Category Archives: Hotels

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts launched a worldwide campaign celebrating Global Meetings Industry Day (#GMID19), the annual celebration that profiles the importance of business meetings, events and incentive travel to individuals, businesses and communities around the world. The 2019 GMID campaign celebrates the people of Four Seasons whose skill, creativity and innovation create exceptional event experiences that go above and beyond the ordinary. “Our Four Seasons meetings and events teams are true masters of their craft, creating personalised, innovative events that make the extraordinary happen,” says Ben Trodd, Senior Vice President, Sales and Hotel Marketing, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “On Global Meetings Industry Day, we thank our partners for entrusting us with their most high-profile gatherings, and we also recognize the talented Four Seasons craftspeople who transform our properties and bring these events to life. Their dedicated efforts, creativity and passion continue to impress guests from around the world and ensure our clients trust and return to Four Seasons year after year.” From an exclusive Florentine palace dinner alongside the Duomo curated by Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, to a private mixology class led by one of the world’s leading mixologists at the renowned Fifty Mils bar in Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City, event planners have confidence in Four Seasons to create customised, unique events that are thoughtfully curated for any occasion. Meetings and events are an important business for Four Seasons, and property teams work seamlessly together to craft custom events that transform spaces, celebrate food and beverage craftsmanship and deliver Four Seasons service excellence. No event is identical, and Four Seasons continues to lead the industry by transporting events outside of traditional ballrooms and into the inspiring, expansive …

Airbnb announced that its global accommodation and experiences platform will be available in Arabic to enable its growing community across the Middle East and North Africa region to access an even more seamless travel experience. The localised web platform and iOS and Android apps are part of Airbnb’s ongoing commitment to the region and will further Airbnb’s mission to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere. All of the popular features of the Airbnb platform will be accessible in Arabic: listing pages with thousands of homes bookable for great stays, experiences around the world and lots of content on how to travel or host with Airbnb.  Airbnb has also released new data to show that across the Middle East and North Africa region more than 70,000 listings are now available to book on the Airbnb platform. As of 1 January 2019 in the UAE, 10,000 listings were available on the Airbnb platform and hosts in the UAE welcomed more than 145,000 guests from around the world – showing more than 63% year-on-year growth. Hadi Moussa, Regional Manager Middle East & Africa at Airbnb, said, “The Middle East and North Africa region is extremely important to us, so we are delighted to launch Airbnb in Arabic today. People from across the region have been using Airbnb since it was founded ten years ago to book magical travel experiences. We want to create a true sense of belonging for them by ensuring they can do so in their native language going forward.” Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said, “Our ongoing partnership with Airbnb helps Dubai maintain its global competitiveness in a highly digitised marketplace …

Bahwan Travel Group, the leading travel company in the Sultanate of Oman, has chosen to renew its technology agreement with Sabre Corporation. Under the new agreement, Bahwan Travel will benefit from Sabre’s latest technology and solutions to accelerate business growth in Oman and the region. This renewal provides Bahwan Travel with continued access to Sabre’s portfolio of innovative technology across the region, including its industry-leading Sabre Red 360 agency solution and the latest data analytics, personalisation and automation capabilities. “As online travel is growing year-over-year, it is imperative for us to invest in our online platform, and provide our customers with a more personalised and seamless travel shopping experience,” said Gururaj, General Manager, Bahwan Travel Group. “Sabre by far is the most advanced technology provider in the travel industry; its global expertise in online travel, impressive dedication, and scale of cutting-edge technology made it a logical choice to help us grow our business, be more efficient, and add value for customers.” “As travellers’ expectations rise in line with technology adoption, Bahwan Travel Group understands the role of technology in serving its tech-savvy travellers,” said Abdul-Razzaq Iyer, Vice-President, Sabre Travel Network Middle East. “Bahwan Travel has a strong vision for growth in the online space and we are working with the team to provide technology, expertise and best practices to build its competitive advantage as a leading online travel agency in the region.” Bahwan Travel Group will have access to Sabre’s marketplace of more than 420 airlines, 750,000 hotel properties, and hundreds of tour operators, rail, car and cruise providers, enabling it to sell personalised travel packages from suppliers all over the world. The agency accesses the marketplace through the new …

