Category Archives: Hotels

Moving into The Greens with a bang, Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens is the third hotel to open as part of Jumeirah Group’s upscale casual brand. Opening in Tower 3 of the Onyx Towers, the hotel is high on design synonymous with other hotels within the Zabeel House by Jumeirah collection; but inspired by New York loft living, with contemporary and yet quirky art and design throughout the hotel, representing the spirit of the Zabeel House by Jumeirah brand perfectly. The Onyx is a stylish integrated community with three towers of residential, commercial and hospitality buildings, as well as a podium of 32 retail and F&B outlets located in the heart of Dubai. A hotel to appeal an intrepid traveller, it is perfect for those looking to stay in a social destination in the heart of new-Dubai, but are also able to enjoy the conveniences of a Jumeirah-endorsed hotel, all at a great price. There are two restaurants too: LAH LAH, a pan-Asian eatery and Social Company – a ground-floor restaurant with a difference; Native Club, a new multi-purpose sports and leisure club open for both membership and hotel guests; outdoor pool perfect for a swim, or for sun-worshipping on the quirky pop-art and retro-inspired furniture and cabanas.

The latest addition to Dubai’s hospitality inventory is the opening of 326-roomed Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Jadaf Culture Village. The hotel enjoys an ideal location between Dubai International Airport and Downtown Dubai and is just 100 meters from Al Jadaf Metro station with easy access to the Dubai Mall, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and other key destinations in the city. Al Jadaf is one of the most historically significant neighbourhood’s in Dubai as it was the first hub for traditional dhow vessel building and repairing – putting it at the heart of the city’s vital trade routes. It remains the last location where dhows are crafted and with significant investment is shaping up to be a truly unique tourist destination in the region. “I am delighted to be opening Dubai’s fourth Hilton Garden Inn in Al Jadaf. While staying at the beautifully designed hotel, guests can relax by the rooftop pool, work out at the fitness centre, dine at the restaurant or attend an event in one of the spacious meeting rooms. I look forward to welcoming guests to this exciting new property,” said Jose Luis Ruiz Arroyo, General Manager, Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Jadaf Culture Village.  

Al Ghaith Holdings has decided to re-brand its hospitality product Gloria Hotel to Two Seasons Hotel & Apartments under the management of Two Seasons Hotel Management LLC with effect from January 2019. The Two Seasons brand emphasises quality throughout its services, while the hotel offers comfortable accommodation in Dubai for travelling executives, families, holidaymakers as well as long-staying guests. The property has undergone substantial refurbishments from lobby to rooms to improve the product standards as well as in generating attractive selling points. The refurbishments have breathed a new life into the hotel and provide the new brand name with a strong foundation to reposition in the market. Two Seasons Hotel & Apartments boasts 1,010 rooms and suites in a prime location directly opposite to Dubai Internet City metro station. Apart from accommodation facilities, the key factor will be friendly and caring staff to exceed guests’ expectations. The new brand will still be an alcohol-free property but applying ‘BYO’ system. The concept of Two Seasons Hotel is determined as cutting-edge, trendy, funky and charming — echoes a new season of lifestyle hotels start up. Two Seasons Management Company is planning to launch brand new hotels in Dubai and Morocco in the coming two years which will include Hotel Deluxe Apartments, Beach Resort and Lifestyle Boutique Hotel. Freddy Farid, Managing Director, Two Seasons Hotel Management LLC, said, “The creation of our home-grown brand and the upgrading of our current property will enhance our guest interaction by offering personalised service and quality standard to our customers.”

Citymax Hotels from Landmark Group is set to open its first property in the Olaya district of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by mid 2019. Citymax Hotel Riyadh is the brand’s first hotel in KSA and the second to open outside the UAE. The opening comes at a time when mid-market hotels are on the rise and are poised to provide continued competition to the luxury hotel segment, by offering rooms with contemporary amenities at competitive rates. The three-star property will offer 65 rooms, as well as an all-day dining restaurant, Citycafé and a Lavazza coffee shop. Other facilities include meeting rooms and a fully-equipped gym and sauna. With long-stay guests identified as a key audience for the property, Citymax Riyadh will cater to both business and leisure travellers. The hotel is close to many local attractions, including Kingdom Towers, the Ministry of Interior and Al Faisaliah Mall. Aly Shariff, Chief Operating Officer, Citymax Hotels, said, “Mid-tier travel as a whole is on the rise, which puts us in a favourable position as the demand is certainly growing. This is especially true in Saudi Arabia, as the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to drive economic diversification has had a major impact on the hospitality industry.”

