Category Archives: Hotels

A panel of industry experts explained during the opening day of ATM Virtual as to how developing a global set of transparent hospitality standards relating to health, safety and hygiene will be key to regain the trust of travellers in a post COVID-19 landscape. The panel which was moderated by industry consultant Gemma Greenwood, also included Tim Cordon, Senior Area Vice President for Middle East & Africa, Radisson Hotel Group, Christopher Lund, Head of Hotels, Colliers International, Middle East & North Africa, Simon Casson, President of Hotel Operations, EMEA, Four Seasons and Raki Phillips, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. “Building confidence will be key as we look ahead to the post-COVID-19 hospitality recovery. Not only is it important that our workers have confidence that their health and wellbeing is of prime importance, but for consumers too. They will need full reassurance that our properties are safe, secure and following the highest standards when it comes to hygiene and cleanliness,” said Cordon. Phillips said, “It’s important that hotels don’t drop their room rates. Hotels need to adapt to a new normal with increased sanitisation at the forefront, while being creative with their offerings and embracing innovative technologies which can help differentiate them from their competitors.” “One way of achieving this consumer trust, and I believe the hospitality industry in the UAE is leading the way in this respect, is by partnering with accreditation agencies such as the Bureau Veritas to ensure your property is following disinfectant and sanitisation protocols implemented by government bodies and abiding by the highest levels of hygiene,” said Lund. Casson added, “While we are doing everything we can to ensure the wellbeing and safety of …

Radisson RED Hotel unveiled their latest sculpture. Designed by Neel Shukla, the falcon marks the opening year of the hotel and strengthens ties with the local art scene. Having already worked with a collaborative of locals artists on the hotels distinctive bespoke wallpaper, Radisson RED appointed Neel and his team to continue the theme of capturing elements of the local history and culture while recognising the cities modern art, music and fashion scenes. Neel operates Four Winds Gallery in Dubai Design District and other notable works include the W sculpture at W on the palm. Of this project, he said, “Dubai is probably the most avant-garde city when it comes to art. Quirky art pieces are showcased in so many unique places and spaces all over the city and RED is such a cool space highlighting this vibe and spirit. Visitors indulge in this selfie heaven, hence every wall and every area deserved an incredibly distinct element and story. The falcon will be the first thing people see and so I wanted to create a statement. We wanted to feature the falcon in a powerful way, yet making it unpredictable. The headphones resting on the falcon’s neck signify the falcon’s connection to the new generation and follows the overall design direction of the hotel.” Stuart Birkwood, Curator at Radisson Red Dubai Silicon Oasis, said, “Art is at the core of the brand and it was important to me to make sure that our Art was truly representative of everything Dubai had to offer. The falcon is a national symbol for the UAE and we’re really excited to present a new sculpture to our community which captures both the cities great …

In response to the unique challenges of 2020, Hospitality Sales & Marketing International Middle East (HSMAI) has introduced ROC@Home, a full-day Global Revenue Optimisation experience taking place on June 17, 2020. The day-long session involves live sessions from the Middle East, Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, and is designed to fuel industry recovery and revitalisation efforts. Neither a virtual conference nor a replacement for HSMAI in-person ROC programmes, ROC@Home is an opportunity for hotel revenue professionals to reset, refocus, and re-energise, with an exclusive free toolkit to guide learning and engagement, and more than 20 live expert-led sessions hosted by HSMAI’s regions around the globe. “ROC@Home is the first experience of its kind,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, President and CEO of HSMAI. “By focusing the attention and energy of revenue professionals from around the globe, HSMAI’s regions are building a global network of experts who will have the insights, tools, and resources needed to lead the industry into recovery.” “An event like ROC@Home provides a dedicated opportunity to work with colleagues whilst connecting to industry leaders around the world,” said Mona Faraj, Managing Director, HSMAI Middle East. “In these challenging times, divergent thinking will create opportunities and platforms such as ROC@Home can ignite the innovation and motivation for successful strategies within the region.” At the heart of ROC@Home is a free toolkit available to hoteliers around the world. It includes advice and inspiration from some of the world’s most respected revenue optimisation leaders. Hospitality and tourism professionals can participate either with their teams in-person or virtually, or on their own, and can now sign up to receive the free toolkit and be part of a ROC@Home Industry Survey.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has announced a strategic partnership with Bureau Veritas Certification (Bureau Veritas) to launch the ‘Safeguard Assurance Program’ – an initiative to ensure that all operations within the hospitality sector resume safely and efficiently. Bureau Veritas will support the Authority in implementing stringent health, safety and hygiene measures across all Ras Al Khaimah hotels to mitigate any possible risks for employees and guests and provide complete peace of mind. The partnership will see Bureau Veritas conduct an independent audit, with all costs covered by RAKTDA, under its “SafeGuard Assurance Program” for 45 hotels, as part of the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel campaign. The additional audit process serves to further validate the safety and hygiene measures and processes already put in place by the Authority in partnership with Government Authorities, and takes its ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification to the next level. Having operated in the field of risk management for more than two centuries, Bureau Veritas has developed its SafeGuard Assurance methodology in collaboration with experts in the field, ideally suited to organisations looking to restart their business efficiently. The auditing process will involve sharing a checklist of measures to be implemented across the properties, an onsite inspection and an unannounced visit. Individual properties will be assessed on factors including: commitment to the program; respect for social distancing guidelines; compliance with hygienic practices and measures; as well as surveillance and management of any issues.    

