Category Archives: Hotels

Radisson Hotel Group has announced the signing of six hotels in Egypt as part of a portfolio deal across a number of its brands. The agreement was signed with existing business partner Zaghloul Holdings, a Cairo-based business conglomerate operating in real estate, contracting, tourism, commercial retail, entertainment and sports investment industries. The six hotels, namely, Radisson Collection Hotel Cairo Heliopolis, Radisson Blu Serviced Apartments Cairo Heliopolis, Radisson Blu Hotel Cairo Golf City, Radisson Hotel New Cairo, Radisson Hotel & Resort Ain Sokhna and Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort Makadi Bay, Hurghada will mean Radisson Hotel Group becomes one of the largest international operators in the country. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “Egypt has historically been one of the most visited countries in North Africa and we strongly believe in its tourism industry in the long run. These hotels will make a great contribution to the local employment and we thank our partner Zaghloul Holdings for their continued trust and for their contribution towards promoting tourism in the country. We are further pleased to introduce two new brands to Egypt, Radisson Collection, positioned as the premium lifestyle and affordable luxury brand and Radisson as an upscale hotel brand.” Hazem Zaghloul, Owner, Zaghloul Holdings, said, “We have ambitious investment plans for the tourism sector in Egypt. We are confident in the future outlook for the sector with positive forecasts of increased visitor numbers and the significant investment in the tourism infrastructure of Egypt. We are also pleased to strengthen our relationship with Radisson Hotel Group and look forward to continuing our successful relationship.”

Leva Hotels has launched a four-star property on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. The new hotel consists of 178 rooms with chic interiors, custom designs and fittings, luxurious bedding and fine furnishing. Tucked between Al Wasl Road and Sheikh Zayed Road, Leva Hotel Apartments occupies one of the most enviable addresses in Dubai. Located in Mazaya Centre, Leva stands in the midst of celebrated tourist attractions like City Walk and oversees Burj Khalifa as well as The Dubai Mall. Catering to the modern traveller who seeks comfort, service and value, Leva understands the needs and requirements of modern guests who look for unforgettable experiences tailor made for them and will rate experience over expense. J S Anand, Chief Executive Office, Leva Hotels said, “We are delighted to announce that Leva Hotel is ready to take its guests on a journey of unmatched hospitality. At Leva, we believe in offering our guests with experiences that stay with them. An excellent experience is what wins a guest over and creates value for them, and good value creates its own market.”

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has opened the company’s 100th hotel in region, Wyndham Garden Dammam in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This milestone follows several other significant openings in 2018 across the region, including new hotels in the United Arab Emirates, India and three additional hotels in Saudi Arabia, further strengthening the diverse offering of brands and destinations. Ignace Bauwens, Regional Vice President—Middle East, Eurasia and Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said, “We are exceptionally proud to have reached the incredible milestone of 100 hotels in the Middle East, Eurasia and Africa region with our latest opening in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With a wide footprint of hotels, significant diversity of brands and a robust pipeline in place, our mission is to make hotel travel possible for all. Reaching 100 hotels in the region marks another important step in our quest to  offer travellers unique and authentic experiences, wherever and however they want to travel. Growth will continue to be our focus in 2019 and beyond, as we expand our footprint further and continue to bring more hotel choice across the entire region.” Wyndham Garden Dammam opened its doors in December 2018. Marking the introduction of the Wyndham Garden brand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the opening further strengthened Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio in this key growth market, now including 15 operational hotels and over 2,300 rooms. Located in the heart of Dammam, Wyndham Garden Dammam offers a variety of rooms, suites and apartments and a fully-equipped female and male health club, as well as a restaurant, café and executive lounge.

Rotana has signed a hotel management agreement with Al Ibaa Company to operate a five-star property in Baghdad. It will operate the city’s famed Babylon Hotel under its new brand name Babylon Rotana Baghdad. With a prime location next to the high-security Green Zone, close to the banks of the famous Tigris River and just 30 minutes’ drive from Baghdad International Airport, Babylon Rotana will offer long and short-staying guests alike all the comfort required for a pleasant and memorable stay experience. Boasting avant-garde architecture, the hotel features 284 spacious and modern rooms and suites with stunning views of Baghdad’s skyline and the majestic Tigris River. Imad Al Yasri, Chairman, Al Ibaa Company, commented, “It gives us immense pleasure to partner with Rotana to operate our five-star property in Baghdad, and we are excited about the planned upgrade and refurbishment of the hotel. We are confident that the partnership with Rotana will present a compelling value proposition for our guests, employees, and stakeholders, and further drive our business growth. We look forward to working closely with Rotana to enhance the overall performance of the hotel, thereby contributing to the development of a thriving hospitality market in the capital city.” Guy Hutchinson, Acting CEO, Rotana, said, “At Rotana, we are delighted to have made a strong start to the New Year with the signing of the agreement to operate the Babylon Rotana Baghdad. This new milestone is closely aligned with our vision to further deepen our footprint in the region and cement our leadership position in the hospitality sector.”

