Category Archives: Hotels

The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, the newest addition to AccorHotels’ distinctive MGallery by Sofitel collection of contemporary boutique hotels, is set to become the first holistic well-being resort in the Middle East. The new property is scheduled for soft launch in the summer of 2017 and has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the German Medical Wellness Association. The MoU was signed in the presence of Lutz Lungwitz, President of German Medical Wellness Association, and Vanessa Waldow, Director of Sales and Marketing, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel. This collaboration has followed the recent partnership agreement signed with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) which is set to boost wellness tourism in United Arab Emirates. Situated along the exclusive coastline of Palm Jumeirah’s East Crescent, the idyllic resort will offer guests a unique and tranquil environment in the heart of Dubai. The beachfront destination will showcase 255 luxurious rooms and suites, designed with natural elements, earthy tones and harmonizing feng shui. Guests will be able to enjoy world-class dining options, including a specialty restaurant highlighting local epicurean delicacies and a unique café offering a selection of healthy food and beverage options made from local, organic products.

Dubai Properties has announced the commencement of work on the new Marasi Business Bay marina. The installation of the pontoons, which marked the occasion, took place in the presence of Abdulla Lahej, Group CEO of Dubai Properties at the Marasi Business Bay Promenade. Launched by Dubai Holding and Dubai Properties Group in May 2016, the Marasi Business Bay is well on track to becoming the city’s most sought-after waterfront destination. It features unique water homes with pools and floating restaurants and is located along the city’s newest attraction: the Dubai Water Canal. Marasi Business Bay hosts the Park, the Pier and the Marina that will eventually comprise 800 berths in total, making it the region’s first yachting hub. Set for completion in Q3 2017, the first phase of the marina will feature 157 berths, varying in size from 8 metres to 35 metres, that are fitted with all essential facilities for boat owners, including portable water, power supply and drainage and sewage.  

South Africa based hotel brand One & Only is scheduled to open their latest resort in Seef, Bahrain later this year. Situated on the north-western coast of Bahrain, the resort will feature approximately 150 guest rooms, suites and villas, situated on a private beachfront. The resort will also feature world-class dining and retail choices, including a Hakkasan restaurant, along with a Givenchy Spa.

Jabal Omar Development Company (JODC), Saudi Arabia’s leading real-estate development company, announced that Emaar Hospitality Group’s premium luxury hotel brand Address Hotels and Resorts has been selected to manage its flagship hospitality project in the holy city of Makkah. This also marks the first expansion of Address Hotels and Resorts to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Jabal Omar Address Makkah, scheduled to open in 2019, is located just steps away from the Grand Mosque. Its two identical towers are the tallest towers within the master development. An interconnecting bridge linking the two towers serves as a visual landmark of the project. With a built-up area of about 2 million sq. m., Jabal Omar Address Makkah would feature residences, hotels, malls, retail amenities, prayer areas and other support facilities. There will be about 1,490 hotel rooms and suites, including units available for freehold sale.

Abu Dhabi based developer Eagle Hills has announced plans to complete building its second five-star hotel in Fujairah named the Palace Fujairah Beach hotel by 2019. Currently, they are building The Address Fujairah Resort and Spa. The Palace Fujairah Beach hotel will have 162 rooms, a health club, cafes and restaurants and meeting room facilities. Alongside it, Eagle Hills is building a gated residential community featuring 84 villas and town houses, which will be the first residential development in Fujairah city with direct access to the beach. The developer said that the site is an 8-minute drive from the local airport and 25 minutes from the border with Oman.

Majid Al Futtaim recently announced that it’s going to start building its third ‘My City Centre’ mall, named My City Centre Al Dhait, in Ras Al Khaimah this month. The retail pioneer’s expansion into the Northern Emirate comes as part of the company’s strategy to increase its total investment in the United Arab Emirates by AED 30 billion by 2026. The new shopping mall will start serving Ras Al Khaimah’s communities early next year. Located in a strategic location, between two growing residential communities in the north and south-west of Al Dhait in Ras Al Khaimah, the new community mall represents an investment of AED 68.5 million. My City Centre Al Dhait will bring a diverse and tailored mix of shopping and dining outlets, offering nearby residents a convenient and accessible destination for everyday shopping needs.  It will be home to 30 stores across 5494 sq. m. of gross leasable area, including a Carrefour Market spread over an area of 1178 sq. m. Further, it will offer 117 parking spaces to visitors.

