Category Archives: Hotels

Emaar has opened doors for the public to the highest point in Burj Khalifa at levels 152, 153 and 154, towering at an imposing height of 575 meters, with the unveiling of The Lounge, Burj Khalifa. Billed to become a must-visit destination to unwind, The Lounge, Burj Khalifa spans the three floors that have been converted into a state-of-the-art lounge that serves a fascinating selection of beverages and canapes for the truly discerning. Featuring an outdoor terrace, there are several lifestyle experiences awaiting visitors including magnificent views of the city while indulging in high tea, sundowner time with cocktails and canapes and an evening cocktail setting when guests can celebrate with the finest selection of beverages and canapes. Taking the city’s night life to the next level, The Lounge, Burj Khalifa will feature live music daily with international artists and performers. To celebrate the opening month, the performer line-up includes live musicians, pianists, and DJs taking centre stage to regale the guests. The High Tea is priced AED 550 per person, inclusive of a lavish spread of fresh bakes, delicate desserts, finest teas and of a glass of house beverage. The Sundowner and Evening experience are AED 600 per person, inclusive of unlimited gourmet canapes and one house beverage. Level 152, 153 and 154 have distinctive settings – each assuring never-before-seen views of the city. While the former features majlis style coffee tables and lush couches, the latter will have only cocktail tables.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa has announced the addition of Millennium Place to its diversified portfolio of hospitality brands. A modern hotel concept that will cater to the new generation of business and leisure travellers, Millennium Place is slated to open in the first half of 2019 and will stand within the bustling district of Dubai Marina. The hotel features 453-rooms and suites that are designed to deliver a compelling guest experience offering views of the Dubai Marina and the Palm Islands. Its strategic location will allow guests walking access to The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence and nearby metro stations. “The Millennium Place Marina will focus on things that make a difference to our guests’ stay. It could be the in-room entertainment, the pillow, our hotel facilities, food and of course our excellent service. We want our guests to call their room a place of their own when staying at Millennium Place,” said Atef El Eskndarany, the newly appointed Director of Sales and Marketing of the property. Eskndarany will serve as an integral part of the pre-opening team and will be responsible for leading the sales and marketing efforts for the property. He brings almost nineteen years of sales and marketing experience in UAE, Oman and Egypt.  Prior to this role, Eskndarany was the Cluster Director of Sales and Marketing for Radisson Blu Dubai Marina and has participated in the pre-opening phase for six hotels of various international hotel brands such as InterContinental Hotel Group, Movenpick and Radisson Hotel Group.

Radisson Hotel Group has announced the signing of six hotels in Egypt as part of a portfolio deal across a number of its brands. The agreement was signed with existing business partner Zaghloul Holdings, a Cairo-based business conglomerate operating in real estate, contracting, tourism, commercial retail, entertainment and sports investment industries. The six hotels, namely, Radisson Collection Hotel Cairo Heliopolis, Radisson Blu Serviced Apartments Cairo Heliopolis, Radisson Blu Hotel Cairo Golf City, Radisson Hotel New Cairo, Radisson Hotel & Resort Ain Sokhna and Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort Makadi Bay, Hurghada will mean Radisson Hotel Group becomes one of the largest international operators in the country. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “Egypt has historically been one of the most visited countries in North Africa and we strongly believe in its tourism industry in the long run. These hotels will make a great contribution to the local employment and we thank our partner Zaghloul Holdings for their continued trust and for their contribution towards promoting tourism in the country. We are further pleased to introduce two new brands to Egypt, Radisson Collection, positioned as the premium lifestyle and affordable luxury brand and Radisson as an upscale hotel brand.” Hazem Zaghloul, Owner, Zaghloul Holdings, said, “We have ambitious investment plans for the tourism sector in Egypt. We are confident in the future outlook for the sector with positive forecasts of increased visitor numbers and the significant investment in the tourism infrastructure of Egypt. We are also pleased to strengthen our relationship with Radisson Hotel Group and look forward to continuing our successful relationship.”

