Category Archives: Hotels

Minor Hotels has announced the debut of its luxury Anantara brand in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Scheduled to open in 2019, Anantara Jeddah Resort will be located on the waterfront in Obhur in the city’s upmarket northern district and will offer 226 guest rooms and 102 two to five bedroom villas. The property is owned by SAB Group and was previously a luxury residential compound, which will undergo a renovation and transformation, led by cutting-edge international design architects. Facilities will include a selection of dining options with both indoor and outdoor seating, fitness and swimming pool areas, a kid’s and teen’s club and a library. For business guests there is a 500 square metre meeting room, which is divisible by two, plus two further meeting rooms. The resort has two receptions and lobbies; one is dedicated for VIP arrivals. Spa and wellness will be a major focus of the resort, which will offer a separate female and male Anantara Spa and an impressive wellness centre. An extensive selection of wellness journeys will be available, as part of Anantara’s ‘Balance’ programme. These will include detox, de-stress, weight management, anti-aging and rejuvenation, along with therapies such as Ayurveda, hammam and reflexology. Guests will be able to enjoy wellness cuisine and healthy cooking classes, with activities including yoga, pilates and Tai Chi. In addition, the resort will offer a regular programme of wellness-focused educational workshops and special events.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has finalised a deal to operate the hospitality firm’s first property in Ras Al Khaimah. The 550-key Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah, which is slated to open in 2019, will boast a prime beachfront location, offering guests unrivalled views of the Arabian Gulf and the picturesque Ras Al Khaimah coastline. Al Marjan Island is Ras Al Khaimah’s first man-made project, built to the tune of US$1.8 billion, and featuring a cluster of coral-shaped islands, creating a destination that is fast emerging as a top Middle East holiday hotspot. Mövenpick’s upcoming five-star resort, which comprises 430 rooms and suites and 120 serviced apartments, will cater to the increasing number of local and global leisure travellers heading to this idyllic beach destination. Visitor numbers to Ras Al Khaimah are expected to surge 11% to reach more than 820,000 in 2016, according to the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, which has set a target of one million arrivals by the end of 2018. Al Marjan Island is close to RAK International Airport, served by scheduled carriers such as Qatar Airways, Air Arabia and Air India Express, as well as numerous European and Russian charter airlines, while the world’s busiest airport, Dubai International, is just 45 minutes by road.

The Alfardan Group hosted the 4th CSR Conference in Qatar at the St. Regis Doha. The event was organised by Dar Al Sharq and was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla Bin Saoud Al Thani, Qatar Central Bank Governor, on December 7 and 8, 2016. It focused on strategy development and business performance support in the framework of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Afardan Group served as a Strategic Partner for the conference, which also featured the launch of the 2016 edition of the CSR White Book, an annual publication that highlights leading CSR activities. “We are proud to serve as a Strategic Hospitality Partner for the conference. We are excited to provide a venue for such an important event that gathers key decision makers from the public and private sector in a platform that will help strengthen the efforts of companies in implementing programs that create a positive impact on society,” concluded Tareq Derbas, General Manager of St. Regis Doha.

AccorHotels has signed four new hotel management agreements with ARCO. The new developments in Egypt’s North Coast, slated to open by 2022, include the Fairmont Fuka Bay, Swissôtel Fuka Bay, Novotel Al Alamein City, and ibis Styles Al Alamein City. The addition of these hotel projects increases AccorHotels’ operational and development pipeline to 31 hotels in Egypt. Opening in 2019, Fairmont Fuka Bay will feature 250 rooms and 150 Fairmont branded residences. The 300-room and 200-branded residences of Swissôtel Fuka Bay, anticipated to open in 2022, will also represent one of the city’s first international hospitality brands. Set to debut in 2018, the 250-room Novotel Al Alamein City will overlook the Crystal Lagoons – one of the extraordinary features of the project measuring 7,000 square meters and suited towards a range of recreational activities, including swimming and water sports. ibis Styles Al Alamein City will offer 300 rooms and is adjacent to a water park and shopping centre. The city of Al Alamein is also in proximity to popular summer destinations located by the Mediterranean Sea, including an 80 minute drive to Alexandria.

Ramada Downtown Dubai, led by General Manager Shahzad Butt, celebrated its seventh year anniversary with a series of activities for its associates and loyal guests. The team gathered for a special cake-cutting ceremony and reception to mark the milestone. Addressing the associates during the celebration, Butt said: “Our people are our hotel’s greatest asset and I am grateful to work with such hardworking, skillful, and good-natured team. The hospitality and quality of service which they extend to our guests are reflections of their dedication to the job, thus, we continuously receive positive feedback. Together, we look forward to more fruitful years ahead, and we are confident that we’ll uphold our status as one of the top hotels in Dubai in spite of the growing competition.”