As per the directives of the Ras Al Khaimah government and Crisis and Disasters Management Federal Authority, leisure assets including Al Hamra Golf Club, Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club along with two signature hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah – Al Hamra Beach and Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah have reopened. Christopher Hewett, Vice President – Hospitality, Al Hamra stated, “Al Hamra Golf Club has opened to club members, hotel guests and UAE registered golfers with stringent preventive measures in place such as limited player capacity, single use carts, limit on players per groups as well as sanitisation of all carts before and after use. Body temperatures of members, guests and employees are checked on the arrival with sanitising programmes and social distancing measures being implemented across the club’s food and beverage outlets. We are also in the process of implementing the latest new F&B technology which removes the need of menus by allowing guests to view the menu, order items and pay directly from their mobile device.” “Al Hamra, along with our hotel partners and the Public Service Department of Ras Al Khaimah (PSD), have implemented a full sterilisation programme and are undertaking various measures across all of our hospitality and leisure assets, such as training for safe guest interactions, guest education programmes, elevated hygiene standards and revised operational procedures. Furthermore, our hotels are in the final stages of implementing RAKTDA’s ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification’, which is an excellent initiative by the Emirate’s Tourism Authority, that aims to boosts confidence and rebuild trust in the emirate’s tourism industry amid concerning and challenging times. The achievement of the certification will solidify Al Hamra’s destination-wide measures and reiterates Al Hamra’s goal of …

Accor is pioneering a new guest safety initiative ‘ALL Safe Officer’ that will redefine the hospitality experience in the Middle East and Africa during these unprecedented times.The ground-breaking programme, which is scheduled to be rolled out in the coming weeks, will see every hotel appoint a health and safety officer who will not only ensure cleaning and hygiene protocols are implemented to the highest standards, but will be available to handle guests questions and concerns.These specially trained officers are the face of Accor’s new ALL Safe Accor Programme – a set of rigorous measures designed to protect and reassure guests that are being implemented at its 300 properties region-wide. The initiative is bolstered by Accor’s strategic partnership with global insurance giant AXA which, as of July 2020, will be providing guests at its 5,000 properties worldwide with free medical support that includes consultations with medical professionals by phone or in the location where they are staying. “The safety and wellbeing of our guests is always our priority at Accor and we regularly review and enhance our procedures and services to adapt to new circumstances or as improved technology becomes available,” said Mark Willis, CEO, Accor Middle East and Africa. “The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us all to change the way we live, work and stay and as the largest hotel group in the Middle East and Africa, we are taking the lead in reinventing the hospitality experience, introducing dedicated ‘ALL Safe Officers’ and a rigorous programme of transparent measures that give guests peace of mind and put their health first, which is what they now value most,” he added.

Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) has revealed hotel establishments’ precautionary guidelines as part of its continuous efforts to combat COVID-19 and ensure highest safety measures to protect guests, visitors and hospitality workers in Ajman. Renowned for its heritage sites, captivating natural reserves and rich culture, Ajman is preparing to reopen key tourist destinations in the upcoming months. Comprising of 13 pages, the guidelines restrict occupancy with no more than 30 per cent of the capacity of other facilities in the hotel including restaurants, bars and cafes. Starting with mandatory temperature checkups for every person enters the hotel, hotels are to allocate different doors for entry and exit, place visible floor marks for social distancing with a minimum of 2 metres between visitors on queue areas such as reception & concierge, and station hand sanitisers & disinfectants at the entrance and other open facilities. In addition to that, protection equipment such as masks and gloves need to be available in enough quantity for guests and employees. All hotels must allocate isolation rooms at all times that need to be disinfected after every use and have to disinfect and sanitise the premises on a weekly schedule to be shared with ATDD supervisors. Upon announcing ATDD precautionary measures for hotel establishments, HE Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General, ATDD said, “We are keen to maintain the highest health and safety measures to protect guests and visitors of Ajman. We are working closely with our partners in the hospitality and health sectors to overcome any difficulties during these challenging times, and will continue to promote Ajman as a leading tourist destination in the United Arab Emirates.”

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) is working closely with hospitality partners and government authorities to safely welcome guests back to the Emirate as restrictions are gradually eased, and hotel pools and beaches become accessible to visitors. To ensure the wellbeing and safety of visitors and employees, the Authority is in ongoing dialogue with hotel partners to ensure they are strictly adhering to government and public health guidelines and complying with all social distancing advisories from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the UAE Federal Authorities. RAKTDA is also working closely with the Public Service Department (PSD) to oversee a dedicated certification process – the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification – whereby hotels are required to fulfil a detailed set of measures to attain the certification. Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority comments, “We are working closely with our hospitality partners and Government Authorities to ensure the highest standards of hygiene are maintained and that all social distancing advisories are strictly adhered to across the Emirate. Detailed guidance has been shared with our industry partners indicating best practice measures to be implemented across all operations and divisions.” He added, “To help reassure our guests, colleagues and residents, we have also introduced the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification that, once awarded, hotels can use to demonstrate their adoption of all the measures in place to protect everyone’s wellbeing. We know that many people are looking forward to what we’ve termed a ‘shortcation’ or longer holiday and our aim is give them the confidence that they can comfortably enjoy their time in Ras Al Khaimah.”

Ascott has offered ‘Advanced Purchase’ promo of up to 25 per cent across its properties in the Middle East and Turkey region. The hotel apartments cater to both long- and short-term guests on business and leisure. The promo which can be availed on bookings made minimum 21 days in advance, offers discount on exclusive and comprehensive living throughout the year in Al Khobar, Dubai, Jeddah, Istanbul, Manama, Muscat and Riyadh. Ascott, a renowned name in the hospitality world, prides itself as a home-away-from-home brand.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has introduced an exclusive ‘Booking with Confidence’ group meeting offer. Valid until January 31, 2021, Mandarin Oriental will waive any cancellation fees should government and travel guidelines give rise to event cancellation, provided that advance notice is received at least 30 days ahead of the event. Meeting planners can also enjoy a range of group concessions and will have the unique opportunity to create meeting environments conducive to success with Mindful Meetings by Mandarin Oriental, a global initiative designed to enhance and energise meetings and conferences with creative wellness-centric solutions. Examples of wellness enhancements include healthy and invigorating menu choices, yoga sessions, guided meditations, digital wellness and jet lag tips, massage and movement breaks, custom spa events, expert health talks and group exercise activities to help participants feel refreshed, motivated and ready to absorb information, implement new ideas, and establish connections, which are more important than ever in challenging times. The ‘Booking with Confidence’ offer is applicable to group bookings with a minimum of 10 rooms over a duration of two nights or more, and includes the following benefits: Complimentary Mindful Meeting Wellness Break which features a 30-minute guided wellness activity such as meditation or yoga for participants in the meeting space; One complimentary guest room per 20 guest room nights paid; One complimentary room upgrade to a suite per 20 guest rooms paid (subject to availability); Complimentary Wi-Fi for attendees registering online for Fans of MO, Mandarin Oriental’s guest recognition programme; Complimentary amenities for all guests upon arrival; Room rate applicable three days pre- and post-group arrival; A dedicated Conference Service Manager on-site; A two-night complimentary stay for a site inspection prior to the event.