Category Archives: Hotels

Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts will open a property in the Middle East’s leading gateway for capital and investment, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Forming part of a mixed-use residential, retail and office-space development, Waldorf Astoria DIFC will feature 247 guest rooms, as well as a range of upscale dining options, spa and wellness facilities. Significant events space will include a grand ballroom and a further four meeting rooms, designed for social occasions and corporate events. Waldorf Astoria DIFC is expected to begin welcoming guests in autumn 2017, and will offer travellers timeless luxury and exceptional experiences in this bustling area of Dubai. The hotel will join a prestigious portfolio of 25 Waldorf Astoria properties operating in diverse global destinations such as Amsterdam, Beijing and New York. “Sound fundamentals underpin our luxury story in the Middle East, where we have seen exceptional growth in locations tailored for both leisure and business travellers,” said Carlos Khneisser, Vice President of Development, Middle East and North Africa for Hilton Worldwide. “I have long admired the role DIFC plays in the world of international investment, benefitting from its east meets west location and world-class trading framework. As an iconic luxury brand originating from New York, another centre of global finance, I am delighted that we will welcome Waldorf Astoria to this international hub.”

Conrad Hotels & Resorts opened its first hotel in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – the 438-room Conrad Makkah. Set in the heart of the Holy City and overlooking the Sacred Mosque, Al Masjid al Haram, and the Holy Kaabah, the hotel is designed for today’s smart luxury traveller, combining intuitive service with sophisticated, locally inspired surroundings. John T.A. Vanderslice, global head, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, said that Conrad creates inspired experiences for their guests in some of the world’s most sought-after destinations and they are delighted to open their first luxury hotel in the Holy City and begin welcoming pilgrims and guests. Rudi Jagersbacher, Area President, Middle East & Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said that the arrival of Conrad Hotels & Resorts to Makkah marks the addition of their second brand into the city and their 11th hotel into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With another 28 Hilton Worldwide properties in development, they are extremely proud to offer incredible variety and choice for travellers to the region. Conrad Makkah connects guests to a world of style in 438 elegant rooms, including 62 suites in two towers. For an exquisite stay, the luxurious suites – ranging from 56 square meters to 247 square meters for the Royal Suite – have a separate living area, a comfortable dining space with a kitchen, access to a private butler service, and direct views of Al Haram and the Holy Kaabah. The hotel also features stunning interior décor inspired by both modern and traditional Islamic design and complemented by contemporary art works.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide signed an agreement with Saudi Real Estate Company (Al-Akaria) to open two new hotels in Riyadh. Scheduled to open in 2022, The Westin Riyadh and Element Riyadh will feature a combined 632 rooms. These signings mark the return of the Westin flag to Saudi Arabia and the first Element in the country. The properties will be a part of a mix-use development in the vicinity of the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), in the heart of Riyadh. Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East stated that Saudi Arabia remains one of their strongest growth markets in the region and they were thrilled to be strengthening their presence in the country with two new hotels together with Al-Akaria.  As one of the Middle East’s key business hubs, Riyadh is an increasingly popular destination for regional and international travellers and a great choice for the expansion of their Westin and Element brands. Starwood operates 53 hotels and resorts across the Middle East under eight of the company’s ten distinct lifestyle brands including: The Luxury Collection, St. Regis, Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, Le Méridien, Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft. With a pipeline of over 40 hotels, the company is on target to operate 100 hotels in the Middle East by 2020.  Saudi Arabia remains Starwood’s second largest market in the region with 10 operational hotels and 13 properties in the pipeline.

Corinthia and Meydan Group have entered into a strategic relationship to support the design development and operate the iconic resort property being built on the site of the former Meydan Beach Club. The Corinthia at Meydan Beach will comprise 300 bedrooms and 60 high-end serviced apartments when it opens for business in 2019. Its grand architecture features a stepped podium wrapping around lavish, landscaped pools and gardens cascading onto the beach, and offers extensive indoor and outdoor leisure and dining facilities, a luxury Spa, a club and banqueting amenities. A 55-storey tower comprising residential apartments, bedrooms, suites and entertainment zones will sit atop one side of the podium, commanding views of some of the most spectacular sights in Dubai, including the Palm Island and the Dubai Eye under development across the waters.

Dusit Hotels and Resorts announces the signing of a technical design agreement with ACES Property Development to bring a new hotel apartment project under the DusitPrincess brand to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The agreement was formalised at a signing ceremony recently held at the Dusit Thani Bangkok presided over by executives from both companies, including Dusit’s Group Chief Executive Officer Suphajee Suthumpun and Founding Director of ACES, Kashif Shahzad.  The DusitPrincess ACES Dubai will be located in the Jumeirah Village Circle, in close proximity to the new Al Makhtoum International Airport, the Palm Jumeirah, and other exciting shopping and entertainment venues. Full details will be released at the project’s groundbreaking ceremony to be held soon.

