Category Archives: Hotels

Targeting the honeymoon travellers from the GCC/UAE Hurawalhi Resorts recently announced the new opening at an exclusive event in Dubai. Just a 40-minute seaplane flight from Male offers 90 Villas including 60 Ocean Villas and 30 Beach Villas, Hurawalhi Island Resort is a sanctuary of serenity for grown-ups who are seeking luxury and innovation. 60 per cent of the island runs on sustainable solar energy with the majority of the villas being powered by solar panels. No plastic bottles – the island has its own water bottling plant and sustainable energy throughout; Best Diving in the Maldives with nearby Manta Rays, Nurse Sharks and world-class dive sites; Largest underwater restaurant, ‘5.8 Undersea’ – 5.8 metres under the sea; Adults-Only sanctuary on pure white sand on a crystal blue sea and Duniye Spa uses only organic, preservative and chemical free products. All guests can enjoy either sunrise or sunset panoramas. And with dining options that include on the beach, over the water, and even under the water, the philosophy here is that nothing is impossible.

International Roundtable Conference by Future Leaders with the topic Climate Change – A sustainable thought of our future leaders was organised and facilitated by Iftikhar Hamdani, Cluster General Manager of Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman and his efficient team at the Penthouse, Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman. At the opening Sumair Tariq, Managing Director of R Hotels stated the high value placed by R Hotels in its Corporate Social Responsibility and the reason behind this roundtable to engage the younger generation by discussing the impact of climate change, conveying the importance of sustainable actions and generating ideas on how they can play a part in protecting the planet. Hamdani, Cluster General Manager of Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman reiterated that the outcome and suggestions by the future leaders will be finally collated as a white paper and passed on to the relevant authorities for action. Chief Guest for the event His Highness Sheikh Dr.Abdul Aziz Bin Ali Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Green Sheikh shared thoughts on the environment by engaging the future leaders in conversation as well. A very good initiative by the dedicated team at Ramada Ajman, R Hotels and their partners.

Hotels.com has recently refurbished and improved the functionality of its Middle Eastern websites, in both English and Arabic, to improve both usability and performance. Hotels.com already serves millions of customers globally through 89 localised websites in 39 languages, and is continuously building its portfolio of properties with the latest hotel deals for popular destinations like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Hotels.com offers an unsurpassed hotel booking experience and unbeatable Secret Prices to Hotels.com™ Rewards members, making it ideally positioned to cater to the hotel booking needs of the regional market. “We know that speed is important to our customers and we want to provide fastest booking experience possible in all languages on desktop and mobile. In fact, one in every three bookings on Hotels.com globally is now made on mobile. Speed and convenience are crucial to delivering unsurpassed experiences for our customers,” commented Michael Korkia, Senior Marketing Manager EMEA for the Hotels.com brand.

R Hotels and Wyndham Hotel Group have announced an agreement to open the first Wyndham Garden in United Arab Emirates. The Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche is expected to open by Q4 2017.  The 17-storey, four-star hotel will feature 179 guest rooms, including 138 standard rooms and 41 suites, as well as an executive lounge on the top floor with panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf. Additional facilities will include two restaurants, an outdoor swimming pool, gym and spa, separate health clubs for men and women, and a kids’ play area. Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche, with a total investment of AED200 million ($54.5 million), will be the fifth collaboration between R Hotels and Wyndham Hotel Group in the United Arab Emirates, and the third in Ajman. R Hotels presently owns two Wyndham-branded hotels in the emirate: Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman and Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman. Sumair Tariq, R Hotels’ Managing Director, commented: “The group is fully on track of its development and expansion plan, with the opening of our seventh property. The country’s hospitality sector continues to grow and our group set sights on capitalising on these developments and increasing our portfolio. The franchise deal cements our long-standing partnership with Wyndham Hotel Group and R Hotels is honoured to pioneer and set the standards for the Wyndham Garden brand in the UAE.”

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand within the AccorHotels portfolio looks forward to welcoming its newest entrant in the United Arab Emirates – Fairmont Fujairah Beach Resort scheduled to open in January 2017. The property’s inauguration ceremony held on December 15, was attended by H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan; advisor to H.H The President of the UAE. and H.H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi; member of the supreme council and ruler of the Emirate of Al Fujairah. Enveloped by panoramic vistas of the marina and the Gulf of Oman, this luxurious 180 room property will be the region’s first art inspired hotel highlighted by spacious and light filled spaces. Upon opening, it will join a distinctive collection in the United Arab Emirates which includes Fairmont Dubai, the brand’s original flagship hotel in the Middle East, Fairmont The Palm on the largest manmade island in the world, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi and Fairmont Ajman, located in the emirate of perennial sunshine. An approximate 90-minute drive from the hyper-charged metropolis of Dubai and set against the majestic backdrop of the Al Hajar Mountains and deep blue of the wide Indian Ocean, the luxurious retreat will serve as an idyllic getaway for local UAE residents and international guests.

Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International’s exclusive portfolio, has added La Ville Hotel & Suites to its collection. Comprising 77 rooms, 11 suites and 68 apartments, guest rooms are spacious and celebrate relaxed urban luxury through décor led by sophisticated neutral furnishings, combined with contemporary artistic twists. Bathrooms are complete with luxurious marble counter tops, a free-standing bath tub and a walk-in shower, providing the ultimate space for unwinding or grooming in style. A jewel in the crown is the bright and airy Penthouse Suite complete with 180 sqm2 of living space, a private dining area ideal for entertaining and a terrace that boasts spectacular views of Dubai’s magical skyline. This will be Autograph Collection’s second hotel to open in Dubai, joining Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa. Dining is a key highlight at La Ville Hotel & Suites with three restaurants, a lobby café and rooftop bar which include cosmopolitan and social experiences, tailored to individual preferences and moods. Each outlet apart from LookUp has their own entrance and access to the courtyard which provides a lush oasis and outdoor area ideal for al fresco dining in Dubai. The hotel’s restaurants are headed by Chef Pedro Joaquín Arceyut Araya who has carefully crafted each menu to reflect the individuality of each outlet while South African native, Juan Jacques van Huyssteen oversees La Ville’s bar concepts as Director of Beverages.

Action Hotels has announced the formal opening of its third hotel in Oman, Mercure Sohar. The 151-bedroom freehold hotel, located in the heart of Sohar, is Action’s ninth collaboration with AccorHotels and the first Mercure-branded property in the portfolio. The hotel welcomed its first paying guests on December 1, 2016 and early business enquiries have been encouraging. Mercure Sohar brings Action Hotels’ portfolio to 12 operational hotels and 2,181 rooms in six countries with the total pipeline set to take Action to 3,000 rooms by 2017.

Minor Hotels has announced the debut of its luxury Anantara brand in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Scheduled to open in 2019, Anantara Jeddah Resort will be located on the waterfront in Obhur in the city’s upmarket northern district and will offer 226 guest rooms and 102 two to five bedroom villas. The property is owned by SAB Group and was previously a luxury residential compound, which will undergo a renovation and transformation, led by cutting-edge international design architects. Facilities will include a selection of dining options with both indoor and outdoor seating, fitness and swimming pool areas, a kid’s and teen’s club and a library. For business guests there is a 500 square metre meeting room, which is divisible by two, plus two further meeting rooms. The resort has two receptions and lobbies; one is dedicated for VIP arrivals. Spa and wellness will be a major focus of the resort, which will offer a separate female and male Anantara Spa and an impressive wellness centre. An extensive selection of wellness journeys will be available, as part of Anantara’s ‘Balance’ programme. These will include detox, de-stress, weight management, anti-aging and rejuvenation, along with therapies such as Ayurveda, hammam and reflexology. Guests will be able to enjoy wellness cuisine and healthy cooking classes, with activities including yoga, pilates and Tai Chi. In addition, the resort will offer a regular programme of wellness-focused educational workshops and special events.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has finalised a deal to operate the hospitality firm’s first property in Ras Al Khaimah. The 550-key Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah, which is slated to open in 2019, will boast a prime beachfront location, offering guests unrivalled views of the Arabian Gulf and the picturesque Ras Al Khaimah coastline. Al Marjan Island is Ras Al Khaimah’s first man-made project, built to the tune of US$1.8 billion, and featuring a cluster of coral-shaped islands, creating a destination that is fast emerging as a top Middle East holiday hotspot. Mövenpick’s upcoming five-star resort, which comprises 430 rooms and suites and 120 serviced apartments, will cater to the increasing number of local and global leisure travellers heading to this idyllic beach destination. Visitor numbers to Ras Al Khaimah are expected to surge 11% to reach more than 820,000 in 2016, according to the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, which has set a target of one million arrivals by the end of 2018. Al Marjan Island is close to RAK International Airport, served by scheduled carriers such as Qatar Airways, Air Arabia and Air India Express, as well as numerous European and Russian charter airlines, while the world’s busiest airport, Dubai International, is just 45 minutes by road.

The Alfardan Group hosted the 4th CSR Conference in Qatar at the St. Regis Doha. The event was organised by Dar Al Sharq and was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla Bin Saoud Al Thani, Qatar Central Bank Governor, on December 7 and 8, 2016. It focused on strategy development and business performance support in the framework of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Afardan Group served as a Strategic Partner for the conference, which also featured the launch of the 2016 edition of the CSR White Book, an annual publication that highlights leading CSR activities. “We are proud to serve as a Strategic Hospitality Partner for the conference. We are excited to provide a venue for such an important event that gathers key decision makers from the public and private sector in a platform that will help strengthen the efforts of companies in implementing programs that create a positive impact on society,” concluded Tareq Derbas, General Manager of St. Regis Doha.