Category Archives: Hotels

The two day summit held last week at Fairmont Palm Jumeirah, Dubai included an insight on Serviced Apartments, Extended Stay Hotels, Branded Residences and Short Term Rentals. This annual hospitality conference and exhibition for the sector attracted industry leaders and decision makers to gain a greater understanding of serviced apartments and other extended stay methods by the leaders.   With over 11 hours of allocated networking time they were able to welcome delegates, exhibitors, sponsors and speakers collectively providing a vibrant platform for interaction between owners, general managers, operators, investors and service providers.  

ResNet World has joined hands with Monopoly Hotels & Resorts to offer global reservations connectivity to independent hotels and national hotel groups. All hotels joining the Monopoly Hotels & Resorts Alliance Program will now have access to world-class Central Reservations System (CRS) connectivity, including a direct link to Synxis responsive hotel booking engine, via www.monopolyhotelsandresorts.com, which boasts the highest conversion rate in the industry, the most direct interface to Online Travel Agents (OTA) channels in the industry – allowing for 100% channel management from CRS back office, 100% Global Distribution System (GDS) connection through Sabre, Amadeus, Galileo, Travelport, DHISCO channels, and their 500,000 + travel agents and complimentary annual GDS audit for all Monopoly Hotels & Resorts/ResNet World hotel partners, full GDS related Request For Proposal & Consortia support, including access to Sabre’s preferred programs, unmatched level of customer support, with ResNet World completing data input on behalf of the hotel, frequent monitoring of real-time hotel performance, followed up with feedback to the hotel on how they can maximize their e-distribution revenues at any given time, automated monthly reports ensuring both ResNet World and the hotel are aware of ongoing revenue generation, 24/7 customer support across all time zones, with guaranteed same day response times and contractual terms guaranteed to match membership terms of Monopoly Hotels & Resorts. Targeting hotels, resorts, residences and inns, the collaborative partnership will help establish Monopoly Hotels & Resorts as the industry’s best alternate option to a traditional hotel franchise system – enabling hotels to maintain their own identity and operating independence, while benefitting from the peace of mind that comes with the support provided by Monopoly Hotels & Resorts.

Orange Suites Hotel Apartments, a 4-star hotel owned by Ahmed Sharif Company, has officially opened its doors in Juffair, Bahrain, under the patronage of His Excellency Shaikh Khalid Bin Humood Al Khalifa, CEO, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. The hotel is spread over 37 floors and includes 128 suites, as well as a wide variety of facilities that are suitable for families and ensure they have the highest level of privacy and comfort in a warm and stylish home environment. This is the first project to be launched by Ahmed Sharif Company’s hotels, under the umbrella of the Parkside Group. Commenting on the opening, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa stated that they are delighted to launch the Orange Suites Hotel Apartments which supports the development of the tourism infrastructure in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The addition of this hotel will increase the number of hotel apartments, which statistically is the preferred type of accommodation for the majority of family visitors and tourists. This is a significant juncture in the illustrious timeline of the Company as they take their initial step into the hospitality industry of the Kingdom. Orange Suites Hotel Apartments provides comfort and luxury unrivalled, delivering on the promise it holds to offer customers an experience like none other.

Dubai Parks and Resorts officially opened its doors to the public, also commencing the region’s first LEGOLAND® Dubai theme park and Riverland™ Dubai, the multi-themed dining and retail destination located at the heart of Dubai Parks and Resorts. LEGOLAND® Dubai will be open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, while Riverland™ Dubai will remain open from Sunday to Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 11 PM and from 10:00 AM to 12 AM from Thursday to Saturday. The ticket prices start from AED 430 (1 Day All Theme Parks hopper) and goes on to AED 6995 (Amazing VIP Annual Pass). The Bollywood Parks™ Dubai, LEGOLAND® Water Park and the Lapita™ Hotel will open on November 15, followed by MOTIONGATE™ Dubai on December 16. Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi, CEO of DXB Entertainments PJSC, the owner of Dubai Parks and Resorts said: “I’m immensely proud that today we start to welcome guests to Experience Amazing at this incredible new destination.  Riverland™ Dubai and LEGOLAND® Dubai will be unveiled for the very first time and offer unique experiences and entertainments that I genuinely believe will set the bar in this region.  Nothing of this magnitude has ever been done before and after three years of hard work it is a great honour to start to show our guests what we have achieved.  As the largest entertainment destination in the region, Dubai Parks and Resorts will support the UAE’s tourism vision and grow the family leisure industry in the region.” The project is a joint venture between Meraas Holding and DXB Entertainments PJSC. Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al …

Dubai’s holiday home sector is going from strength to strength, with the latest figures released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) revealing a total of 1,805 approved units to date, benefitting both homeowners and visitors to Dubai. In the short time since the introduction of updated regulations in May, a total of 109 homeowners submitted applications for a holiday home permit, of which 39 have now been approved, enabling them to enter the market. These join the 78 approved holiday home operators already doing business in Dubai, moving forward, Dubai Tourism anticipates further growth across the sector. To obtain a licence, homeowners must ensure their property meets the required quality, health and safety standards, while also offering all necessary amenities and guest services, as well as insurance coverage and wider community integration. Owners are also accountable for ensuring the property meets all legislative requirements and complaint management policies, and is accurately listed to visitors and sufficiently maintained. This growth is being driven by effective government regulations designed to increase competitiveness, transparency, safety and standardisation, and comes on the back of Dubai Tourism’s decision earlier this year to allow private homeowners to apply for a holiday home permit and start leasing their properties directly.