Leva Hotels has launched a four-star property on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. The new hotel consists of 178 rooms with chic interiors, custom designs and fittings, luxurious bedding and fine furnishing. Tucked between Al Wasl Road and Sheikh Zayed Road, Leva Hotel Apartments occupies one of the most enviable addresses in Dubai. Located in Mazaya Centre, Leva stands in the midst of celebrated tourist attractions like City Walk and oversees Burj Khalifa as well as The Dubai Mall. Catering to the modern traveller who seeks comfort, service and value, Leva understands the needs and requirements of modern guests who look for unforgettable experiences tailor made for them and will rate experience over expense. J S Anand, Chief Executive Office, Leva Hotels said, “We are delighted to announce that Leva Hotel is ready to take its guests on a journey of unmatched hospitality. At Leva, we believe in offering our guests with experiences that stay with them. An excellent experience is what wins a guest over and creates value for them, and good value creates its own market.”

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has opened the company’s 100th hotel in region, Wyndham Garden Dammam in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This milestone follows several other significant openings in 2018 across the region, including new hotels in the United Arab Emirates, India and three additional hotels in Saudi Arabia, further strengthening the diverse offering of brands and destinations. Ignace Bauwens, Regional Vice President—Middle East, Eurasia and Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said, “We are exceptionally proud to have reached the incredible milestone of 100 hotels in the Middle East, Eurasia and Africa region with our latest opening in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With a wide footprint of hotels, significant diversity of brands and a robust pipeline in place, our mission is to make hotel travel possible for all. Reaching 100 hotels in the region marks another important step in our quest to  offer travellers unique and authentic experiences, wherever and however they want to travel. Growth will continue to be our focus in 2019 and beyond, as we expand our footprint further and continue to bring more hotel choice across the entire region.” Wyndham Garden Dammam opened its doors in December 2018. Marking the introduction of the Wyndham Garden brand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the opening further strengthened Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio in this key growth market, now including 15 operational hotels and over 2,300 rooms. Located in the heart of Dammam, Wyndham Garden Dammam offers a variety of rooms, suites and apartments and a fully-equipped female and male health club, as well as a restaurant, café and executive lounge.

Rotana has signed a hotel management agreement with Al Ibaa Company to operate a five-star property in Baghdad. It will operate the city’s famed Babylon Hotel under its new brand name Babylon Rotana Baghdad. With a prime location next to the high-security Green Zone, close to the banks of the famous Tigris River and just 30 minutes’ drive from Baghdad International Airport, Babylon Rotana will offer long and short-staying guests alike all the comfort required for a pleasant and memorable stay experience. Boasting avant-garde architecture, the hotel features 284 spacious and modern rooms and suites with stunning views of Baghdad’s skyline and the majestic Tigris River. Imad Al Yasri, Chairman, Al Ibaa Company, commented, “It gives us immense pleasure to partner with Rotana to operate our five-star property in Baghdad, and we are excited about the planned upgrade and refurbishment of the hotel. We are confident that the partnership with Rotana will present a compelling value proposition for our guests, employees, and stakeholders, and further drive our business growth. We look forward to working closely with Rotana to enhance the overall performance of the hotel, thereby contributing to the development of a thriving hospitality market in the capital city.” Guy Hutchinson, Acting CEO, Rotana, said, “At Rotana, we are delighted to have made a strong start to the New Year with the signing of the agreement to operate the Babylon Rotana Baghdad. This new milestone is closely aligned with our vision to further deepen our footprint in the region and cement our leadership position in the hospitality sector.”

Luxury residential and hospitality property developer Seven Tides has confirmed Barceló Hotel Group as the new operator of its five-star DUKES Dubai, located on the west trunk of Palm Jumeirah. The hotel will be rebranded as DUKES Dubai – A Royal Hideaway Hotel and will become the first property in the region under the Royal Hideaway Luxury Hotels & Resorts brand which features unique destination hotels connected with art and culture as well as authenticity, detail and discretion. The Spanish hospitality group assumed operations of the Palm Jumeirah hotel following the signing of a management agreement recently in Dubai between Abdulla bin Sulayem, CEO, Seven Tides and Jaime Buxó, Chief Development Officer, Barceló Hotel Group. Commenting on the new agreement, Sulayem said, “Barceló Hotel Group has been appointed to manage DUKES Dubai because it is a dynamic and flexible hospitality company, operating 249 hotels across 22 countries, with a wealth of experience, running luxury international resorts and most importantly, fulfilling guest expectations. The group also has its own wholesale and retail travel division incorporating 700 travel agencies on four continents, so we are also confident that they will be able to develop new niche markets for DUKES Dubai, as well as optimising our position in the key international markets.” Barceló Hotel Group currently operates 54,000 rooms in 22 countries worldwide. Jaime Buxó, Chief Development Officer, Barceló Hotel Group, said, “Our partnership with Seven Tides further reinforces our growth strategy to expand our footprint across the UAE and indeed the Middle East over the next five years. The hotel is a stunning addition to Barceló’s growing luxury portfolio. Guests will experience first-class service coupled with exceptional facilities and vibrant surroundings on the …

