Category Archives: Hotels

With Qatar aiming to attract 1.2 million fans to FIFA World Cup 2022, Swiss-Belhotel International expects strong demand at its hotel in the capital Swiss-Belinn Doha. Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President – Operations & Development, EMEA & India; Senior Vice President – Group Human Resources & Talent Development, Swiss-Belhotel International, stated, “In the run up to FIFA World Cup 2022 and during the tournament, we expect an unprecedented level of demand at our properties in Qatar. We are already receiving an extraordinary interest from travellers and advance bookings for the Middle East’s first World Cup and look forward to welcoming the visitors many of whom will fly across the world to witness the event. Our goal is to ensure a comfortable and safe stay for all in the country.” Termed as the global festival of football, the FIFA World Cup will take place from November 21 to Dec 18, 2022. Organisers had expected to offer up to 130,000 rooms, however, not all hotel rooms are ready. The most recent figures from Qatar Tourism Authority show there are 33,208 rooms in Qatar but that number is likely to go up significantly with the high-pace of construction in the country. Swiss-Belhotel International is well-positioned in Qatar and is known to deliver world-class service and memorable experiences with great value. Laurent stressed, “The World Cup will undoubtedly have a profound and lasting long-term impact on Qatar’s hospitality and tourism industry. The country is enjoying one of its best moments in history and has a lot of potential for growth. We have seen a dramatic development of infrastructure projects including the massive expansion of the airport all of which will positively contribute to …

Thynk.Cloud announced its first partnership in the Middle East with Ishraq Hospitality. The partnership will enable the hospitality group’s sales organization to further enhance the way they manage their B2B business relationships and maximize their sales productivity and efficiency. Developed by hoteliers for hoteliers and powered by Salesforce®, the world’s largest Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, Thynk.Cloud is designed to simplify and automate sales, operations, and data management for hotels of any size. Dubai-based Ishraq Hospitality, part of the Mohammed & Obaid Almulla Group, currently operates eight hotels in the United Arab Emirates with another eight properties in the pipeline. To support its rapid growth, the Group was looking for a hospitality CRM solution that could be tailored to the company’s needs. “We considered both the option of building our own and buying a CRM solution that would offer the functionality, features and flexibility we were looking for to achieve our vision and enable our growth”, said Alexander Suski, CEO of Ishraq Hospitality. Thynk.Cloud enables hoteliers to build stronger digital relationships with their customers, increase their focus on margins, optimize their cost of sales and operations, and uncover new sources of business. “We have not only been impressed with the product itself, but also with the team at Thynk, who have been instrumental in the seamless deployment across our hotels. As a global company with a local presence, they offer the best of both worlds. The team on the ground here in the UAE checks in with us weekly and guides us, and we keep discovering new options and capabilities of the system. At Ishraq Hospitality we look for partners that speak our language of hospitality sales & marketing and …

Marjan, RAK Hospitality Holding and Wynn Resorts, Limited, the US-listed international developer and operator of luxury resorts, have announced a multibillion-dollar integrated resort development on the man-made Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The spectacular Al Marjan Island, already a leading tourism destination, is only 15 minutes from the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport and 45 minutes from the Dubai International Airport. Comprising four islands, Al Marjan Island delights visitors with over 7.8 kilometers of sparkling beaches and 23 kilometers of waterfront in addition to world-class hotels and residential developments. Al Marjan Island spans an area of 2.7 million sqm of reclaimed land extending into the Arabian Gulf. The new integrated resort on one of the exclusive islands, which covers an area of almost 250,000 sqm, will offer a pristine setting with spectacular views of the Arabian Gulf as well as sandy beaches and a marina. The development is the first beach resort being developed by Wynn Resorts globally. The current scope includes a circa 1,000 + room hotel, high-end shopping mall, a state-of-the-art meeting and convention facility, an exclusive spa, more than 10 restaurants and lounges, a wide array of entertainment choices, a gaming area, and other amenities. The integrated resort will be developed with significant foreign direct investment by Wynn Resorts. As the largest project of its kind in the Emirate’s growing hospitality sector, it will create substantial value to the local economy by accelerating tourism, creating jobs, and energising the growth of related sectors.  Set to be completed in 2026, the entire project will be developed to the highest standards of sustainability best practices. Eng. Abdulla Al Abdooli, CEO of Marjan, said the …