Further expanding its footprint in the African market, Rotana has signed a hotel management agreement with Mullion Contractors to manage a new five-star hotel and hotel apartments in Nairobi. Set to open in 2022, the new property will be situated at Upper Hill, a popular business district in the city of Nairobi. With 200 hotel rooms and 100 hotel apartments, the upcoming hotels will be operated under the ‘Rotana Hotels & Resorts’ and ‘Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana’ brands. The agreement for the new hotel comes a month after Rotana signed up for its first property in the Republic of Zambia. The planned five-star hotel is scheduled for opening in 2021 in the heart of the south-central African country’s capital city Lusaka. When opened, the new properties in Kenya and Zambia will join the company’s portfolio of operating hotels in the African continent that includes Al Salam Rotana, Khartoum, Sudan; Kin Plaza Arjaan by Rotana, Kinshasa, DR Congo; and Grand Rotana Resort & Spa, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The new hotel and hotel apartments will bring Rotana’s total inventory in Africa to 2,028. Nasser Al-Nowais, Chairman, Rotana, said, “Setting foot in Kenyan market with a five-star hotel and hotel apartments is closely aligned with our vision of strengthening Rotana’s presence in Africa and bolstering our global portfolio further. We will continue to seek new opportunities to offer Rotana’s branded accommodation on the continent that is increasingly becoming popular among tourists and corporate travellers from around the world.” Offering guests with all the comforts and the luxury for a pleasant and memorable long stay experience, both hotels in Nairobi will feature key hospitality offerings, including signature dining restaurants, executive lounge, ballroom, state-of-the-art …

Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi has inaugurated the first boutique five-star luxury resort in Sharjah — Al Bait Sharjah. The property becomes the first five-star luxury hospitality brand in the UAE built on and inspired by rich Emirati heritage and culture. The official opening, which was led by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, was also under the presence of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman, Sharjah Media Council; Sheikh Salem Bin Abdul Rahman Al Qasimi, Director — Office, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah; Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Director, Sharjah Department of Statistics and Community Development (DSCD), and a number of senior officials from Sharjah’s state entities, along with local and international journalists and influential personalities. Al Bait, which translates to ‘The Home’ is part of an Emirati conservation project in Sharjah spearheaded by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq). The hotel is the latest on GHM’s illustrious international list of hospitality properties, and features a collection of four heritage houses once owned by local families closely intertwined with Sharjah’s history. The five-star luxury resort is located in Heart of Sharjah – a major cultural heritage site in the UAE. Raising the bar and pioneering luxury hospitality in Sharjah, the resort is set to put the destination on the map. The boutique property, which is valued at AED 200 million, is home to 53 luxury rooms and suites, and a range of facilities and amenities, including an array of dining offerings inspired by Middle Eastern and Far Eastern cuisines, a luxury hammam, a helipad for the ultimate …

After nearly two years of renovation by Emaar Hospitality Group, Address Dubai Mall opens with a new chic look set for the sparkling season of cheer. The rooms take on an inspiring new look and feel with lavish furnishings. Private balconies open to mesmeric views of Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain. Karat, the lobby lounge, is fresher and sophisticated, and serves contemporary and modern Arabic culinary delights. Cez is where you can retreat for a sumptuous lunch. The café serves luscious lattes to ice-cold frappés. Opening soon is the club lounge, exclusively reserved for guests of club rooms and suites. Address Dubai Mall is also home to one of the largest open-air lap pools in Downtown Dubai, its allure enhanced by the exotic pool-side restaurant, Cabana, which will welcome guests shortly. Adding to the choice of Address Dubai Mall as one of Dubai’s definitive wedding venues is a Bridal Sales Centre, that serves as a preview showcase, and a VIP multi-purpose room. The spa at the mall has an elegant new look and assures the blissful experiences of refinement and rejuvenation that nourish both mind and body. Olivier Harnisch, CEO, Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “Address Dubai Mall once again underlines our strategy of creating exceptional lifestyle environments under our Address Hotels + Resorts.”

