Category Archives: Hotels

Rove Hotels has announced its expansion to Saudi Arabia with Rove King Abdullah Economic City, located centrally in the Bay La Sun waterfront district of King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in the vicinity of a newly established entrepreneurship hub. The construction work is anticipated to start in the second quarter of 2018 with the soft opening scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019. Featuring 240 rooms, fitness centres and a wide range of lifestyle amenities, Rove Hotels aims to deliver reliable, modern and efficient hospitality services that appeal to all. Like all Rove Hotels, Rove King Abdullah Economic City also takes its contemporary design cues from its surroundings. All rooms will have 48-inch interactive TV screens with smart media hubs and free Wi-Fi. Comfortable mattresses, sofa beds for extra guests, mini-fridges, safety lockers and modern bathrooms with power rain showers are standard for all rooms. Several rooms will be interconnected, ensuring the hotel is suitable for groups and families with children.

Ever thought of savouring your food while enjoying the sea? UAE has launched Aqua Pod, the world’s first sustainable floating drive-through, set to float in Dubai’s lagoons, providing visitors with a first-of-its-kind experience while at sea. For the first time ever, sea-goers can satisfy their hunger while at sea and enjoy food and beverages as they would from a traditional food truck. This unique concept comes at the hands of award-winning architect Ahmed Youssef, founder of Aquatic Architects Design Studio (AADS) and creator of Aqua Pod. “Realising the value of the sea, we have set out to create an innovative platform which allows us to tap into the aquatic market, with sustainability at the core of every design decision to preserve the marine environment,” says Ahmed. “At AADS, we understand the value of the region’s shorelines and beyond, so we saw an untapped opportunity to bring an innovative concept to the UAE,” he said. The Aqua Pod boasts a revolutionary architectural design with sustainability features, matching the UAE government’s focus on green initiatives. Largely running on electrical power, the Aqua Pod’s operations enable the production of clean water from the sea excluding any negative discharge. The Dubai Maritime City Authority pledged its support to this project by creating a new license category for this unique floating facility.

Jumeirah Group announced that it is set to operate a new hotel in Dubai under its Zabeel House by Jumeirah brand, having recently signed a management agreement with The Onyx for Development. The hotel, to be known as Zabeel House by Jumeirah–The Greens, is scheduled to open in Q4 2018 and will offer 210 guest rooms, two restaurants, terrace dining around the pool area, conference and business facilities, as well as a gym and spa treatment rooms. Designed to appeal to the curious traveller who wants to experience a city like a resident, guests to Zabeel House by Jumeirah can expect a four-star experience, brilliant basics and unexpected extras within an upscale, casual environment. Conveniently located to help guests experience Dubai, Zabeel House by Jumeirah–The Greens is well positioned at the heart of The Greens master development, and is part of a completed wider mixed-use development called ‘The Onyx’, which consists of residential, commercial and retail units.  The hotel has great connectivity with easy access to Sheikh Zayed Road and is within easy reach of some of Dubai’s best beaches, as well as public transport and the Dubai Metro.

Jumeirah Group has launched Zabeel House by Jumeirah in response to the growing travel trend for exploration through travel experiences. Zabeel House will have a strong appeal for this increasing segment of travellers from across a broad demographic, who want to connect meaningfully with their travel destinations. With five management agreements already signed in the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom, Jumeirah Group is creating an eclectic collection of hotels under the Zabeel House by Jumeirah brand, with a focus on locations at the heart of exciting neighbourhoods. Hotels under the new brand will offer brilliant basics and unexpected extras set in an upscale environment. The core target market for the brand will be both business and leisure travellers who want a lively base from which to explore. The core design ethos of the Zabeel House brand is centred on the uniqueness of each individual neighbourhood. Each hotel will offer an element of bespoke design, unique features and architectural details. Although positioned as an upscale hotel brand, there is no reference to a particular hospitality category.

Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, part of A.A. Al Moosa Enterprises, witnessed an increase of 10 per cent in visitor arrivals from India in 2017 and is expecting to double the growth this year. The property hopes to continue to attract and get a bigger share of this market through an aggressive marketing campaign and participation in trade shows such as SATTE, South Asia’s leading travel show set to be held in New Delhi, India from January 31 to February 2, 2018. India is the number one source market for Dubai’s inbound tourism, with 1,478,000 Indian tourists arriving in the city between January and September 2017, a 20 per cent increase over the same period in 2016. Recent reports indicated that around nine million Indians are expected to travel to the GCC by 2021, with the UAE expected to see a 10.8 per cent increase. “Golden Sands is known in the India market for the quality of service, high standard facilities and convenient location. With over 20,000 attendees this year, we’d like to take every opportunity to connect, grow and learn from our partners and meet with potential clients to discuss possible collaboration to increase our share of this attractive market,” said Mohammed Khoori, General Manager, Golden Sands Hotel Apartments.

