Category Archives: Hotels

This picturesque oasis is first of its kind in the UAE with a unique design inspired by traditional Emirati heritage. It is the ultimate desert experience nestled in Al Badayer desert’s burnt orange dunes, which are famously known to be ‘made for adventure’. Al Badayer is one of the most popular tourist areas in Sharjah and the UAE, favoured by dune bashers, camping enthusiasts and international tourists flying in to savour authentic Emirati experiences. In 2017, Shurooq began an ambitious AED130 million project to raise Sharjah’s profile as a destination for luxury ecotourism and its vast natural diversity through the ‘Sharjah Collection’. With Al Badayer Oasis now on the tourism market, all three of the Sharjah Collection’s high-end boutique destinations – the Kingfisher Lodge in Kalba, Al Faya Lodge close to the Fossil Rock area in Mleiha and Al Badayer Oasis in Al Badayer Desert – have met Shurooq’s projected two-year completion timeline. HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman of Shurooq, said, “Through this eco-oasis, Shurooq aims to advance responsible tourism practices and wildlife conservation in the UAE and Sharjah, and to support the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority’s (SCTDA) Sharjah Vision 2021, which is to attract 10 million tourists into the emirate”.  Simon Coombs, President & CEO of Shaza Hotels, stated, “We are delighted to expand our presence in the UAE with a unique property like Al Badayer Oasis, another successful project with Shurooq. We are thrilled for this partnership and look forward to delivering unparalleled experiences to Sharjah.”

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a Management Agreement with Al Rawabi Regional Company for Hotels Resorts and Tourism Ltd., to open InterContinental Durrat Al Riyadh next year. The converted property will reside on 154,000 sqm of lush green oasis, offering a refuge of relaxation. The urban resort will feature 152 well-appointed rooms and 10 private chalets, offer an array of facilities including five dining options, a kids’ club and miniature golf. Guests focused on wellness and rejuvenation can take advantage of the outdoor and indoor pool, a gym, a tennis court and a spa. Additionally, the hotel will feature a business centre, seven meeting rooms and a banquet room to cater to the demands of the MiCE and corporate segments. Speaking on the announcement, Pascal Gauvin, Managing Director, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG, said, “IHG has a strong foothold and reputation in the luxury segment through our flagship brand, InterContinental, which has enjoyed great success in Saudi Arabia over the last four decades. We look forward to continuing this legacy with the opening of InterContinental Durrat Al Riyadh.” Waleed J Tawfik, CEO of Al Rawabi Regional Company for Hotels Resorts and Tourism Ltd., added, “We are delighted to sign this agreement with IHG, which is a trusted and pioneering name in the Saudi hospitality sector, given its long legacy. We believe that InterContinental is the ideal choice to cater to the needs of both business and leisure guests.”

Marriott International Inc. announced that it has signed an agreement to introduce the iconic St. Regis brand to Oman. Expected to open in 2022, the 271-room St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort is planned to rise on a prime beachfront plot within Oman’s lifestyle and leisure destination, Al Mouj Muscat. The project also includes plans for 170 branded residential units, which are expected to include a mix of apartments, penthouses and townhouses.  “The signing of St. Regis in Oman is a natural progression for the brand’s portfolio, as the brand continues to become one of the most recognised and sought-after luxury hotel brands in the region,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East & Africa for Marriott International. “We are thrilled to bring this significant project to Oman, especially to this strategic location in one of the most desired waterfront masterplans in the city of Muscat.” Plans for The St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort envision a retreat for leisure travellers, with panoramic views over the Gulf of Oman to the front, and lush green landscapes of the Al Mouj Muscat golf course to the rear. Guests are expected to have access to an accomplished portfolio of leisure amenities in the Al Mouj Muscat community, including a planned 360-berth marina with attractive retail and dining options, as well as a clubhouse with watersport activities.