Luxury residential and hospitality property developer Seven Tides has confirmed Barceló Hotel Group as the new operator of its five-star DUKES Dubai, located on the west trunk of Palm Jumeirah. The hotel will be rebranded as DUKES Dubai – A Royal Hideaway Hotel and will become the first property in the region under the Royal Hideaway Luxury Hotels & Resorts brand which features unique destination hotels connected with art and culture as well as authenticity, detail and discretion. The Spanish hospitality group assumed operations of the Palm Jumeirah hotel following the signing of a management agreement recently in Dubai between Abdulla bin Sulayem, CEO, Seven Tides and Jaime Buxó, Chief Development Officer, Barceló Hotel Group. Commenting on the new agreement, Sulayem said, “Barceló Hotel Group has been appointed to manage DUKES Dubai because it is a dynamic and flexible hospitality company, operating 249 hotels across 22 countries, with a wealth of experience, running luxury international resorts and most importantly, fulfilling guest expectations. The group also has its own wholesale and retail travel division incorporating 700 travel agencies on four continents, so we are also confident that they will be able to develop new niche markets for DUKES Dubai, as well as optimising our position in the key international markets.” Barceló Hotel Group currently operates 54,000 rooms in 22 countries worldwide. Jaime Buxó, Chief Development Officer, Barceló Hotel Group, said, “Our partnership with Seven Tides further reinforces our growth strategy to expand our footprint across the UAE and indeed the Middle East over the next five years. The hotel is a stunning addition to Barceló’s growing luxury portfolio. Guests will experience first-class service coupled with exceptional facilities and vibrant surroundings on the …

Millennium Hotels & Resorts has launched the ‘TooMooH’ Internship Development tier as part of the ‘TooMooH’ programme, – a concerted programme to accelerate Emiratisation and promote regional talent and leadership development in the hospitality sector. This programme aims to integrate UAE nationals into the booming hospitality sector and boost their presence in the job market. According to Alpen Capital’s latest report on GCC Hospitality Industry 2018, the UAE hospitality market is expected to reach $7.6 billion by 2022 at a five-year CAGR of 8.5 per cent (2017-2022) and international tourist visits are expected to grow at a five-year CAGR of 4.3 per cent to 25.5 million while the hotel supply is expected to grow at a five-year CAGR of 6 per cent to 183,718 hotel rooms. These additional hotels will require a large hospitality professional talent pool. However, without the engagement and employment of local talent, hoteliers would find it difficult to manage such a large industry with just foreign professionals. The TooMooH Internship Development Programme (TIDP), part of the recently launched TooMooH initiative by Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA, is aimed at increasing local employment in the hospitality industry and the overall private sector and designed for UAE national undergraduate students to gain work exposure. The duration of TIDP could range from three to six months. As part of the initiative, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA will partner with local colleges and universities to provide UAE national students with a comprehensive programme to support their enhancement of knowledge and skills, thus contributing positively to the hospitality industry and the country. “The Arabs are globally known for their warm hospitality tradition. However, the hospitality industry in the Arab world is …

AccorHotels has announced the soon-to-be-opened Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City. As the first and only premium accommodation in Media City, within the upcoming Innovation Hub and in close proximity to Internet City, the hotel will appeal to professionals in search of connectivity and convenience, as well as the lifestyle requirements of leisure guests with opportunities to explore the vibrant urban city. Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City features 235 guestrooms and suites starting in size from 46 square metres upwards to 94 square metres. The hotel also boasts a fully equipped convention centre, completely unprecedented for the area, with a resplendent ballroom that can cater upwards to 800 guests. Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City is in close proximity to Sheikh Zayed Road, the longest road in the United Arab Emirates as well as Nakheel and Internet City metro stations, and business hubs such as Media City and Jebel Ali Free Zone. Guests will also enjoy the convenience of being close to the heart of the city’s commercial activity as well as renowned attractions such as the Mall of the Emirates and the Palm Jumeirah located just a short drive away. The property’s General Manager, Alfio Bernardini shares, “We are delighted to soon unveil the latest addition to the Mövenpick portfolio. Grand Plaza’s unique positioning, central location and exemplary facilities will serve to provide the best experiences for both business and leisure travellers. Every element of the property has been designed in line with our brand promise – ‘we make moments’.”

