Category Archives: Hotels

Marriott Bonvoy is kicking off a Week of Wonders from October 8 – 15, 2020. The celebration is aimed at bringing members joy and happiness by encouraging travel and providing an opportunity to experience the pleasures of travel in their own homes. Each day this week will feature a different Wonder with themes such as inspiration, comfort, discovery, rejuvenation and delight. These Wonders will include great travel offers globally at renowned brands that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio including The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W Hotels and Autograph Collection.  “We are all yearning for the time when we can freely travel again and explore the world,” said David Flueck, Senior Vice President, Global Loyalty, Marriott International. “With Week of Wonders, we are bringing our best offers, content and experiences across the entire Marriott Bonvoy portfolio to inspire travellers to dream of travel or recreate their favourite travel experiences at home.”

Aleph Hospitality announced its entry in to the Middle East market with the signing of its first hotel in Dubai.The 386-room five-star hotel, located on Sheikh Zayed Road adjacent to the museum of the future and minutes away from the Dubai World Trade Centre, is set to open in the second quarter of 2021 and will be internationally branded. The property has a full floor of meeting rooms as well as two restaurants, a pool and spa facilities. Commenting on the news, Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality, said, “We are very excited about the signing of the management agreement for our first hotel in the UAE and look forward to announcing the brand soon. After considerable success growing rapidly in Africa, we are now adding the Middle East to our focus. The strong demand we’re witnessing – even during the Covid-19 global pandemic – has proven that our model and the services we provide are the right solution for hotel owners and international brands alike.” “Given the current growth and our healthy pipeline, we are confident of achieving and very likely exceeding our target of 35 hotels by 2025,” added Haddad.

Speaking with TTME at a recent interview, Ravi Santiago, Cluster General Manager for the three properties in Ajman; Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Ajman, Ramada by Wyndham Beach Hotel Ajman, and Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche and Group Financial Controller for R Hotels stated, “We are blessed to enjoy 70% occupancy during the month of September, once the lockdown was lifted, we started implementing simple promotions that included some very attractive packages for the guests. This soon grew in number and we kept on ensuring that the guests had something more every time they would book with us. One of the key drivers of success was the staff that contributed every step of the way. We believed that a motivated staff is the way forward in the hospitality industry as it is service oriented, hence today we are very lucky to enjoy this success mainly due to the proactive initiatives by the owners and management. In fact, now we are hiring new staff for the properties in Ajman.” Once the lockdown was lifted, slowly the domestic tourists started their staycations, at first they started off with simple promotions to lure more domestic tourists in to the properties, soon, the hotels located in Ajman started receiving more guests which made them enjoy a really steady occupancy rate. When the first wave of the pandemic hit the industry, everyone was caught off guard, however, some were proactive in their approach to dealing with the hitherto known issue at hand hence, re-strategised a plan that would have a long term benefit overall that would ensure sustainability and smooth operations for a period yet to be known. The owners and the management team at …

Rixos Sharm El Sheikh re-opens its doors today with its transformation as the new adult refinement in Egypt for guests in search of a fun-packed array of activities, sweet respite, and relaxation. Guests can wallow in a perfect accommodation across elegantly decorated rooms and suites with an overlooking magnificence brought by the desert meeting the pristine waters of the Red Sea. The luxurious property offers scenery of garden setting and water appreciation of pool, Side Sea, or full sea landscapes. Start your memorable day with an energising jog, morning yoga, Pilates, or open-air gym. There’s more as you can engage in Sports Fests of Yoga, Zumba, Beach Volley, or Tennis, thrilling Kite surf and Scuba diving. Bed down and loosen up with rejuvenating spa treatments, massages, and baths to relieve bodily stress. Erkan Yildrim, Managing Director of Rixos Egypt said, “Going beyond the award received from Tripadvisor as the Number 1 Best All-Inclusive Hotel in Egypt and the Middle East, we aim to provide adult guests the well-deserved relaxation and enjoyment, a lineup of round-the-clock activities, and a momentary sweet escape away from work and pa-rental duties.”