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has revealed its new all-suites brand, Atwell Suites, to thousands of IHG owners and operators at its Americas Investors & Leadership Conference in Las Vegas. The new upper-midscale hotel brand will target an estimated $18 billion industry segment with strong guest and owner demand. The Atwell Suites brand builds on IHG’s heritage of pioneering new growth opportunities for hotel owners and operators that better serve travellers. Through this strategy, IHG has successfully cultivated a dynamic portfolio of unique midscale and upper-midscale brands across the mainstream category including Holiday Inn Express, one of the industry’s fastest-growing brands catering to shorter, smarter stays; avid hotels; and best-in-class extended stay brands Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites, catering to stays of a week or more. Keith Barr, Chief Executive Officer, IHG, commented, “The Atwell Suites brand is tailor-made to meet the significant demand in the upper-midscale segment for a new all-suites brand. Our newest offer gives owners and guests something different to what’s out there today – a stylish suite with the flexibility for guests to work, socialise or explore over a four-to-six-night stay. As we focus on accelerating our growth, the brand will further extend our leading position in the mainstream space.” Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, Americas, IHG, commented, “IHG continues to be an industry leader in purposeful and effective hotel brand innovation that anticipates the needs of the market, owners and guests – ultimately delivering long-term value and high guest satisfaction. The Atwell Suites brand is the latest example of how we identify a new growth opportunity from deep traveller insights and collaborate with our owners to develop a new brand customised to better serve guests. This …

UAE-headquartered TIME Hotels has signed an agreement with Dubai-based Plan B Solutions, to offer its guests the opportunity of enrolling in the TIME Elite Club Membership. The cobranding loyalty programme has two tiers, the first being a complimentary level where would be members can enroll for free, by simply downloading the eliteclub mobile app and registering. Members can earn two points for every one US dollar spent in any participating TIME hotel and points can be redeemed, through the eliteclub e-commerce platform against gift certificates, retail products or cash vouchers, which can be spent at any TIME Hotel. “Elite Club is all about adding value to our proposition. Guests can earn points every time they stay or dine with us, which can be saved and redeemed at a later stage. Although we already have a very loyal customer base, we thought this was another way of saying thank you for their continued loyalty,” said Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels. The executive tier of the programme comes with an annual membership fee of AED 990, but opens the door to a world of advantages, including unlimited discounts of up to 50 per cent on F&B, free upgrades and up to 20 per cent discounts on rooms; AED 1,600 worth of complimentary voucher packages, containing free accommodation and breakfast, plus free access to 100 swimming pools and beach resorts for two people, at all hotels enrolled into the eliteclub loyalty scheme. “This loyalty programme also allows members to take advantage of considerable discounts and value-led offers, not only from TIME Hotels but from an extensive collection of bars, restaurants and experiences, as well as another 30 branded hotel partners across the globe,” …

A new hotel brand to the region was announced by Deutsche Hospitality, as the group gets set to launch the first Jaz in the City hotel in Deira, Dubai in 2022. Serving as a home away from home for music-aficionados of all genres, Jaz in the City places music in the spotlight through DJ sets and live acts, sweet sound installations, carefully compiled all-day play lists and Jaz Radio Stream, Recording Studio as well as music-minded staff and a dedicated Corporate Curator. Jaz in the City Dubai will be located within the Deira Enrichment Project under development by Ithra Dubai, a fully owned subsidiary of Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD). It will comprise of 253 guest rooms, 234 Intune rooms (standard), 13 Bass rooms (junior suites) and six Offbeat rooms (one-bedroom suites). It will also encompass a range of F&B offerings that include Soul Food Restaurant, Grill Bar & Restaurant, Hotspot Pool Bar and unique Jazz’ Roof Bar as well as an all-day dining outlet and Lobby Café. Meeting rooms and a dedicated well-being area will also be available to guests. Leading German hotel company, Deutsche Hospitality, announced its assertive worldwide expansion plans, aiming to grow its global portfolio from 150 to 250 properties by 2024. The Middle East will play a major part in this growth, with plans to introduce new hotels in UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia within the next year. Renowned for providing international hospitality of the highest professional level and combining the finest of German hotelier passion with international flair, Deutsche Hospitality is currently present in the Middle East with two Steigenberger and five IntercityHotel hotels. In addition, Deutsche Hospitality has also announced a complete relaunch …

Paramount Hotel Dubai, the first-ever property of Paramount Hotels and Resorts in the Middle East, is set to open in the third quarter of 2019. Developed using the same bold imagination, inspiring talent and creative process that has been perfected over Paramount Pictures’ 105-year history, the Paramount Hotel Dubai, located in Business Bay, is synonymous with entertainment and creativity. Offering timeless Hollywood elegance and an innovative guest experience, the hotel brings to life the contemporary Californian magic with their studio-inspired entertainment, sophisticated design, gourmet dining experiences, luxury shopping options, spa and additional world-class amenities. Following the true spirit of a movie set, the hotel staff are actually called ‘Paramount Cast Members’, for instance – the General Manager for the hotel is known as the Director. Transporting guests to the sets of Paramount Pictures’ timeless classics, Cast Members embody the different characters as they adapt and improvise off the service script to promise an impeccable experience. In true Hollywood spirit, the hotel houses 823 rooms and suites grouped into Studio, Scene and Stage Guest Rooms; Premiere Paramount Suites; one Producer Suite which comes with a private screening room and private hammam; and themed suites taking inspiration from Paramount Pictures. All 69 floors of the hotel have exclusive never seen before, behind-the-scenes photography from their movies. A true production, Paramount Hotel Dubai features exciting elements such as immersive video walls in the lobby, Paramount Screening Room, a Californian Pool Deck, PAUSE – a Wellness and Fitness Center, state of the art meetings and events facilities as well as their signature co-working Work/Play suites.