Rotana has announced that 16 of its hotels in the United Arab Emirates, representing nearly 50 per cent of the company’s portfolio in the country, have obtained the ISO 14001 environmental management certification. ISO 14001 is an international standard that provides a set of standardised requirements for environmental management systems. The independent, third-party certification audit was conducted by Bureau Veritas, a global leader in conformity assessment and certification services. Commenting on the achievement, Rotana’s Chief Operating Officer, Guy Hutchinson said that the social, economic and legal arguments for taking action on environmental issues are becoming more persuasive and more widely requested by different stakeholders. Rotana hotels around the world are taking various initiatives for the sake of the environment under our global sustainability platform Rotana Earth. Now, they have gone one step further by adopting the internationally-recognised ISO 14001 environmental management standard in their hotels, and are extremely proud that as many as 16 Rotana hotels in the UAE have successfully implemented and achieved this certification.

Hilton Worldwide has announced signing of a management agreement with United Tower Real Estate to open DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bahrain Dilmunia Island.This will be located at the Dilmunia Island project, currently under development off the coast of Bahrain. Featuring 237 serviced apartments, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bahrain Dilmunia Island will offer a mix of studio, one and two bedroom apartments. Carlos Khneisser, vice president of development, Middle East & North Africa, said: “With more than 70% of our Middle East pipeline currently under construction, Hilton’s presence is growing rapidly across the region. The project at Dilmunia Island will be an addition to the Hilton portfolio in the Middle East.” Guests will be able to choose from three dining outlets including an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby café and a pool café. Leisure facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a spa, health club and salon. For business guests, the hotel will offer four meeting rooms, a boardroom and a business center. Hilton now features three properties across its Bahraini development pipeline, in its Hilton Hotels & Resorts and DoubleTree by Hilton portfolio. There are more than 67 properties currently under development in the Middle East, which will more than double the existing portfolio size over the next few years.

Qatar-based Al Sawari Holding, with interests across hospitality, real estate and education sectors has signed an MoU and management agreements to mark its entry into India. The collaborations were formalised on the occasion of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Qatar. The MoU was been signed by H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of Al Sawari Holding and Al Faisal Holding and Vivek Nair, CMD, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. Under this agreement, the Al Sawari Group will purchase a 6 acre site from The Leela Group in Agra to develop a hotel complex. This will include two hotels – a-100 room Leela Palace Hotel and a 150-room Aiana Hotel on the same plot. Al Sawari Holding has also entered into management agreements with both the Leela Group as well as Aiana Hotels and Resorts to operate the respective hotels. The land is located less than one kilometre from the Taj Mahal. “Qatar has a long history of bilateral relations with India and there is a lot of synergy between the two cultures. We are delighted to enter into these landmark agreements with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts and Aiana Hotels and Resorts during the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Qatar. We are confident that Al Sawari Holding’s foray into the Indian hospitality industry will further enhance the economic and culture relations between the two countries”, said Thani. The two new hotels will offer a host of signature restaurants and lounges along with spacious banquet halls and state of the art health centres and spas. Both hotels will cater to the upmarket leisure tourists and the MICE segment. Construction is expected to …

Wyndham Dubai Marina, the first Wyndham Hotels and Resorts hotel in the UAE has launched its premium casual grill restaurant and bar, Range. The new southern style grill restaurant is set to make a significant addition to the Dubai Marina social scene with its extensive Louisiana and TexMex menu, lively atmosphere and a number of themed nights to choose from. Range offers a selection of the finest beef cuts all the way from Green Bay in the State of Wisconsin in America and Margaret River in Australia. Sourced from the highest quality breed and grade of beef, cuts range from Texas T-bone steak, New York sirloin steak, Tomahawk steak to Australian tenderloin fillet. Those with a sweet tooth can indulge in a number of treats from the Sweet Temptations menu. Desserts include the key lime pie with passion fruit sorbet, mouth-watering marbled pineapple cheesecake served with cinnamon wafers and clotted cream and a delicious warm sticky toffee pudding filled with chocolate croquants accompanied with sweet butter-scotch sauce. Range showcases an innovative menu for meat lovers as well as those who prefer seafood or lighter dishes. Not only is this restaurant an ideal spot for in-house guests, it also takes prime position in the Dubai Marina for the local community looking for a new eatery.

Millennium Plaza Hotel Dubai, along Sheikh Zayed Road, announced that the 65-storey tower will undergo renovations of its lobby, which is expected to be completed in September. The new lobby design will feature understated luxury with modern amenities and warm interiors that exude a relaxing welcoming to guests. Guests will be welcomed by new decor and design elements as they enter the lobby. Each zone of the lobby such as the main lobby area, welcome desk, and restaurant area will be intended to create an inviting space that ultimately promotes socialization. The new lobby also offers different seating options to meet a variety of needs. Family and friends can find new gathering areas to socialize, while business travelers can find a quiet corner to check emails and return calls.