Rotana revealed its newest five-star luxury property, Al Jaddaf Rotana, is on target to launch by November 2020. Despite the current challenging environment the world is facing, Rotana continues to strive forward with a firm development pipeline, and plans for Al Jaddaf Rotana will move ahead as scheduled. The hotel marks the group’s 35th property within the UAE. Guy Hutchinson, President and CEO of Rotana said, “It is with great pride that we announce Al Jaddaf Rotana will open its doors this November. Under Rotana’s strong leadership and its unwavering vision for the future, albeit one of the toughest years the global hospitality industry has ever faced, we remain dedicated to our expansion plans and commitment to continue offering guests comfortable and high quality spaces. Al Jaddaf Rotana, a property in the heart of Dubai, will truly encapsulate the Rotana way of living.” Haytham Omar, the newly appointed General Manager at Al Jaddaf Rotana says, “Our vision is to ensure each and every guest receives an exceptional combination of comfort and culture during their stay in Dubai. Our team’s passion, dedication and enthusiasm has enabled us to introduce a new hotel during what is truly a unique time for all, and we look forward to our impending opening, creating unique experiences for our guests.”

Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai has received another Stay Safe Certification audited by the StaySafe Hospitality. StaySafe provides a fresh approach to how hotels manage their risks. Developed and managed by hospitality professionals, the tools, audits and standards are all generated with a goal to continually improve the risk standards in the hospitality sector. Simon Moore, General Manager of Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai, said, “We are delighted to be recognised again by our trusted partner like StaySafe Hospitality. This achievement reflects the tremendous hard work and dedication that our team members have been putting in to meet always the high-quality standards of cleanliness, fire safety, food safety and security expectations of our guests. The comprehensive result enables us to benchmark and compare our procedures against the industry best practices as well as work on areas of improvement.” Moore further added, “Our guests safety and well-being is and always our utmost priority. Having a positive health and safety culture throughout the hotel helps to create a comfortable environment and we would like our guests to feel safe during their stay with us.” The Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai features 341 spacious rooms & suites, distinctive choice of restaurants and bars, meetings and event spaces such as magnificent Al Garhoud ballroom and outdoor garden area perfect for any type of large events and 7 meeting rooms with high-end meeting facilities for corporate meetings and conferences. The hotel also offers a range of leisure options including a superb large outdoor swimming pool, spa, saloon and fully-equipped fitness centre.

Accor is anchoring the upcoming Jewel of the Creek masterplan in Dubai, UAE, with a fully integrated urban Rixos resort focused on leisure, entertainment, sports and food & beverage. Earlier this year, Accor announced its strategic partnership with Dubai Developments to manage two properties, namely the Mövenpick Grand Al Bustan and Swissôtel and Swissôtel Living Al Murooj; The upcoming Jewel of the Creek will illustrate the third property signed in less than a year. “The recent development witnessed in the nearby Bur Dubai and Deira districts, with major facelifts and redevelopments initiatives, are expected to further elevate the surroundings and will be incredibly beneficial to existing hotels in the respective areas”, said Mark Willis, CEO of Accor Middle East & Africa. “We are the largest hotel operator in Dubai and our partnership with Dubai Developments highlights our common goal to strategically develop tourism and meet the demand of today’s travellers in Dubai”. “We see this project as the ‘Jewel’ of the Jewel of the Creek development”, said H.E EngEssa Al Maidoor, General Director Dubai Developments, “Once our elaborated and strategic improvement plan is complete, the project will offer all elements to bring a true Rixos product to the Dubai Creek area, which will appeal to a larger target audience and vastly distinguish itself from the competition”. “We are very pleased to introduce this new property into Dubai, as we increase the presence of the Rixos brand in the UAE” adds Willis. “This revolutionary project is expected to transform the Port Saeed area of Deira into a destination with a vibrant urban centre featuring residential, commercial, hospitality, sports and recreational components.”