The largest property of Sofitel in the Middle East, Sofitel Dubai Wafi, is expected to open in early 2019. Being developed in collaboration with development partner MKM Commercial Holdings LLC, it will feature 501 luxury guestrooms, inclusive of 86 suites — ranging in size from 55 sq. m. to 625 sq. m. — in addition to 97 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom serviced residences, which would be operated on an extended-stay basis. Also, there will be a number of dining venues, including an Asian speciality restaurant, gastro pub, a unique destination restaurant, bar and lounge on the 43rd and 44th floors, a French lobby café, an all-day restaurant and a pool bar. Guests will also have the option to relax and unwind at the SoSpa or work out at the comprehensive gymnasium. Also a part of the property will be few outdoor pools, private cabanas and a kids club. Business travellers will have access to 10 meeting rooms, in addition to an 1115 sq. m. ballroom. Sami Nasser, Chief Operating Officer, Luxury Brands, AccorHotels Middle East, commented, “We are delighted to work with MKM Commercial Holdings, one of our long standing partners, to develop this impressive project that will undoubtedly become a future flagship for Sofitel in the region. The development of this property is aligned with our strategy to operate one of our leading luxury brands across strategic locations in the Middle East.”

International serviced-residence owner-operator The Ascott Limited has launched a dedicated Arabic website to meet the demand of its Arabic guests. The new website, www.ascottmea.com, designed in both Arabic and English, offers in-depth information on properties as well as other areas such as “Ascott Social”, and also promotional ads, guest blogs, stories on the events happening at various properties, social media feeds and a local’s perspective of “City Life”. To complement the launch, Ascott is running a competition to win weekend getaways to Paris or other destinations across the GCC. “A large percentage of our guests within the GCC are Arabic and we are excited to be able to offer them the convenience of booking online in their preferred language,” said Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s Country General Manager, Middle East & Turkey.

Seven Tides has launched a new five-year payment plan for its Anantara The Palm Dubai Residences. Potential buyers can purchase ready-to-move-in properties in the luxury development with a deposit of 20% of the total sales price. A further 5% would be paid every quarter thereafter, starting 12 months from the date of the initial reservation agreement. From the original 449 units, there are now only 160 left, comprising one- and two-bedroom apartments. The one-bedroom apartments are available in various sizes between 1156 sq. ft. and 1560 sq. ft. and their price starts from AED 2,730,000; while the two-bedroom apartments, with land area varying between 1774 sq. ft. and 2248 sq. ft., have their starting price fixed at AED 3,990,000. Abdulla Bin Sulayem, CEO, Seven Tides, says “This is an excellent opportunity for people to own a property in the Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort development, which offers Thai-inspired luxury on Palm Jumeirah. These apartments are perfect as second or holiday homes, where residents can take advantage of the facilities and amenities within the five-star resort, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We can also assist with a leasing strategy on a long-term basis or the apartment can be added to the hotel rental management scheme, whereby the unit becomes a part of the hotel inventory and sales are managed by the hotel reservations team.” The properties feature high-quality furnishings; parquet flooring; an Opus smart home system; separate air conditioning control; LCD televisions; en-suite master bedrooms with king-size beds and second bedrooms with twin beds; walk-in wardrobes; fully equipped kitchens; spacious balconies with spectacular views overlooking the Arabian Gulf, the Atlantis, the Burj Al Arab and the Palm; …

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the opening of Staybridge Suites Jeddah Alandalus Mall in Alandalus Mall, a prominent shopping destination in Jeddah, with an annual visitor rate exceeding 13 million visitors. The hotel’s connection to Alandalus Mall makes it an attractive location for families as well as transit guests to Makkah. The new hotel has 164 suites: a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom suites, complete with spacious living areas, fully equipped kitchens, guest laundry rooms and high-speed internet connections. Additionally, the Alandalus Mall will complement the hotel’s facilities with offer 7 meeting rooms, a banquet hall, an outdoor swimming pool, a spa, a gym and a business centre. Both business travellers and tourists can now choose this ideal location, situated in the heart of modern Jeddah. The hotel is linked to the most important and vital roads to the south, west and east, including King Abdullah Road and Prince Majed Road, which connect it to the new King Abdulaziz Airport, with a commute of less than 15 minutes. The hotel is also close to Al Haramain Train Station, allowing guests to reach the Grand Mosque in less than 20 minutes. Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer – IMEA, IHG says, “As part of IHG’s diverse family of brands, Staybridge Suites endeavours to provide guests with the best extended-stay experience possible. We believe our unique offering, coupled with an excellent location near the heart of Jeddah, will allow Staybridge Suites to serve the needs of Saudi Arabia’s families, religious and leisure tourists, and business travellers alike.”