SIHOT, a customer-centered technology solution managing various aspects of hotel operations, was launched recently at Dubai HITEC 2018. Developed by GUBSE AG in Germany, the solution helps local hoteliers to adopt latest technologies in the fast development and tech progress challenges in the hospitality industry. It combines different modules, from PMS and CRM, to self check-in terminal and web app for the guests, into one manageable application for hoteliers. With Dubai’s high ambitions to attract 25 million tourists by 2025 and the growing numbers of hotel rooms available (additional 155,000 by 2020), local hoteliers are looking for new ways to attract more guests. Having noticed the challenges of hoteliers in the Middle East, SIHOT has partnered with BizGate Marketing & Consultancies to help industry professionals enhance their guest experience. David Warren, Director, International Sales, SIHOT, siad, “We understand the challenges Middle East hoteliers are facing. We want to help them to manage everyday operation using just one complex solution, as well as staying ahead by adopting the latest tech trends.” Mohamad Masri, Managing Director, BizGate Marketing & Consultancies, said, “We’ve been observing the considerable growth of rooms supply this year and it’s the crucial time for hoteliers to optimise their operations and enhance their guest experience.”

Jumeirah Group has opened the group’s first luxury “eco-conscious” resort, Jumeirah at Saadiyat, nestled on the pristine shores of Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. The resort provides a luxurious and environmentally-sensitive holiday, perfect for honeymooners and families looking for an island escape. The beautifully-designed modern, sunlit rooms overlook the Arabian Gulf and the panoramic suites offer floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies. Besides, it offers three outdoor infinity pools, a kids’ pool and Bodyism Wellness Centre. The 2,700 square metre haven of tranquillity and quiet sophistication features a grand Moroccan hammam, 15 treatment rooms with male and female facilities, saunas, hydrotherapy pools, steam rooms, salt rooms, experience showers and a traditional Arabic rasul room – a cleansing ritual which promises to leave spa lovers feeling relaxed with beautifully exfoliated skin. Linda Griffin, General Manager, Jumeirah Saadiyat Island Resort, said, “This Resort is a place like no other. Located next to one of the most spectacular beaches in the Arabian Gulf, every aspect of the resort’s design has been influenced by the beauty of this location.” A ten-minute drive from Abu Dhabi city centre, guests can explore the island’s 9 kms of mesmerising white beach and the crystal clear waters of the Arabian Gulf which provide a feeling of relaxation and harmony. Golf aficionados can enjoy the close proximity to Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, the Arabian Gulf’s first beachfront course.

Emirates Flight Catering has been selected to lead the hospitality and operations for the New Zealand pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai which will take place from October 2020 to April 2021 with participation from 190 countries. The New Zealand pavilion restaurant will be central to the country’s participation at Expo 2020. International visitors will experience premium New Zealand food and beverage products, prepared by Emirates Flight Catering’s skilled chefs. Saeed Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Flight Catering, said, “New Zealand is a high-profile destination and its innovative approach to hospitality will allow us to showcase our expertise in food, beverage and hospitality, and to provide a world-class experience to anyone who visits the pavilion. The opportunity to work alongside New Zealand and its visitors to Expo 2020, a milestone event for the United Arab Emirates, is something we’re incredibly proud of.” Members of Emirates Flight Catering’s experienced culinary team, made up of 1800 chefs from 52 countries, will visit New Zealand early next year to source food and beverage products from experienced exporters for the pavilion restaurant. Clayton Kimpton, New Zealand’s Commissioner-General to Expo 2020, said, “New Zealand’s manaakitanga or warm hospitality is part of what makes us special. We’re excited to partner with Emirates Flight Catering to share our pavilion experience and New Zealand’s food and beverage with the world at Expo 2020 Dubai.” The agreement with New Zealand at Expo 2020 is further evidence of Emirates Flight Catering’s expertise and expansion outside of its core flight catering business. The company recently commenced construction of its vertical farming facility in Dubai. It’s also expanding further into retail and consumer sectors, combining its culinary and production expertise to produce premium …