middle East and Africa. “As a company, we remain focused on developing projects that further enhance Makkah as one of the most important destinations in Saudi Arabia while supporting the overall growth and development of the Kingdom. We are excited to collaborate with Marriott International to open the Fairfield by Marriott Makkah Al Naseem, which will be one of the largest hotels in the Holy City. The reliability of the Fairfield by Marriott brand, Marriott’s world-class service standards and the central location of the property, will make it an ideal hotel destination for those visiting for Umrah and Haj when the property opens in 2023,” said Emad Hejazi, Chairman of Nahdet Al-Mashaer.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to open an office in Riyadh in March 2020. The news comes as IHG continues to expand its portfolio in the Kingdom in response to Vision 2030 and the opportunities it presents to the tourism and hospitality sector. The new office will also drive the performance of IHG’s existing estate further in the country and simultaneously support the expanding portfolio, as well as the company’s ambition towards leading ‘Saudization’ efforts in the industry. To lead IHG’s business in Saudi Arabia, Bastien Blanc has been appointed as Managing Director, KSA and Bahrain effective March 1, 2020. In his current role with IHG, Bastien is responsible for leading the operations across IHG’s portfolio of hotels in the Middle East and Africa, including KSA. In his new role, Bastien will be responsible for driving both growth and performance for IHG in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. With extensive experience of working in KSA, Bastien has been deeply ingrained into the market. He has also been leading IHG’s ‘Saudization’ efforts which he will continue to drive further in his new role. Bastien will continue to report to Pascal Gauvin, Managing Director, IMEA, IHG. Commenting on the recent developments, Pascal Gauvin, Managing Director, IMEA, IHG said, “Saudi Arabia is a key market for IHG in the Middle East. With Saudi Vision 2030 and the rapid socio-economic transformation in the country, we believe, the tourism and hospitality industry will continue to be presented with unparalleled opportunities. We are therefore, pleased to solidify our presence in the country with the opening of a new office in the capital city, and appoint a talented team led by Bastien, to drive our growth and performance in …

Radisson Hotel Group announces the signing of Radisson Hotel Apartments Muscat Ghala Heights in the Sultanate of Oman. The newest addition brings the group’s portfolio up to eight hotels across five brands – including Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Park Inn by Radisson – and will strengthen the group’s leading position within the Sultanate. Due to open in Q4 2022, the Radisson Hotel Apartments Muscat Ghala Heights will perfectly complement Radisson Hotel Group’s array of city and leisure hotels across Oman. Guests requiring even more space or a longer stay will find exceptional accommodation in the hotel’s 280 serviced apartments. The newly-build hotel will have a lobby bar, an all-day dining restaurant and one specialty restaurant. Guests will be able to enjoy an outdoor swimming pool as well as leisure facilities such as a ladies’ and men’s fitness studio. The hotel’s conference venue will offer 850sqm, including two conference rooms and one large ballroom of fully equipped, state-of-the-art meeting and event facilities for the local and international business communities.  Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “The Radisson Hotel Apartments Muscat Ghala Heights marks the arrival of the city’s second Radisson and will be our 5th hotel in Muscat. We thank our partners for their trust and look forward to an exciting and rewarding journey, creating opportunities for our guests, owners and employees.” Saud Bin Hamed Bin Issa Al Tae (owning company) said, “We are delighted to partner with Radisson Hotel Group on this project and to be able to contribute to the tourism sector in Muscat. Radisson Hotel Apartments Muscat Ghala Heights will be a great addition to Muscat and we’re looking forward to working …