Category Archives: Hotels

Swiss-Belhotel International recently opened its second property in Aqaba, Jordan, named Marina Plaza Hotel. Located along the coast of Tala Bay, Marina Plaza Hotel is an exotic 4-star resort, offering breathtaking views of the golden mountains and the Red Sea. It has 260 well-appointed rooms and each room boasts a private balcony with relaxing views of the mountains or the Marina. Included in the hotel’s superb facilities are an international all-day-dining restaurant, a pool bar, an outdoor swimming pool, a separate kids’ pool and a full-service spa offering an array of health and beauty treatments. Guests can also enjoy daily recreation activities such as aqua aerobics and yoga or take advantage of a free shuttle service to the centre of Aqaba. Petra just a one-day trip from the resort while Wadi Rum is only an hour away from it. Swiss-Belhotel International currently has more than 3500 rooms under development in key destinations across the Middle East. Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International, said, “Middle East is a strategic growth market for us where we have a robust development pipeline corresponding to 17% of our global portfolio. We are eager to expand in the region with the right partners such as Jordan Projects for Tourism Development and are pleased to flag Marina Plaza Hotel by Swiss-Belhotel as our latest property.”

As the ME region prepares itself for another set of long holidays, for Eid Al Adha, Niyama Private Islands, Maldives, has slashed its rates by as much as 40%, encouraging agents as well as individuals from the region to look nowhere else but Niyama for zeroing in on the destination for these holidays. Their brand new Stay Longer offer, introduced especially for these holidays, entails a scheme wherein the longer guests stay at this idyllic Indian Ocean resort, the more they save. Tourists can enjoy an incredible 40% off on the room rate, a free upgrade to half board and complimentary 60-minute treatment for two at the award-winning Niyama Spa. All they need to do is simply book a stay of at least two nights, online, before September 30, 2017. Agents need to get in touch directly to get the best possible rates for their clientele. Designed especially for the elite travellers of the Middle East and jet-set couples, Niyama Private Islands, Maldives, has 134 beautifully appointed studios, suites and pavilions dotted across two pristine islands, Chill and Play. This resort is known for its nine exquisite dining destinations, including a tree house restaurant Nest, and the world’s first underwater playground Subsix.

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is continuing its commitment to world-class hospitality in some of the region’s most striking areas of outstanding natural beauty with the launch of the Mleiha Fossil Rock Lodge. The project is 60 percent complete and will officially welcome its first guests by the end of this year. This modern luxury facility, adjacent to its namesake, the Fossil Rock, nestles within the Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project, offering a unique experience for desert adventurers and nature lovers. The Fossil Rock Lodge can accommodate up to 10 guests, guaranteeing complete serenity and privacy. Also, it will entail an upscale café, with 42 indoor and outdoor seats, allowing visitors to take in the breath-taking natural scenery and magnificent desert landscapes while enjoying their sumptuous food and beverages. HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, says, “Eco-tourism is becoming increasingly popular with visitors from around the world. We are committed to catering to this demand, not only as a highly desirable investment, but also as part of our own social responsibility and our philosophy of retaining our natural surroundings.”

Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, announced the launch of their new hotel project named Vida Dubai Mall, which would be directly linked to The Dubai Mall, with direct views of Burj Khalifa. This marks the tenth upcoming hotel project of Vida Hotels and Resorts in the UAE and international markets. Vida Dubai Mall would be a two-tower development, with the 195-room Vida Dubai Mall hotel and 614 serviced residences under Vida Residences Dubai Mall. One of these towers will be 55-storey high, including the hotel and 380 serviced residences, while the other one will be 38-storey high, with rest of the serviced residences.

