Category Archives: Hotels

HMH – Hospitality Management Holding unveiled a new logo in keeping with the group’s unique selling proposition ‘Beyond Hospitality’. It has been developed, to not only meet the evolving needs of the market but also, to reflect the group’s distinctive character, exceptional brands and aggressive expansion strategy. Launching the logo, Ferghal Purcell, Chief Operating Officer, HMH, said, “The new HMH logo demonstrates a decade of success. Reflecting our brand culture, built on our commitment to excellence and consistent quality of service, the new identity has been designed to broaden our appeal at every level of our business. The rationale behind our new logo is to highlight the fact that we offer more with added value and have the formula for both growth and success in the dry segment. The uniqueness of the new logo says it all and allows us to embrace the future with a contemporary and energetic look.” A dynamic and progressive feel is the inspiration behind the logo design, with high-rises and tall buildings reflecting HMH’s expansion in a modern world. The letters have been placed in a geometrical way to represent the height of the letter “H” and highlight it, reflecting the heart of our business “Hospitality”. The process of creating the new logo took over a year in the making and involved guidance from top marketing experts as well as team members. Equally stimulating and exciting is the selected color palette of blue and orange inspired by the cities at night. Ferghal stated, “The deep blue sky, with its reflection on the water, works really well with the vibrant orange/gold lights filling the skyline to create a vibrant scene full of energy and life. Unifying …

Sharjah hotel occupancy grew by 5.5 percent during January compared to the same month in 2016, according to the latest report from STR, a firm that provides global data and analysis for the hotel industry. Average occupancy levels across the United Arab Emirates increased by 0.5 percent during January to reach 81 percent, although average room rates at hotels across the UAE fell 8 percent in January to reach AED 712 ($195) due to strong market growth in room supply. The UAE’s hotel occupancy rates are among the highest in the world. STR has also reported that the overall hotel occupancy across the Middle East region decreased 2.7 percent to an average occupancy level of 68.4 percent during January, while the average daily room rate fell by 8.4 percent to $177.81. Meanwhile, hotels in Europe reported a 5.1 percent increase in occupancy to an average of 57.1 percent, hotels in Africa saw a 4.5 percent increase in occupancy to reach an average of 50.6 percent, and hotels in Asia Pacific reported a 0.8 percent decrease in occupancy to an average of 64.8 percent. According to the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), Sharjah hotels and hotel apartments registered a 19 percent increase in room nights booked during the first nine months of 2016, totaling 2.94 million room nights. Sharjah offers more than 100 hotels and hotel apartments, including properties managed by some of the leading hotel groups in the world including Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Louvre Hotels Group, Premier Inn Hotels, Rotana Hotels and Resorts, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, and Wyndham Worldwide. A number of new hotel and resort developments are currently underway in Sharjah, including the construction of …

Address Hotels and Resorts unveiled its new city lifestyle resort in Dubai, Address Boulevard. It adds to Emaar Hospitality Group’s impressive and growing portfolio of luxury hospitality venues that have redefined the hotel industry and set new benchmarks in service standards. Address Boulevard has 196 spacious rooms including 116 spacious Deluxe Rooms, 44 Deluxe Club Rooms, 28 One-Bedroom Suites, seven Two-Bedroom Suites and a luxurious Presidential Suite offering spectacular views of The Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa. In addition, there are 532 serviced apartments including duplexes and two penthouses, with short-term guests at the residences also guaranteed access to the hotel’s facilities. Chris Newman, Chief Operating Officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “Address Boulevard is another statement on the ambition of Emaar Hospitality Group to set new industry standards. A celebration of the hospitality excellence that we have brought to Dubai, it is uniquely positioned as a city lifestyle resort – which integrates all the romantic charm of a resort with the convenience, amenities and appeal of a city hotel. Address Boulevard is exceptional in all its facets – from the architecture to the interiors, the unobstructed views of iconic attractions, and our uncompromising approach to superior guest service.” Appealing to leisure and business travellers, Address Boulevard enjoys an exclusive city location that is perfect for overseas visitors who yearn to be in close proximity to retail and leisure attractions. Within walking distance of The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest retail and entertainment destination, the hotel is also on the vibrant Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, offering an extensive choice of specialty food and beverage concepts, ideal for families and young visitors. It is also in close to Dubai Opera, the …