Millennium Hotels & Resorts has launched the ‘TooMooH’ Internship Development tier as part of the ‘TooMooH’ programme, – a concerted programme to accelerate Emiratisation and promote regional talent and leadership development in the hospitality sector. This programme aims to integrate UAE nationals into the booming hospitality sector and boost their presence in the job market. According to Alpen Capital’s latest report on GCC Hospitality Industry 2018, the UAE hospitality market is expected to reach $7.6 billion by 2022 at a five-year CAGR of 8.5 per cent (2017-2022) and international tourist visits are expected to grow at a five-year CAGR of 4.3 per cent to 25.5 million while the hotel supply is expected to grow at a five-year CAGR of 6 per cent to 183,718 hotel rooms. These additional hotels will require a large hospitality professional talent pool. However, without the engagement and employment of local talent, hoteliers would find it difficult to manage such a large industry with just foreign professionals. The TooMooH Internship Development Programme (TIDP), part of the recently launched TooMooH initiative by Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA, is aimed at increasing local employment in the hospitality industry and the overall private sector and designed for UAE national undergraduate students to gain work exposure. The duration of TIDP could range from three to six months. As part of the initiative, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA will partner with local colleges and universities to provide UAE national students with a comprehensive programme to support their enhancement of knowledge and skills, thus contributing positively to the hospitality industry and the country. “The Arabs are globally known for their warm hospitality tradition. However, the hospitality industry in the Arab world is …

AccorHotels has announced the soon-to-be-opened Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City. As the first and only premium accommodation in Media City, within the upcoming Innovation Hub and in close proximity to Internet City, the hotel will appeal to professionals in search of connectivity and convenience, as well as the lifestyle requirements of leisure guests with opportunities to explore the vibrant urban city. Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City features 235 guestrooms and suites starting in size from 46 square metres upwards to 94 square metres. The hotel also boasts a fully equipped convention centre, completely unprecedented for the area, with a resplendent ballroom that can cater upwards to 800 guests. Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City is in close proximity to Sheikh Zayed Road, the longest road in the United Arab Emirates as well as Nakheel and Internet City metro stations, and business hubs such as Media City and Jebel Ali Free Zone. Guests will also enjoy the convenience of being close to the heart of the city’s commercial activity as well as renowned attractions such as the Mall of the Emirates and the Palm Jumeirah located just a short drive away. The property’s General Manager, Alfio Bernardini shares, “We are delighted to soon unveil the latest addition to the Mövenpick portfolio. Grand Plaza’s unique positioning, central location and exemplary facilities will serve to provide the best experiences for both business and leisure travellers. Every element of the property has been designed in line with our brand promise – ‘we make moments’.”

During a recent media tour, Christian Palacin, General Manager, Millennium Atria Business Bay announced that the hotel is set to welcome guests from February 14, 2019. Several members of the media had a sneak peek of the 347-room hotel apartments at the tour and were given a preview of the rooms, dining outlets and facilities including the infinity pool and gym located on the 25th floor. Millennium Atria Business Bay will offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedrooms, and duplex apartments that are designed by internationally-acclaimed interior design company YOO Studio. The 30-storey property is the first hospitality venture of Deyaar Development PJSC, a leading property development and real estate services company in the UAE. The opening will come in phases with the first six floors to open on February 14 and the rest in the next three months. Each apartment is fully furnished with views of the iconic Burj Khalifa, Dubai Stables or Dubai Water Canal. “We look forward to the opening of this property which is a nice addition to the Millennium brand in the UAE. The Millennium Atria Business Bay is an interesting product with an excellent location, good size of the apartment, unique design, top-class furnishing. We have been rated as a deluxe hotel apartment classification by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing,” noted Palacin.