Emaar Hospitality Group has partnered with Global Hospitality Services (GHS) to expand its brand reach and customer base in the key strategic markets such as the Americas, the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, India and China. Global Hospitality Services will showcase Emaar Hospitality Group to the leisure and corporate segments in these key markets, underlining its service standards and innovative lifestyle products. Emaar Hospitality Group has been the leading provider of innovative lifestyle travel products, through its three hotel brands – Address Hotels + Resorts; Vida Hotels and Resorts; and Rove Hotels. Linda Bekoe, VP of Global Sales at GHS supported this as she commented, “At GHS, we utilise the power of collaboration and collective capability to open doors and give a global voice to our hoteliers. We are proud to work alongside Emaar Hospitality Group and assist its brands to further penetrate the market on a global level.”

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced the opening of its new Holiday Inn in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The franchised property, owned by African Sun Limited and located in the heart of the city, features 96 rooms, an outdoor pool and a meeting room capable of seating 250 people. Commenting on the opening of the new hotel, Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG, said, “We’re thrilled to announce the opening of a new property in Mutare as we believe that it will further support business travel between the Middle East and Africa. We are especially proud to continue working with established partners such as African Sun Limited that also owns several other properties with us. We are excited to begin welcoming guests to Holiday Inn Mutare.”

Investment conglomerate Dubai Holding and Saudi Arabia based Jabal Omar Development signed an agreement to develop a five-star hotel in the holy city of Mecca, named Jabal Omar Jumeirah Makkah Hotel, which is scheduled to be operational by early 2019. Managed by Dubai Holding’s subsidiary, Jumeirah Group, a brand in the luxury hospitality sector, the hotel will be walking distance from the Holy Mosque and comprise four towers with stunning views of Masjid-al-Haram. It will include 1033 guest rooms, along with 93 villas, and offer a variety of foods and beverages, meeting facilities, executive lounge, gymnasium, and over 90 retail units throughout the complex. Edris Al Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Holding, said, “Dubai Holding takes great honour in announcing the addition of this unique property to the Jumeirah Group portfolio. As the company embarks on its next phase of growth, adding such a strategic and large hotel to the portfolio is a key milestone in our ambitious international expansion strategy. Jabal Omar Jumeirah Makkah Hotel will significantly boost its growth in the coming years. It will also mark the Group’s first presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Makkah, one of the holiest sites in the world and the highest in real estate value.”

The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, the newest addition to AccorHotels’ distinctive MGallery by Sofitel collection of contemporary boutique hotels, has become a member of the esteemed Healing Hotels of the World. With this membership in Healing Hotels of the World, this invite-only ‘club’ will be globally recognised to be featuring beautiful accommodation and architecture, cutting-edge holistic healing therapies achieving visible results, caring and thoughtful services, healing cuisine and a natural stunning location.

AVANI Hotels & Resorts announced the development of its first hotel in Mauritius along a stretch of the island’s unspoilt south coast by 2021. The 150-key beachfront AVANI Bel-Ombre Mauritius Resort & Spa will offer the best of both worlds – stylish accommodation coupled with an untouched beach paradise. Only 30 minutes from the international airport, AVANI Mauritius Bel-Ombre Resort & Spa will comprise 150 guest rooms, including 134 Standard Rooms and 16 AVANI suites. The new upscale resort will offer a specialty restaurant as well, along with an all-day dining restaurant, a large, multi-functional meeting space catering to MICE and weddings, an AVANI spa and an AVANIFIT gym, an AVANI pantry, AVANI kids club, a beach activities centre and two swimming pools.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts recently signed a new agreement to build a five-star property on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah, in partnership with SuperCasa Development Limited. Operating under the Millennium brand, the 339-key beach resort is scheduled to open in 2020. The resort will be situated on a 75,000-square-foot plot on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah’s first man-made island project. Located only 30 minutes from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport and 50 minutes from Dubai International Airport, Al Marjan Island is set to redefine Ras Al Khaimah’s hospitality sector, with large-scale developments comprising hotels, villas and residential units, in addition to marinas, retail and recreation facilities. Boasting a unique and iconic design, the Millennium resort will enjoy panoramic views of the Arabian Peninsula and access to a private beach. World-class facilities include two swimming pools, a fitness centre, treatment rooms and meeting and event spaces. The resort will also host all-day dining, poolside restaurant, specialty restaurant and a sky bar.