The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has announced the signing of a franchise agreement with Marriott International for two new hospitality projects set in Sharjah’s scenic East Coast. The agreement, signed by Shurooq’s Sharjah Collection & Hotels Management, marks the debut of Marriott’s Autograph Collection in Sharjah. Two of Shurooq’s new hospitality projects in Kalba and Khorfakkan under Sharjah Collection & Hotels Management will operate under the Autograph Collection brand. The announcement was made today (Wednesday) during an official signing ceremony held at the House of Wisdom, Sharjah. H.E. Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman of Shurooq, and Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East for Marriott International signed the agreement in the presence of senior officials from Shurooq and Marriott International. Talking about the new partnership, H.E. Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman of Shurooq, said, “The new franchise agreement ties in with Shurooq’s vision to foster strategic global partnerships with reputed bespoke brands to add value to the world-class personalised service and care offered throughout Shurooq’s destinations. Joining the exclusive fold of Marriott’s Autograph Collection brings us closer to our long-term goal of empowering Sharjah’s diversified economy and cementing its position as a magnet for global brands.” Al Sarkal added: “The proposed hospitality projects in Kalba and Khorfakkan, strategically located in two of the most picturesque and dynamic cities in the Eastern region, will cater to the ever-growing demand for tourism and leisure experiences and seeks to bolster the emirate’s touristic appeal. The new agreement builds on our ever-expanding portfolio of developments in the East Coast and will further enhance investment opportunities across a variety of sectors to drive its future growth and urban development.” …

Accor expands its luxury footprint in Egypt with the signing of Sofitel Cairo New Capital Hotel & Residences, a new flagship property for the group that will strengthen the Sofitel brand in Egypt. The new property will be located in the heart of the New Administrative Capital (NAC) of Cairo, a city designed on its own and featuring hospitality, residential, entertainment, commercial, retail components and government entities, including the presidential palace, parliament, cabinet, supreme court, all ministries of Egypt and various foreign embassies. The property will introduce two towers, and a podium, in which the first tower will feature 200 hotel keys and 280 branded residences, from one to four bedrooms, while the second tower will include offices and commercial spaces. The group is collaborating with Edge Holiding, an Egyptian real-estate developer created by Al Borouj Misr Developments and Al Mashariq KSA as a joint venture in 2018. “Edge Holding Urban Development is the first and largest Egyptian-Saudi business investment that took place in the New Administrative Capital. It has introduced 20 years of experience and because of its congregated experience, it has been able to undertake two booming projects under the umbrella of the Egyptian government” mentioned Mr. Hazem El-Sherif, Chairman of Edge Holding. “Each project has its unique aesthetic tailor-made design providing a smart lifestyle within an unrivalled community, supported by Edge Holding’s dedicated team of community management. Edge Holding made sure to provide the NAC with two projects that meet the exact needs and demands of clients with the OIA compound and OIA towers. OIA Towers, a conventional development with remarkable views and outlooks; unique 30 storey East and West twin towers meticulously designed with international quality …

Dubai-based independent hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has announced that it has signed a company-wide agreement with Medallia to further enhance the customer journey and elevate the guest experience across all of the group’s hotels in the Middle East and Africa. As pioneer and market leader in Experience Management, Medallia is trusted by the world’s best hotel companies. Its bespoke feedback analysis platform for hotels provides AI-powered text analytics and data on the customer journey that enables hotel teams to focus on the critical customer touchpoints and use these insights to further elevate the guest experience. Commenting on the partnership Bani Haddad, Founder & Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality, said: “Whilst Medallia is not new to Aleph as the platform has been in place in several of our hotels, we believe now is the right time to move to a group-wide partnership to support the rapid growth of our hotel portfolio in the Middle East and Africa.” “Through the extensive functionality and reporting available in Medallia Go, we will be able to further advance our understanding of the group’s performance with the ability to continually refine the hotel guest journey and further strengthen the service delivery and quality for our owners.” Aleph Hospitality currently operates 10 hotels and has earmarked a pipeline of 50 hotels in the Middle East and Africa by 2025.

Limestone Lab, an experience-driven hospitality group, with a vision of launching new and innovative hospitality concepts to the social and dining scene, announces plans to develop six more unique concepts in the UAE with a new seed funding round. Limestone Lab, the tech-enabled experiential hospitality group, which creates, builds, and manages unique concepts, has presently raised an amount of $1 million through a pre-seed round of investment, following raising $6 million in their initial round, which was used to develop their pilot projects,Social Distrikt, and their latest concept launching in 2022, Peaches and Cream. The current funding was used towards the conceptualization of four concepts, including the company’s pilot project, Social Distrikt, the newly launched urban food & bar hall located at The Pointe at the Palm Jumeirah.This was achieved by owning stakes as retained capital as development fee by fully funding the initial two concepts. As part of the development fee, the hospitality group has thus far doubled the initial investment raised of the two concepts, making it an attractive opportunity for future investors. Continuing to leverage their success, the innovative hospitality group has announced its plans to launch its Seed round in February with the aim of raising $2 million, to which the company will develop a second team to establish 6 additional, unique concepts to the market, with a disruptive approach to the traditional brick-and-mortar models for the F&B sector. Commenting on this, CEO and Co-Founder, Hassan shares, “Since the launch of Limestone Lab, we have witnessed a growing appetite from investors who resonate with our passion and vision, and as a result we have had the ability to raise investment at an exponential rate on our …