Marriott International announced the opening of Aloft Palm Jumeirah, the first Aloft to open in Dubai. Located on the Eastern crescent of the Palm Jumeirah, the hotel offers 206 loft-inspired guestrooms with airy 9-foot-high ceilings and excellent views over the Arabian Gulf. All rooms feature the brand’s signature offerings, such as an ultra-comfortable plush bed, walk-in shower, Wi-Fi, 49-inch LCD TVs linked to a Plug & Play connectivity panel. Rooms are also equipped with SPG Keyless, the industry’s first truly mobile check-in system where guests can utilise their mobile phones as room keys. “We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of our first Aloft in Dubai, situated on one of the world’s most sought-after destinations – the Palm Jumeirah,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “We see a strong demand for Aloft properties in the region as the brand continues to redefine the traditional hotel experience with its vision and innovation.  In the UAE alone, the brand will double its portfolio in the next three years with five new openings,” he added.  

The 110-key Oaks Beirut is scheduled to be launched by the middle of this year and will be located in Sodeco, a commercial area of Beirut, approximately five minutes’ drive from the central downtown area and 15 minutes from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport. Minor Hotels signed a management agreement with Allied Investment Group to operate Oaks Beirut. “We are very excited to announce the forthcoming debut of our Oaks brand in Lebanon later this year, commented Dillip Rajakarier, CEO, Minor Hotels. “For Minor Hotels adding Lebanon to our footprint has considerable strategic value and we are pleased to launch our first hotel in the country. Beirut is a dynamic city with so much to offer and is widely regarded as one of the most influential trendsetters in the region.” The property will provide modern accommodation with a selection of guest rooms and suites, including an all-day dining restaurant, lounge bar & café, rooftop pool and bar, plus dedicated conference facilities. Providing the luxury of space, Oaks Hotels & Resorts offers a range of contemporary accommodation, from hotel and resort rooms and suites, to furnished serviced apartments, in central city locations and resort destinations.  

Celebrating hospitality businesses that have earned great traveller reviews, Ghaya Grand Hotel has received a Booking.com Guest Review Award. Commenting on the accreditation, Olwin Desouza, General Manager, Ghaya Grand Hotel, said “With our wide variety of restaurant offerings, plus further competition from new restaurants opening up in Dubai, we have had to strive to be at the top of our game,” he said. “Winning the 2017 Guest Review Award demonstrates we are providing service with a smile for our guests as well as a product that delivers everything they require, whether visiting Dubai on business or leisure.” “With more than 110 million guest reviews on our platform, we not only guide travellers to find their perfect stays, but empower our accommodation partners to stay up-to-date with evolving customer expectations, including what travellers appreciate most about their property, as well as what can potentially be improved,” said Remco van Zanten, Global Director—Partner Services, Booking.com. “With our guest review awards, we congratulate, thank and honour the incredible dedication of our partners to create great guest experiences for our customers, time and time again,” he added.

Shaza Hotels has announced the signing of its first Mysk Hotel in Kuwait. Situated opposite the Messilah beach district on the south coast of Kuwait City, the new property is already under construction and is set to welcome guests at the beginning of 2020. The hotel stays true to the Mysk promise by designing a trendy destination combining urbanity with traditional Arabian hospitality. “Al-Yousifi group is thrilled to be an active player shaping the new face of the Kuwait hospitality market. We are very confident that Mysk Hotel in Kuwait will set itself apart from the crowd by emphasising on bold design, innovative marketing, social influence and world-class hospitality,” said Dr. Adel Al-Yousifi, owner of the hotel. The launch of Mysk Hotel in Kuwait will coincide with a social media campaign to attract locals and visitors wanting to experience a new, stylish and cheerful venue in the city. Located at a distance of 15 minutes away from the airport and boasting magnificent sea views, the 200-room hotel also hosts meetings, conferences, exhibitions and weddings.

City Centre Ajman has been transformed into a regional mall with an investment of AED 643 million, which is part of Majid Al Futtaim’s announcement made in June 2016 to increase its total investment in the UAE by AED 30 billion by 2026, taking its total investment in the country to AED 48 billion. With a gross leasable area of 34,000 sqm, the mall brings 14 brands to Ajman for the first time. Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, Managing Director, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, Shopping Malls (UAE, Bahrain & Oman) stated, “We work very closely with the government authorities. This recent extension of this shopping centre was a plan working closely with the government with the numbers, market requirements, trends and future. With these new features, Ajman is making way for the development of tourism to the emirate. We have a dedicated taxi drop off and pick points and are working very closely with all the hotels in Ajman to ensure that their guests visit the city centre for a memorable retail tourism experience.” As Ajman tourism is focusing on luring more tourists to the emirate, Majid Al Futtaim is supporting the government’s initiative to ensure that tourists leave the emirate with unforgettable experiences.