When it comes to modern meetings, the rulebook has been thrown out the window and delegates have changing expectations. Boardrooms can often be stifling environments, filled with a range of emotions, from boredom to tension and frustration, leaving the question, how can we break out of the ‘bored-room’ and get the most of our meetings? The answer is IHG’s Unique Meetings, a portfolio of one-of-a-kind event spaces and experiences designed specifically for those looking for non-traditional meetings that are conducive to productivity, creativity and collaboration. Unique Meetings offer more than just four walls and were introduced to cater to the changing expectations of event attendees, who are looking for memorable experiences and stand-out venues. Whether it’s a tropical beach or a Bedouin tent, IHG provides alternative settings for business gatherings and has a team of event planners to assist with organising meetings and conferences that take advantage of the surroundings and leave guests with a long-lasting impression.

UAE-headquartered hospitality company, TIME Hotels, has launched a new health and wellness initiative – ‘Healthy You. Healthy World’ – across all of its properties in line with its Tomorrow’s World Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.  As part of the initiative, TIME Hotels has expanded its offering of fitness and wellness activities, introduced a new health conscious menu and participated in a wide variety of activities to help promote healthy lifestyles for both employees and in-house guests.  At TIME Oak Hotel & Suites, an aqua fitness programme for female senior citizens has been introduced, taking place daily from 7 am to 9 am; while at TIME Ruby Hotel Apartments boxing classes are taking place twice a week for members and in-house guests; and at TIME Grand Plaza swimming lessons are available for both adults and children – taking place seven days a week between 8 am and 9 am. Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels, said, “Every year TIME Hotels participates in a range of activities to raise awareness of several important regional and global initiatives while also taking the opportunity to support the health and wellness of both our employees and of course our guests. Everything we do is focused on having a positive impact and creating a legacy which generations will be able to learn from for many years to come.” Adding to this, Mugs & Munch, a pastry café and lobby lounge, has created a new healthy menu with a focus on fresh and locally sourced ingredients. Awadalla shared, “Creating a menu which offers interesting and healthy food options, with a focus on fresh and local ingredients, is incredibly important to us as we continuously work to broaden our …

Guests visiting Arambrook between October 25 – 27, have the opportunity to attend the 4th Annual Art Franschhoek Festival, a showcase of a range of local artwork, ceramics and sculptures. A highlight of this year’s Art Franschhoek, and a first for the valley, is an exhibition entitled ‘Masterpieces from Franschhoek Private Collections’. Hosted by Ebony/Curated’s Bordeaux House Gallery, this is a unique once-off and exclusive display of exquisite artworks on loan from private owners for one weekend only. With the recent opening of two major international art museums in the city, it is not hard to believe that Cape Town has a long and rich art history with an eclectic offering of contemporary and traditional African Art. The luxury boutique hotel Arambrook is situated alongside the Liesbeck River, an ideal base for a cultural treasure hunt. Located within close proximity to the hotel, explorers will find Norval Art Foundation, a centre for art and cultural expression. The Norval Art Foundation sits adjacent to Table Mountain National Park and exhibits 20th and 21st century pieces from both local and international artists. Another recommended stop on the art trail is The Kalk Bay Modern. Situated above the famous Olympia Bakery with arguably the best view of Kalk Bay Harbour and False Bay, Kalk Bay Modern is dedicated to supporting an eclectic mix of emerging young South African talent, as well as established and well-known names. The gallery also holds one of the largest collections of contemporary San art from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.  Alternatively, the Montebello Design Centre, located in Newlands, is one of Cape Town’s best kept secrets with twenty-five arts and craft studios and workshops, for you to explore. 

Hilton Worldwide in a management agreement with His Excellency Abdullah Al Neyadi announced the launch of Hampton by Hilton Dubai Al Barsha, the second location for the mid-market brand in Dubai, following the success of the first Hampton by Hilton located in Al Qusais, near Dubai International Airport. His Excellency Abdullah Al Neyadi said, “The additional development will further diversify Dubai’s hospitality landscape in line with the Government of Dubai’s vision of increasing the number of affordable offerings for guests visiting the UAE closer to Expo 2020.” Rudi Jagersbacher, Area President, Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, said, “In line with Dubai’s vision of attracting 20 million tourists by 2020, we expect an increase in affluent middle-class tourists that look for true value in their hotel experiences without compromising on quality.” The bright and modern 153-room hotel is located in the Al Barsha district which is popular with business and leisure travellers given its ease of access to multiple commercial areas of Dubai such as Downtown Dubai, Internet City and the Jebel Ali Free Zone. The hotel also enjoys close proximity to Sharaf DG metro station which is only 350 metres away as well as major tourist attractions, including the Mall of the Emirates which is just one kilometre away from the hotel site.

