Category Archives: Hotels

Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, part of A.A. Al Moosa Enterprises, celebrates the country’s 45th National Day with an exclusive promotion giving residents and tourists the opportunity to experience the “Spirit of the Union.” Studio rooms at Golden Sands Hotel Apartments are offered at 45dhs per night during the National Day holidays. With its close proximity to the city’s main attractions, guests will have access to a lot of top-notch events, activities and retail promotions that are offered across the country to create a festive environment for everyone to enjoy. In addition to the exclusive offer, Golden Sands Hotel Apartments observed the National Day celebration with a cake-cutting ceremony attended by the management, staff and in-house guests. Mohammed Khoori, General Manager, Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, said: “We join the rest of the nation in celebrating our country’s 45th National Day. We take pride to be living in the UAE, a flourishing country with lots of opportunities to offer to a culturally diverse community. We applaud our leadership for bringing together people of different nationalities sharing the same vision and ambition that were instituted by our great leaders.”  

Sharjah hotels and hotel apartments registered a 19 percent increase in room nights booked during the first nine months of 2016, totalling 2.94 million room nights, according to Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA). The increase in total booked room nights comes in spite of the fact that occupancy rates have remained flat at 62 percent, suggesting that visitors may be remaining in Sharjah for longer stays. Although the largest number of guests registered in Sharjah hotels are from the GCC states (360,000 Gulf nationals visiting during the first nine months of the year), the tourism authority’s international marketing seems to be paying off, with increases reported from several key markets. The SCTDA has been targeting markets identified as having high potential for growth in its strategic marketing plan, in order to attract 10 million tourist per annum by 2021. According to SCTDA figures, China is now Sharjah’s fastest growing tourism market with 62,936 Chinese travelers visiting the emirate during the first nine months of this year: 75 percent increase compared with the equivalent period of 2015. This growth is consistent with the 78 percent increase in Chinese hotel guests registered during 2015. The SCDTA has recently stepped up marketing efforts in China, opening up a representative office, recruiting Chinese staff and adding a Chinese language website to Sharjah’s tourism portal. Meanwhile, Sharjah saw a 12 percent growth in the number of Pakistani visitors and an 8.7 percent increase in visitors from Russia, being the first growth measured from the Russian market since the Russian currency fell in 2014. Sharjah offers more than 100 hotels and hotel apartments, including properties managed by some of the leading five star hotel …

Cayan Group has appointed Rotana Hotel Management as the hotel operator for the Cayan Arjaan Hotel Apartments project. Furthermore, Shapoorji Pallonji International has been appointed as the main contractor for the project with construction works expected to commence during November 2016. The project comprise of two towers, the residential and hotel apartments tower with 700 units in the form of studios, one to three bedroom apartments and penthouses. It will also contain retail spaces such as restaurants, meeting rooms, gym, spa and lounge. Launched in two stages at the strategic Umm Sequiem Road in Dubai which is fast becoming a major connection to roads, malls, recreational centres, residential areas, and educational institutes. Cayan Cantara is located two minutes away from each Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, and Al Khail Road, and 6 minutes away from Emirates Road; the Mall of the Emirates and Dubai Mall is only a 5 and 18-minute drive respectively; situated near recreational areas such as Miracle Garden, IMG Worlds of Adventure, and Global Village, and 20 minutes away from the Dubai Al-Maktoum International Airport the location offers convenience, ease, and holistic living. The residential tower was launched recently and received a tremendous response from the public in terms of sales, and the same is expected for the hotel apartments. The official sales of the hotel apartments were launched during the press conference.   The press conference which was attended by Ahmed Alhatti, Chairman of Cayan Group; Nasser Nowais, Chairman of Rotana; Omer Kaddouri, President & CEO of Rotana; Mohan Saini, MD & CEO of Shapoorji Pallonji International and Ziad Kanaan, Real Estate Director of SHUAA Capital. At the press conference, Chairman Cayan Group Ahmed Alhatti stated, …

Saudi Arabia aims to become the main destination for conferences and exhibitions in the Middle East by 2020. The Kingdom has announced ambitious plans to invest USD1.6 billion in its MICE tourism industry for the coming years to 2019, and several centres and venues will benefit from this financial boost. Backed by a growing number of modern facilities and government support, Makkah is set to become a new destination for the MICE tourism industry in Saudi Arabia, according to industry experts.  Traditionally seen as a site for religious travel, Makkah today is attracting a growing number of local companies and government authorities looking to combine their meeting and training requirements with Umrah pilgrimage. Conrad Makkah Jabal Omar, the first Conrad property opened by Hilton in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, has seen its MICE business grow steadily, driven by demand from pharmaceutical companies and government entities that tend to conduct their board and annual meetings, as well as training and development programs, over weekends in the Holy City. “There are several factors that contribute to the development of MICE tourism in Makkah, one of which is the growing supply of modern venues from new hotels that are opening in the market, equipped with the latest technology,” said Ismail Sirry, general manager of Conrad Makkah Jabal Omar. “Other factors include the improving infrastructure, companies’ desire to hold their meetings and trainings in nearby locations, and continuous government support.”  