Rotana made its long-awaited debut in Africa with the official opening of Kin Plaza Arjaan by Rotana in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The luxury five-star hotel was inaugurated by His Excellency the Governor of the city of Kinshasa, André Kimbuta Yongo, in the presence of prominent dignitaries and members of Rotana’s senior management including Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman and Selim El Zyr, Vice Chairman. Omer Kaddouri, President & CEO of Rotana, “Rotana has been increasingly looking to markets in Africa to drive business growth and expansion, and today we mark a major milestone in our efforts to extend our geographical presence in the continent. We are very excited to bring our decades of hospitality expertise to the Democratic Republic of Congo – a country we believe has immense tourism potential which has largely remained untapped. As the second largest city in Africa, Kinshasa offers tremendous business opportunities and is renowned for its nature attractions. Yet, the city is still vastly underserved when it comes to hospitality, especially in the upper end of the market. The opening of Kin Plaza Arjaan by Rotana marks a significant step in the further development of Kinshasa’s hospitality industry, and will enhance the city’s positioning and credentials as a destination that offers comfortable accommodation to visitors. The five-star hotel will bring a new standard of refinement and guest comfort to Congo’s fast-growing hospitality sector.” A modern property equipped with contemporary technology and facilities, Kin Plaza Arjaan by Rotana include 101 luxurious rooms, studios and suites along with a selection of three food and beverage outlets. The hotel offers four meeting and conference rooms – all fully equipped with the latest technology …

Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island has undergone an AED9 million refurbishment project. The new design delivers a fresh, modern and fun experience. The property has completed the refurbishment of 100 guest rooms, with the remaining rooms to be refurbished in summer of this year. The rooms have been overhauled to deliver the modern essentials of a great hotel experience with up to date technology matched with an uncompromised level of design and comfort. One of the very cool features about the new rooms is that each of them has Apple TV, a feature that allows guests to wirelessly stream videos, music, and photos from any Apple mobile device. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel as it has always been but later this year the hotel will be investing AED1.5 million in upgrading the wireless Internet to provide better and faster connectivity for their guests. The interior of the rooms is fresh and modern with more focus towards sleek fittings and space, with a more minimalist approach to create space and less bulky furniture. The trendy décor also aims to deliver a “fresh, modern and fun guest room experience” that will resonate well with international and domestic travelers. State-of-the-art headboards with colour-changing LED mood lights complete the “cool” guest experience. The makeover does not just focus on design but the comfort factor for guests has not been forgotten; and all the Next GEN rooms have brand new higher quality mattresses to ensure a great night’s sleep for all its hotel guests.