Emaar Hospitality Group launched a fully-integrated mobile app that covers all the hotel, hospitality and leisure experiences under the Group. With the single app, users will have seamless access to an extensive range of services including booking of hotels, restaurants, spas, golf and entertainment attractions using their mobile devices. The new app, available for download both on App Store and Google Play, replaces all the earlier Apps that were launched for the individual hotel brands and leisure attractions under Emaar Hospitality Group. Chris Newman, Chief Operating Officer, Emaar Hospitality Group, said, “The launch of the new Emaar Hospitality mobile app highlights our digital transformation focus to enhance the convenience of our guests. Replacing all the other Apps that we had launched years ago, the App further simplifies the user experience and serves as a single point source of information and to access various services. Guests from anywhere in the world can make informed decisions and plan every detail of the lifestyle choices they cherish across our hotels and leisure attractions.” With the Mobile App, guests can explore a comprehensive portfolio of hotel, hospitality and leisure services at Emaar Hospitality Group’s premium luxury hotel brand Address Hotels + Resorts, the upscale lifestyle brand Vida Hotels and Resorts, as well as leisure attractions such as the Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai Hills Golf Club and Dubai Marina Yacht Club. Guests can also access the services offered by Rove Hotels, developed as a joint venture of Emaar Properties and Meraas via the App. Booking restaurants under the hotels of Emaar Hospitality Group as well as the Spas is also effortless now. The App also enables guests to consider …

Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa unveiled its new hotel development pipeline with 14 hotels due to open in 2019 at the Arabian Travel Market 2019. By the end of 2019, Millennium Hotels and Resorts will be operating over 50 hotels in the Middle East and Africa, growing from 26 properties in 2016, which makes it the fastest growing hotel operator in the region. The additional 14 new hotels along with the existing portfolio of 40 hotels in the Middle East and Africa region will help grow tourism demand in the GCC including UAE, who will be hosting the World Expo 2020 and is expected to receive 25 million visitors in six months. “Our fast-developing hotel portfolio is geared to support the vision of the UAE government. This year, we will add 14 hotels, in addition to the 35 new hotels that are in the pipeline. In order to bring variety to the market and to offer customised hospitality offerings, we have introduced two contemporary products (Millennium Place and Studio M) to suit the varied budgets of our valued customers. The new brands will be showcased at the stand along with other existing properties in the Middle East & Africa region,” said Kevork Deldelian, Chief Operating Officer of Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa. Millennium Place will be known as the happier hotel brand in the Middle East introducing “Find Your Happy Place” as a tagline and will consistently strive to deliver a smile to its guests through different touch points in the guest’s and associates’ journey. It aims to create a unique and more personalised guest experience through focusing on various elements that make a …

The trade and promotion arm of Yas Island Abu Dhabi ‘Experience Hub’ announced a strategic agreement with Hotelbeds, the world’s leading business-to-business bedbank, which will result in a new and wider distribution of leisure and entertainment experiences to the international travel trade. The agreement was officiated during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, with representatives at the Yas Island stand were Experience Hub’s General Manager Marina Cipriano, and Vice President, Sales, Bruno Wiley. Hotelbeds was represented by Michael Lynden-Bell, Beyond The Bed Sales & Sourcing Director – MEAPAC at Hotelbeds,  and Mahesh Ammanath, Regional Sourcing Manager at Hotelbeds. Speaking about the signed agreement, Marina Cipriano, General Manager, Experience Hub, said, “Yas Island is now firmly established as a unique tourism destination which offers visitors to the UAE a diverse mix of leisure and entertainment, including three award-winning theme parks. Partnering with Hotelbeds will allow us to showcase Yas Island’s offerings to an even wider audience abroad and support our efforts to connect international markets to our one-of-a-kind destination.” Michael Lynden-Bell said, “We are very excited and pleased to confirm that a strategic agreement has been forged with Yas Island, one of the world’s fastest growing leisure and entertainment destinations. This news reflects our commitment to Abu Dhabi and the UAE as a whole, and demonstrates the confidence that partners, such as Experience Hub, place in our business-to-business bed and ancillary bank to access incremental and high-value clients”. Experience Hub will broaden its product distribution network and reach, driving increased awareness of Yas Island as a leisure and entertainment destination, while Hotelbeds – along with its Beyond The Bed division – will expand its offering beyond accommodation to include packaged …