When the world hit pause on travel, IHG Hotels & Resorts saw an opportunity to reconnect and learn from its guests and owners. The company made big, bold investments, transforming its portfolio with exciting brands and creating richer experiences – all under a fresh IHG Hotels & Resorts masterbrand. As guests embark on a new era of travel and the industry continues to recover, the company turns to its pioneering loyalty program and is making one of its most significant investments to date. Over the last few years, IHG Rewards has continued to evolve to meet the needs of current and future members. World-class partnerships, such as exclusive stays with Mr & Mrs Smith, a growing brand portfolio, and dynamic Reward Night pricing have given guests greater value and flexibility. Today, IHG Rewards, the industry’s first and one of world’s largest hotel loyalty programs, is sharing the first of many changes that will be introduced in the coming months. The new tier and bonus point earning structure – which will go live during March – is designed to help members earn more points faster and have more ways to use them than ever before. These changes, the first in a series of enhancements, include: Introducing a new Gold Elite tier starting at 20 nights, with an industry-leading 40% bonus point structure Renaming of the ‘Spire Elite’ tier to ‘Diamond Elite’ to simplify member recognition and understanding of our highest tier, which will retain our best-in-class 100% bonus point structure Improving bonus point earn levels across all other Elite tiers   Keith Barr, Chief Executive Officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “If there’s anything that has united the world in the …

His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs, and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced the launch of ‘Boutique Group’, a new hospitality brand that will manage and convert a collection of iconic historic and cultural palaces in Saudi Arabia into ultra-luxury boutique hotels. The company will revive the vibrant heritage and culture of Saudi Arabia to create a new and unique hospitality experience. The first phase of the project will focus on the development of three historic palaces in cooperation with the private sector, including Al Hamra Palace that will offer 77 keys including 33 luxury palace suites and 44 luxury villas in Jeddah. Tuwaiq Palace will provide 96 keys including 40 luxury palace suites and 56 luxury villas. Whereas Red Palace will offer 71 keys including 46 luxury suites, and 25 luxury guest rooms. Both Tuwaiq and Red palace are located in Riyadh. Boutique Group will blend the Kingdom’s culture and heritage with modern amenities to provide an exclusive hospitality experience and a unique service to its guests, growing the Saudi ultra-luxury hospitality sector and contributing to the development of the local economy. The company will also offer many high-end experiences from dining to wellness to exclusive services for each guest. H.E. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of PIF, said, “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s launch of the Boutique Group underlines PIF’s mandate to unlock the capabilities of promising sectors in Saudi Arabia that can help drive the diversification of the economy and contribute to non-oil GDP growth. “The group will enhance the Kingdom’s already unique tourism offerings, strengthening Saudi …

EDITION Hotels premieres in Dubai’s iconic Downtown district, a stone’s throw from the city’s world-class retail flagships, commercial district and its flourishing art, design and culture hubs.  The Dubai EDITION is the brands latest addition in the Middle East following the success of its launch in Abu Dhabi. Welcoming guests since November 2021, The Dubai EDITION with its own unique and original identity, embodies its sense of place at the centre of a thriving international gateway city that is steered by pioneering spirit and innovation while anchored in its rich culture. It is no wonder that EDITION has debuted in one of the most exciting cities in the world.  The ban Designed in partnership with LW Design, The Dubai EDITION heralds a new generation of modern luxury and pays homage to Dubai’s passion to create something entirely new. The result is an elegant, vibrant, urban hub that undeniably encapsulates the essence of this inspired city and sets the bar for luxury of the future. The Dubai EDITION brings a new bespoke, boutique experience with the acute attention to detail and finesse that the EDITION brand is known for. From the outside, The Dubai EDITION stands tall within the Downtown district surrounded by world-famous attractions and landmarks. The green-filled entrance to the hotel is populated with bold terracotta pots transporting guests from the hustle and bustle to an oasis of calm. The clever landscaping continues throughout the hotel into the lobby, outdoor spaces and terraces, shaping intimate venues complete with lights beautifully woven through the gardens to create a playful dance at night. As with all EDITION hotels, the lobby is a dynamic, social space that subtly reveals a sense of …