Hotelbeds announced a strategic partnership with Thomas Cook following the acquisition of the brand by Fosun Tourism Group. Thanks to this collaboration Thomas Cook will gain access to more than 180,000 unique hotel properties in 140 countries worldwide, many of which are contracted under exclusive terms and conditions by a team of over 1,000 contracting professionals located in the most popular leisure destinations around the world. Thomas Cook joins Hotelbeds’ existing 60,000 travel trade buyers – such as tour operators, travel agents, airlines and points redemption schemes – who typically book further in advance, pay more per room, stay for longer, have lower cancellation rates and spend more at the property. León Herce, Global Sales Director at Hotelbeds said, “All of us at Hotelbeds are immensely pleased to see Thomas Cook relaunching and we’re delighted to be able to support their new model. Hotelbeds has the experience, technology and hotelier relationships available to help Thomas Cook attract travellers with the best possible service and hotel product. We look forward to watching it grow once again into one of Europe’s leading holiday brands.” Emma King, Head of commercial product added, “When we were developing our new Thomas Cook we wanted to offer our customers the widest possible choice of hotel accommodation – and to be able to do that quickly without the need for direct contracting. Our relationship with Hotelbeds as a strategic bedbank partner, gives our customers access to a huge portfolio of exclusive and competitively priced hotels worldwide. We’re only selling holidays to destinations on the UK government’s travel corridor list, including Turkey, Italy and some parts of Greece. We will update that once travel restrictions change or are …

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) adds a new neighbourhood to its boutique and lifestyle brand Hotel Indigo, the brand’s first ever hotel in India, GCC and Africa. The flagship property in the region will open its doors along the banks of the Dubai Creek, minutes away from Burj Khalifa. Set to open in October 2020, Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown is a stone’s throw from a number of iconic landmarks and attractions, including one of the world’s largest retail hubs, The Dubai Mall. Hotel Indigo properties offer a gateway to discover some of the world’s most inspiring locations. Each hotel brings the outside in; drawing from the local area to inspire every aspect of each hotel, from intriguing design to locally inspired menus. Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown is no exception, taking inspiration from the story of its neighbourhood areas to help guests feel part of the destination. For centuries, the Creek has been the city’s epicenter of trade. Visitors to the area can still see the hustle and bustle of this fascinating tradition, where the Dhows and Abras (wooden boats) are docked on the banks of the Creek. Boats still ferry throngs of people across the waterway, just like they did during the pearl boom of centuries ago. As the Creek winds its way through Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, vintage gives way to vogue, connecting the trading posts of old with modern architectural exuberance. In the distance sits D3, a nexus of art, design and innovation. “We are excited to be opening the first Hotel Indigo in the GCC, India and Africa.” said Laura Eggleton, General Manager, Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown. “As our first opening in the region, Hotel Indigo Dubai …

Nikki Beach Dubai started welcoming guests back to its Pearl Jumeirah location on Thursday, October 1. Following all government and industry standards for health, cleaning, sanitising and use of personal protective equipment, Nikki Beach Dubai will continue to update protocols as recommendations evolve. Utilising Nikki Beach’s ample and idyllic outdoor setting, tables and beds have been reconfigured in keeping with safe distancing guidelines. The location is the perfect spot for a delicious lunch paired with wide-open spaces, fresh air, sunshine and ocean views. Upon reopening, guests were invited to enjoy a menu of Nikki Beach’s globally inspired dishes prepared by Chef Kavish Chimajee and his team including the Saint Tropez Nicoise Salad, Nikki Beach’s Famous Chicken Satay, Blackened Salmon Tacos, the Marbella Spicy Tuna Roll and Angus Beef Sliders. Nikki Beach is the first and original luxury beach club concept that combines the elements of music, dining, entertainment, fashion, film and art into one. Today, as Nikki Beach marks over 20 years in business, the brand has grown into a global, multifaceted lifestyle hospitality brand with locations spanning locations including but not limited to Miami, USA; Saint Tropez, France; Saint Barth, Caribbean; Marbella, Spain; Costa Smeralda, Italy and a Hotels & Resorts division with properties in Porto Heli, Greece; Dubai, UAE and Santorini, Greece to name a few.