Category Archives: Hotels

Continuing its expansion in Saudi Arabia, Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI) signed Swiss-Belhotel and Suites Jazan. The announcement was made by Laurent A Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India, Swiss-Belhotel International. The upscale property is owned by Cardamom International Property Management LLC and is located in the port city of Jazan with direct access to the beach. Swiss-Belhotel and Suites Jazan enjoys close proximity to Red Sea coast at merely 20 minutes’ drive from Jazan regional airport. Boasting of 210 keys including 140 well-appointed rooms and 70 studios plus apartments, the hotel is being designed to cater to a diverse mix of travellers. Included in its extensive facilities will be an array of business and lifestyle features, making it the ideal address for both corporate and leisure guests. On site are four dining outlets, a ballroom and three meeting rooms, a health club and a swimming pool. A key highlight is the beautiful marina and restaurant on the beach exclusively dedicated for the hotel guests.

Four Seasons Hotel, Makkah will be the company’s second location in Saudi Arabia, joining Four Seasons Hotel, Riyadh at Kingdom Centre in offering the most luxurious accommodations and personalised service in the region. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Jabal Omar Development Company (JODC) announced plans for a new Four Seasons hotel in the Makkah as part of the Jabal Omar integrated real estate development. Ideally located adjacent to the Grand Mosque, Four Seasons Hotel, Makkah will offer the most gracious accommodations in the city. Award-winning architectural firm Foster + Partners was chosen following an international design competition for this project. The multi-towered building atop a retail podium cascades down toward the Grand Mosque, seamlessly integrating its public spaces into the Haram. An innovative design allows clear views of the Kaaba from every guest room and suite, each of which will feature one or more private prayer rooms. Additional features of the hotel include three restaurants and lounges, a ballroom and meeting rooms, and a spa and fitness centre.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts inked an agreement with Oman’s Golden Group of Companies to manage the 370-key Mövenpick Hotel Muscat Airport, part of a new upscale project under development near Muscat International Airport, set to open in 2021. The project will also feature retail and commercial space. It expands Mövenpick’s inventory pipeline to almost 1,000 keys countrywide after deals to operate Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Al Azaiba Muscat and Mövenpick Hotel Bausher Muscat were recently signed. The three properties will capitalise on Oman’s growing importance as a regional hub for business and leisure tourism, spurred by the development of new infrastructure which ranges from conference centres to cruise terminals. At the same time, Muscat International Airport is undergoing extensive renovations and expansion that will boost its annual capacity from 12 million to 48 million passengers.

Wyndham Hotel Group announced Riyada International Hotels & Resorts, master franchisor of the Ramada brand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Concept Towers Real Estate, have agreed to develop a brand-new Ramada hotel centrally located in Riyadh. The 189-room Ramada Riyadh King Fahd Road will become the 11th Ramada in the country, and the 18th hotel under Wyndham Hotel Group’s portfolio of brands, which includes 12 operational hotels and a further six currently under development within the Kingdom.  The globally-recognised Ramada brand encourages travellers to explore the world with its portfolio of more than 850 hotels spanning 64 countries across all six continents. In 2016 Ramada was named the fastest-growing hotel brand in Europe by PKF hotelexperts, an internationally recognised leader in the field of hotel, tourism and leisure consulting

Louvre Abu Dhabi has signed the first exclusive platinum partnership with Etihad Airways. The ceremony took place under the museum’s dome and its ‘Rain of Light’ effect. Louvre Abu Dhabi will officially open on November 11 as an iconic landmark on the city’s geographical, cultural and tourist landscape. H.E. Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General, Department of Culture & Tourism–Abu Dhabi, said, “This important partnership comes at an exciting time as we prepare for our grand opening next month. Louvre Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways not only bring people from around the world to Abu Dhabi, but they are both universal in nature. For the museum, this idea of universal is about understanding human connections from the beginning of time until the present through art. We look forward to celebrating Louvre Abu Dhabi’s opening with the support of our Platinum partner.” As a platinum partner, Etihad will work closely with Louvre Abu Dhabi on areas of brand partnership, marketing, social media, public and media relations, events and exhibitions, cultural exchanges, cargo support, inflight programming, and travel trade support. Etihad Airways’ destination management company, Hala, will collaborate with the museum on bespoke tour packages in Abu Dhabi. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said, “Louvre Abu Dhabi is a universal institution showcasing the achievements of mankind in art, in culture, in humanity – a beacon welcoming visitors to these shores for generations to come. Etihad Airways and Louvre Abu Dhabi are two leading characters in the same story and we share a deep bond. As the national airline of the UAE, flying from Abu Dhabi to the world, we are also a universal connector of people. Together with our partners at …

Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche steps up its preparation for Q4 2017 opening through participation in roadshows organised by Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD),  global exhibitions, and travel workshops. The soon-to-open hotel joined the ATDD roadshows in Scandinavia and covered three countries including Denmark, Norway and Sweden. It also joined the ATDD delegation at the CIS roadshow in Armenia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Eyeing more markets in Europe, Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche will similarly be promoted in the ATDD DER Touristik event in Euro Disney in Paris, France. Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche was also showcased in Natalie Tours’ annual congress and hotelier workshop held in Dubai. More than 200 top agents from Russia and CIS region were in attendance to learn about the latest promotions and updates on Dubai and UAE as a leisure destination. One of the largest travel trade exhibitions, the annual World Travel Market in London will also be a key platform for the new property. It will be marketed alongside the destination at the ATDD stand.  The other events that Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche will take part in are workshops organised by Tez Tour in Larnaca, Cyprus; Odeon Tours in Antalya, Turkey; and Annex Tours in Moscow, Russia. To boost the hotel’s guest nationality mix, the property will also target the South Asian market by attending the Pakistan Travel Mart (PTM) in Karachi. Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche, which is scheduled to open doors in the last quarter of 2017, is the first Wyndham Garden to open in the UAE. The four-star hotel will feature rooms and suites, an executive lounge on the top floor with panoramic sea views, a seafood restaurant, an all-day dining venue, an outdoor swimming …

Kempinski is set to come up with two openings along with additional projects in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Africa. Kempinski Hotel, Muscat is slated to open in Q1 2018 with 310 rooms amongst 40 suites and two presidential suites, each with a private swimming pool. Emerald Palace Kempinski Palm Jumeirah, Dubai is scheduled to open by Q2 2018. The palace hotel will feature 389 rooms and suites. Rooms start at a size of 67 square metres and are thus the largest rooms in this category on the Palm. “Our hotels in the Middle East and Africa feature some of the most iconic luxury properties in the Kempinski portfolio and our upcoming openings, including Emerald Palace Kempinski Palm Jumeirah Dubai Hotel and Kempinski Hotel Muscat, are sure to fulfill this brand promise,” said Henk Meyknecht, COO Middle East and Africa.

A special report by Chestertons MENA focussing on Airbnb highlighted the growth and popularity of the online platform with investors and holiday makers in Dubai since 2015. Revenues for properties listed on the online hospitality platform during August 2015 and August 2017 increased by 421% to top US$3.3million, with listings nearly tripling to 3,249, as released by a special market report by Chestertons MENA, a leading international property agency. Chestertons research has revealed, rather than competing with Dubai’s hospitality sector, the Airbnb concept is complementing the hotel offering within the emirate by providing an alternative travel experience, with average occupancy levels topping 57% during Dubai’s peak season. “In April 2016, a new Executive Resolution No. (1/2016) concerning the second edition of ‘Dubai Holiday Home Rental Regulations’ was introduced, resulting in the relaxation of the rules surrounding holiday home rentals. This has, in turn, increased the number of listings and created alternative accommodation options to achieve the emirate’s 2020 objectives,” said Ivana Gazivoda Vucinic, Head of Advisory and Research, Chestertons MENA.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) signed a management agreement with Kingston Holdings International Limited to develop a new Holiday Inn & Suites at Dubai Business Bay set to open in 2021. The signing complements IHG’s hotel pipeline in the area and includes a Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza and an InterContinental Residences. Holiday Inn & Suites Dubai Business Bay will be centrally located in Dubai’s commercial and lifestyle hub and in close proximity to major attractions such as Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall. With 350 rooms, the hotel will offer guests two restaurants and a ballroom as well as one floor of dedicated meeting rooms to cater to business travellers. Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG said, “We are delighted to partner with Kingston Holdings International Limited to further expand our presence in Dubai, a city that continues to offer excellent growth opportunities for our hotels. Business Bay is the fastest growing district in Dubai and this agreement is in line with our strategy to grow the popular Holiday Inn brand in emerging epicentres.

Expanding its presence in the UAE, Hospitality Management Holding (HMH) signed the management agreement to operate the Coral Dubai Al Barsha Hotel. The five-star property (formerly the Auris Plaza Hotel) is located in the heart of Al Barsha within walking distance from the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai and features 337 well-appointed rooms equipped with world-class facilities. Brett Schafer, Chief Executive Officer of Faisal Holding, the owning company of HMH together with Manafa, stated, “We are delighted to welcome the Coral Dubai Al Barsha Hotel to our portfolio of hotels and truly grateful to the owners of the hotel for having given us this fantastic opportunity. The UAE is a strategic market for us and this new development will reinforce our position as a market leader in the dry segment while offering greater choice to our guests.”