Rove City Centre, under Rove Hotels, a joint venture of Emaar Properties and Meraas Holding, opens following the successful launch of Rove Downtown Dubai, next to The Dubai Mall and the Dubai International Financial Centre. The 270-room highly design-influenced hotel, that will especially appeal to culturally inclined travellers as well as business guests, opens to spectacular views of Dubai’s original trade hub by Dubai Creek. It is set in a highly engaging location defined by the souks, historic houses and traditional dhows that underline Dubai’s cultural identity. Rove City Centre is thus a fitting tribute to the brand essence of Rove Hotels of ‘Exploring Without Borders.’ Having redefined the midscale hospitality experience in Dubai, Rove Hotels, a contemporary mid-scale lifestyle hotel brand developed by Emaar Hospitality Group, has opened its second property in Dubai in the heart of the city assuring an authentic, novel, and culturally stimulating hospitality experience. Seven Rove Hotels have been announced with another three more to open by 2020 taking the total number of Rove Hotels in Dubai to 10, adding a total of over 3,700 rooms, just in time to support Expo 2020 Dubai. With a distinctive design palette and a brand-new art showcase that draws inspiration from its surroundings yet being true to the Rove Hotels brand values, Rove City Centre has a distinctive location in Deira by the historic Dubai Creek, only 10 minutes from the Dubai International Airport, and in walking distance of City Centre Deira and the Dubai Creek & Yacht Club. Featuring bustling souks to modern malls and serving as home to several governmental head offices, Deira is a vibrant hub of the city. The close proximity to the airport …

Rotana has announced plans to open seven new hotels in Dubai, four hotels in the capital Abu Dhabi and one in Ras Al Khaimah by the end of 2020. Six of the upcoming properties will be five-star hotels, with the remaining properties comprising of a mix of four and three star hotels and hotel apartments. Upon completion, the new hotels will add 4,360 keys to Rotana’s existing inventory, taking its fast expanding portfolio in the UAE to 44  properties, including 21 in Dubai and 17 in Abu Dhabi, with a room inventory of 11,782  (6,682 in Dubai alone and 5,100 in Abu Dhabi). The total value of the 12 upcoming properties managed by Rotana in the UAE is estimated at USD 1.7 billion. Omer Kaddouri, President & CEO of Rotana, comments: “The UAE is our home market and even as we pursue our global ambitions and expand our footprint into new geographic regions, the country continues to remain the fulcrum around which Rotana’s business strategy is developed and implemented. With us bringing to the local market 12 new properties within the next four years, we further express our commitment to supporting the UAE’s tourism ambitions and reaffirming our belief in the long-term prospects of the country’s hospitality industry. Next year, we will be introducing a number of five-star properties to the market, including the all-new Saadiyat Rotana Resort and villas in Abu Dhabi, scheduled to open in Q4 2017. Ideal for both, business and leisure travellers, the resort will feature 354 upscale rooms and suites, 13 beach villas, a beach club and extensive conference facilities. Rotana already has a significant presence in the capital, and strengthening our portfolio with an …

Thailand-based hospitality company Dusit International has continued its global expansion by debuting its dusitD2 and DusitPrincess brands in the UAE and China, respectively. Catering to business and leisure travellers, the upscale dusitD2 Kenz Dubai is located next to Dubai Internet City Metro Station and offers easy access to major leisure and business destinations such as Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai international Airport, Dubai Marina and Dubai Mall. The property comprises 237 modern guest rooms and suites, three meeting rooms, a boardroom, a rooftop pool, spa, fitness centre, an all-day-dining restaurant specialising in Mediterranean cuisine, and a contemporary Thai restaurant. The opening comes on the back of positive response to Dusit’s distinctive hospitality in the UAE, where Dusit International also operates the Dusit Thani Dubai, Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, Pearl Coast Premier Hotel Apartments, and Dusit Residence Dubai Marina. Three new properties are also in the pipeline. The openings are part of Dusit International’s strategy to expand its portfolio of international hotels while simultaneously delivering gracious, Thai-inspired hospitality to the world. Another key market in Dusit International’s expansion plans is China. To date, the company operates four properties in the country, but it already has 20 projects in the pipeline and many of these are slated to open within the next three years. Dusit International currently operates 29 hotels around the world and has 42 confirmed projects in the pipeline across four distinctive brands: Dusit Devarana, Dusit Thani, dusitD2, and DusitPrincess, all of which are inspired by the iconic hospitality and unique service artistry of Thailand.

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 …