Marriott International has signed an agreement with Al Maryia Real Estate Establishment to open a Four Points by Sheraton in Riyadh. Scheduled to open in 2019, Four Points by Sheraton King Abdul Aziz Road will offer 130 rooms in the Sulaimaniyah district. The Four Points brand is on track to open six properties in Saudi Arabia in the next five years. The new Four Points will offer 130 guest rooms, including 30 suites. Located in the Sulaimaniyah district in central Riyadh, the hotel is 15 minutes from King Fahd Road and Olaya Road, and within close proximity from the King Khalid International Airport, King Abdul-Aziz Metro Station and the King Abdullah Financial Center. Marriott International currently operates 19 properties and over 5,000 rooms in Saudi Arabia. The company is on track to reach its milestone of 50 operating hotels in the country in the next five years. 

Rotana has launched its second hotel in Amman with a total investment of approximately $280 million. Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Jordan’s Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki patronized the official opening of ‘Rotana Amman’, which brings the group’s combined inventory in Amman to 803 rooms, suites and hotel apartments, making Rotana the largest hotel operator in the Kingdom employing 900 Jordanians. As the tallest building in the Kingdom, Amman Rotana towers 188 meters and features 50 floors that include 412 lavish rooms and suites designed to combine luxury and comfort. Additionally, the hotel is home to a number of sophisticated and innovative dining venues, the cutting-edge Bodylines Fitness & Wellness Club as well as an outdoor swimming pool. Amman Rotana features six dining outlets, including ThreeSixty, The Lounge, Rodeo Grill steakhouse, Italian restaurant Gusto, Bar on Four and The Deck Pool Lounge. Additionally, the hotel houses the Monarch Ballroom, a deluxe hall for special occasions and nine exclusive meeting spaces, as well as Bodylines Fitness & Wellness Club which offers the latest in training equipment, expert trainers, a sauna, Jacuzzi and steam rooms. Located in Amman’s new downtown as an integral part of the Abdali project, the hotel is centrally located with a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view of the capital and its seven hills. Amman Rotana is adjacent to The Boulevard Arjaan by Rotana and is steps away from the Boulevard, a contemporary commercial district that features luxurious outdoor retail stores as well as a number of popular restaurants and cafes. Also close by is the Al-Abdali Mall, Jordan’s largest commercial complex, showcasing numerous international brands and boutique shops.

Rotana Hotel Management Corporation and Dubai International Real Estate (DIRE) have mutually agreed to the termination of their agreement for the management of Al Bustan Hotel and Al Murooj Hotel in Dubai. Dubai International Real Estate (DIRE) have decided to take over the management of both hotels under their own management company, and thus effective 1st January 2017, both hotels will no longer be under Rotana’s management. This is a mutual decision between Rotana Hotel Management Corporation and Dubai International Real Estate and both parties are now working together to ensure a seamless transition.

Rotana, one of the leading hospitality management companies in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe, is driving forward its ambitious vision of operating 100 hotels by 2020, with the opening of 16 new properties by 2017. The Group’s ongoing strategic growth momentum will include the opening of five new properties in the UAE, four in Saudi Arabia, two each in Turkey and Iraq, and the opening of Rotana’s first ever property in Muscat, Oman. The extension work on one of the company’s iconic UAE properties, The Cove Rotana Resort in Ras Al Khaimah, will also take place next year. The developments will see more than 3,756 keys added to the Group’s existing inventory by the end of 2017, helping Rotana grow its portfolio to 75 operating hotels with more than 19,450 keys in total.

Aloft Hotels, part of Marriott International, announced the highly anticipated opening of Aloft Dhahran in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It consists of 262 spacious loft-inspired guest rooms with modern design and plush signature beds. Hotel facilities will include an outdoor rooftop Splash pool, a 24-hour re:charge fitness center, flexible indoor and outdoor Tactic meeting space, re:fuel– a 24 hour grab & go snack bar, and the brand’s signature W XYZ bar where guests can enjoy a refreshing mock-tail in the trendy lounge or terrace. Guests can also enjoy Dine, the hotel’s international restaurant serving a variety of culinary delights and Crush, the outdoor pool-side cafe. As part of a growing portfolio of properties owned by FAS Hotels, division of Fawaz Al Hokair group, Aloft Dhahran is a modern design-centric hotel located in the hub of the city across from the Mall of Dhahran and in close proximity to Dhahran Technovalley.  The opening of the hotel marks Aloft’s second property in the country, after Aloft Riyadh, and third for the brand in the Middle East.

The two day summit held last week at Fairmont Palm Jumeirah, Dubai included an insight on Serviced Apartments, Extended Stay Hotels, Branded Residences and Short Term Rentals. This annual hospitality conference and exhibition for the sector attracted industry leaders and decision makers to gain a greater understanding of serviced apartments and other extended stay methods by the leaders.   With over 11 hours of allocated networking time they were able to welcome delegates, exhibitors, sponsors and speakers collectively providing a vibrant platform for interaction between owners, general managers, operators, investors and service providers.