Palladium Hotel Group will be the new official sponsor of Real Madrid Basketball. The Santiago Bernabéu stadium hosted the presentation of the agreement in the presence of the President of Real Madrid C.F., Florentino Pérez, and the CEO of Palladium Hotel Group, Abel Matutes Prats. The agreement, whereby Palladium Hotel Group will sponsor the shirt of Real Madrid Basketball’s first and second team, was confirmed with the signature of the directors and will be in force for the next three sports seasons. Perez referred to the agreement, “Today is a very important day for our basketball section. We link the real Madrid name to a prestigious company that will help us to be stronger and face new challenges in a stage that is already historic for our basketball team.” Prats stated, “Today is a historic day for Palladium Hotel Group and we are immensely proud of the trust that Real Madrid has shown in us. It’s a privilege to be associated with a club such as this one, and to do it with a legendary team like the basketball team”. Palladium Hotel Group’s sponsorship agreement with Real Madrid Basketball shows the great expansion of the group in recent years, as well as the efforts to reposition its brands and their identity. Due to this sponsorship agreement, the hotel group’s logo will appear on the official polo shirt of Real Madrid Basketball´s first team, both for the players and the technical team, as well as on the club’s kit. All these new designs will be available from September 18th in the official stores of Real Madrid, Adidas and other authorised establishments.

Hotelbeds announced a strategic alliance with Selina, one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world. This strategic agreement will give Selina access to Hotelbeds’ large high-value distribution network made up of more than 60,000 travel agents, airlines, tour operators and loyalty programmes in more than 140 source markets worldwide. At the same time, Hotelbeds customers will have, from now on, access to the Selina hotel portfolio, consisting of more than 52 properties located mainly in Latin America, but also across Europe, with properties in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Portugal and the United Kingdom. The hotel chain plans to open more than 35 locations in 2019, including upcoming openings in the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal, Greece, Germany, Chile, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Felipe Muñoz, Global Head of Sales for Selina, commented, “This alliance is very important for Selina as thanks to Hotelbeds we can have access to one of the largest B2B distribution networks, including both wholesale and retail, in the world.” Matias Elisavetsky, Regional Director of Sourcing for Hotelbeds in Americas, said, “Selina is one of the fastest growing hotel chains in Latin America, with plans to further expand its reach and become known not only in Latin America, but also the United States, Asia, and Europe.”

The Oberoi, Marrakech, which will open in December, has 84 spacious and luxurious rooms, suites and villas; 76 of which have large private pools and gardens. The resort is located on 28 acres of landscaped gardens, citrus orchards and olive groves with spectacular views of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. The resort is just 25 minutes from the Djema el-Fna square and the ancient walled city. Announcing the opening of the resort, P.R.S. Oberoi, Executive Chairman, The Oberoi Group, said, “We look forward to extending the Oberoi Group’s presence in one of the world’s most exotic destinations. I am confident that The Oberoi, Marrakech, with its exceptional location, aesthetic design and committed team will offer the distinctive Oberoi service to travellers from around the world.” Adding to this, Fabien Gastinel, General Manager of the resort, said, “Every facility at The Oberoi, Marrakech is being planned to create a flawless experience for our guests. From the luxurious rooms to the dining options; all aspects of the resort will offer our guests unparalleled luxury with exceptional service which is warm, personalised and heartfelt.” The Oberoi, Marrakech has three restaurants featuring diverse international and Moroccan culinary experiences. The bar and the terrace overlook the extensive gardens and the Atlas Mountains. The Spa with an indoor pool is an oasis of peace and tranquility. A children’s activity centre is available for families. The resort has a 300 square metre function room and smaller meeting rooms for social and corporate events.