During a recent media tour, Christian Palacin, General Manager, Millennium Atria Business Bay announced that the hotel is set to welcome guests from February 14, 2019. Several members of the media had a sneak peek of the 347-room hotel apartments at the tour and were given a preview of the rooms, dining outlets and facilities including the infinity pool and gym located on the 25th floor. Millennium Atria Business Bay will offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedrooms, and duplex apartments that are designed by internationally-acclaimed interior design company YOO Studio. The 30-storey property is the first hospitality venture of Deyaar Development PJSC, a leading property development and real estate services company in the UAE. The opening will come in phases with the first six floors to open on February 14 and the rest in the next three months. Each apartment is fully furnished with views of the iconic Burj Khalifa, Dubai Stables or Dubai Water Canal. “We look forward to the opening of this property which is a nice addition to the Millennium brand in the UAE. The Millennium Atria Business Bay is an interesting product with an excellent location, good size of the apartment, unique design, top-class furnishing. We have been rated as a deluxe hotel apartment classification by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing,” noted Palacin.

Ethiopian Airlines has recently inaugurated a state-of-the-art passenger terminal and its Skylight Hotel in the presence of FDRE Prime Minister H E Dr Abiy Ahmed, African Union Chairperson H E Moussa Faki, ministers, high level government officials, Ethiopian Airlines’ Board Members, Ethiopian Airlines’ Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam, Executive Management Members and invited guests. After presiding over the ribbon-cutting event at the new Skylight Hotel, the largest in Ethiopia, Dr Ahmed, accompanied by AU Chairperson and other dignitaries, toured the hotel’s facilities including the spacious executive suites. At the passenger terminal inaugural event that ensued, Ahmed remarked, “Ethiopian Airlines is our national pride and a special icon among our companies as it carries our common name Ethiopia and our national flag. We would like all employees of the airline here and elsewhere to know that we speak of you with pride. The new hotel will enable us to attract tourists, and the airline’s offer for employees to own shares of the hotel is important as it boosts sense of ownership among staff, and will serve as a model for other companies to emulate.” Addressing the gathering at the inauguration ceremony, GebreMariam said, “This grand terminal building is further evidence of the development of Bole Airport as one of the largest and most convenient global aviation hubs. Ethiopian Skylight Hotel will enable the airline to offer packaged tour and travel programmes. Moreover, the hotel will enable Ethiopian Airlines to attract around a third of tourists out of the 6 million passengers transiting through Bole Airport to visit Ethiopia.” The new passenger terminal features the latest technology security systems, self-check-in machines, self-boarding system, comfortable lounges, duty free shops and other amenities. Ethiopian Skylight Hotel has 373 …

OYO Hotels has announced partnership with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. OYO will provide the ministry access to its technology suite, which includes OYO OS and Krypton technologies, to enable them to deliver an enhanced hospitality experience in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. With this initiative, the company has affirmed its commitment to support Saudi Arabia’s vision in 2030 to increase the number of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to 30 million annually, and leverage technology to help ensure that thousands of pilgrims have access to quality, affordable accommodations during their visit to the holy shrine. The MoU was signed in the presence of His Excellency Dr Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, Minister of Hajj and Umrah and Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO, OYO Hotels and Homes. OYO’s signature OS technology suite is an operating system that will assist the ministry in managing inventory, procurement, as well as, provide for express check-ins and check-outs in the accommodations under its purview. The OS further offers apps for housekeeping and audits while introducing solutions for multiple accommodation management aspects like expense management, staff training and engagement along with performance management for the hotel staff. All these facets come together to deliver technology-driven efficiency for living spaces. Krypton is OYO’s mobile audit app that enables the timely audit of properties while assuring an excellent guest experience. Under the MoU, OYO will work with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in enhancing, implementing and auditing the aspirational standards for affordable and quality accommodations in existing buildings in the holy city of Makkah, through the use of technology and proprietary applications. In the process, OYO’s technology …