A team from Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, part of A.A. Al Moosa Enterprises and pioneered the concept of hotel apartments in the region, has returned from a recent trip to Germany to meet with key tour operators in a bid to increase inbound tourists from Germany to the property. German guests are one of the top source markets for Golden Sands Hotel Apartments and the trip was organised to strengthen ties with their key partners who were recognised for their continuous promotion of Dubai and the property to this segment. The team of Mohammad Khoori, General Manager and Nives Deininger, Director of Sales shared vital information about industry developments including packages for the upcoming winter season. Trophies of appreciation were also handed to several key partners such as Thomas Cook, TUI Deutschland, Meier’s Weltreisen, Dertour and FTI Touristik during the visit. The German market has played a significant role in the UAE’s developing tourism industry and tourists are still flocking to the country in large numbers. Tourists from this segment have an average stay of five to six nights in the emirate.

Marriott International together with Sabre Hospitality Solutions has unveiled a new distribution and booking solution, www.MarriottWholesalers.com, that provides thousands of authorized wholesalers, destination marketing companies, and tour operators access to real‐time rates and inventory for more than 4,200 Marriott properties around the world. The solution is part of Marriott’s strategy to transform the wholesale and leisure segment with technology and shift to dynamic rates and automated reservations, replacing antiquated processes for contracting, accessing inventory and booking hotel rooms. Approved wholesalers can now search real time hotel net rates and inventory globally to create tailor‐made packages for their customers. All hotel bookings are confirmed instantly online. The solution provides significant value to smaller wholesalers by removing the need for them to make a technology investment to gain direct, dynamic access to rates and inventory. The solution will make it more efficient than ever to distribute Marriott’s inventory to the broader leisure package segment. Wholesalers can establish or renew access in seven languages at MarriottWholesalers.com and once authenticated, they immediately have access to the booking engine.

Action Hotels, the owner, developer and asset manager of branded three and four-star hotels in the Middle East and Australia, has announced that it has secured a long-term, 92-year lease on a plot of land at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre for the development of a new four-star hotel.  The new hotel, which is expected to open in Q1 2018, will comprise 317 rooms and 14 apartments, making it the second largest hotel in Action’s portfolio. The hotel will be Action’s fourth property in Australia and third in Melbourne. The approximate total project cost is $69 million, which Action will fund partially through a new debt facility for the project and partially through existing resources. The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is the largest convention centre in the Southern hemisphere and currently accommodates over 5,500 delegates, last year hosting 1,030 events and attracting over 680,000 attendees.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Alshaya announced plans for a Four Seasons hotel in Kuwait. Located in downtown Kuwait City, Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya will open in early 2017 as part of Alshaya’s new Burj Alshaya mixed-use development. The 284-room Four Seasons Hotel will be located in the Burj Alshaya’s 22-storey Eastern Tower. The Hotel will become the newest addition to a collection of outstanding Four Seasons properties in the Middle East and North Africa region, where the company has been present for the past 16 years, and the latest property in a series of recent openings in the GCC, including Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Financial Centre and Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island. Featuring two soaring glass towers, the 140,000 square metre (1.5 million square foot) Burj Alshaya complex will combine modern architecture, avant-garde luxury and bold design cues to create a prestigious backdrop for business and a new focal point of the city’s elite social scene.  The luxurious Four Seasons address will offer both indoor and outdoor pools, creating an urban resort oasis complete with a poolside waterfall, lush greenery and outdoor cabanas. The Hotel will also feature a world-class spa, yoga studio and state-of-the-art fitness centre as well as two ballrooms and a range of conference and banqueting rooms able to welcome up to 2000 people.

Key players in Dubai’s tourism industry came together to mark the city’s milestone achievement of reaching 100,000 rooms across its expanding hotel and hotel apartment inventory following the soft opening of The Westin Dubai, Al Habtoor City. In attendance were His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), and Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor, Vice Chairman and CEO of Al Habtoor Group, together with Marriott International’s Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director Middle East and Africa, and Guido de Wilde, Chief Operating Officer Middle East. Commenting on the occasion, His Excellency Almarri said that for the hotel sector, high demand from international travellers, and the consequent growth in tourism volumes, has been the cornerstone of fostering continued investment in supply enhancement, which has seen us cross this historic 100,000 rooms threshold. This has been a journey undertaken collaboratively and achieved through the enduring strength of our public and private partnerships that underscore Dubai’s maturing prominence on the world stage.