FORM Hotel, the upscale hotel brand in Smartotels Hospitality International’s portfolio, was launched at GIOHIS 2017 (Gulf & Indian Ocean Hotel Investors’ Summit) in the UAE. A pioneering ‘concept hotel’ brand, FORM offers business and leisure travelers accessible premium hotel fundamentals with the flexibility of add-on service and amenity features in a technologically-advanced, design-forward and socially-responsible environment. FORM Hotel’s 143-key flagship property is being developed by Dubai Contracting Company (DCC), a world-class UAE-based contracting and development company with significant long-standing experience in hotel real estate, and designed with inimitable timeless elements and custom-designed furniture by Paris-based global architectural firm, Architecture-Studio, known for creating global landmarks such as the Arab World Institute in France and the National Theatre of Bahrain. FORM Hotel Dubai’s facilities will include an all-day dining lifestyle restaurant, a rooftop infinity pool, a fully-equipped rooftop gym, a specialized design boutique, and a technology-focused boardroom. The hotel is situated by the newly-extended Dubai creek in Al Jaddaf, a location rooted in tradition and evolving with the urban landscape of Dubai. FORM Hotel Dubai is located within close proximity and favourable accessibility to some of Dubai’s most famous landmarks and business and leisure destinations. Currently under construction, the hotel is expected to open in Q1 2018. Smartotels Hospitality International LLC’s Founder and Managing Partner, Tarek M. Daouk said: “By offering a core hospitality experience with the flexibility of add-on service and amenity features, FORM Hotel will empower its guests to customize their journey. The hotel will benefit from an operating model that is engineered to drive strong returns to investors through an increased ability to control operating expenses by compressing fixed costs and exploiting variable costs”. FORM Hotel has designed …

The Royal Atlantis Resort and Residences is currently been constructed next to the Atlantis resort on the Palm by Kerzner International.  The expected completion date of the 43-storey resort complex is the third quarter of 2019, according to reports. When completed, The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences will offer 231 residences and 795 new guest rooms and suites. Prices for the luxury apartments start at approximately AED7.65m ($2m). The Royal Atlantis Residences will have views of the Arabian Sea or across the waters of The Palm towards the Dubai city skyline.

The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced the signing of two new Radisson Blu hotels in International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) and Dubai Studio City, United Arab Emirates. The new signings made in partnership with renowned, Dubai-based, Bin Haider Group, follow Rezidor’s recent announcement that it will open 14 new hotels in the UAE by 2019, and part of expansion plans to have 100 hotels & 20,000 rooms in operation by 2020, across the Middle East. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, The Rezidor Hotel Group, said: “We are progressing our growth journey in the UAE where Dubai is a key primary market and welcome the Bin Haider Group to our business family. We believe the brand promise – iconic, sophisticated and stylish – of Radisson Blu perfectly complements the unique needs of the international media production industry that will be based in these two locations”. The two new Radisson Blu hotels are set to open in two upcoming media zones in Dubai, designed to support corporate travelers and media professionals visiting and working in the Emirates. Both properties will further enhance the Radisson Blu brand presence, which already has strong association with media zones in Dubai. Radisson Blu Hotel, International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), Dubai will feature 356 rooms, and, with construction already underway, has an anticipated opening date in Q1 2019. The hotel will hold a prominent location on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, close to the newly opened Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai World Central). The hotel’s interior design will incorporate the brand’s new “Blu Print” design scheme and facilities include two restaurants, a bar and significant meeting facilities to support the free zone’s businesses. …

Central Hotels has announced aggressive expansion plans with 3 new hotels lined up for opening in Dubai in 2017. Ahmad Ali Al Abdulla Alansaari, Chairman of Central Hotels, stated, “2017 is a very exciting year for us with three exceptional properties opening in quick succession. This massive expansion will double our existing inventory of rooms from 524 to 1220 keys and reflects our commitment to serve the needs of our guests with great value in iconic locations such as The Palm and Business Bay. In addition to the existing development, our aim is to add another five hotels to our outstanding portfolio of properties by 2018 creating greater choice and opportunities for our guests, associates and stakeholders. We are in the midst of advanced negotiations for three fabulous projects in KSA as well as two hotels in the UAE. These accomplishments are designed to position Central Hotels for continued success in the years ahead.” Giving details about the new projects opening in 2017, Ammar Kanaan, General Manager of Central Hotels, said, “Bay Central located at The Burj Khalifa district features 284 keys and is expected to welcome its first guests in the third quarter of 2017 followed by two other hotels of 208 and 204 keys each in The Palm. All three properties are in the 4-stars category and progressing well towards completion. Central Hotels has very quickly established itself as a reputed hotel management group in the UAE with its flagship property First Central Hotel Suites located in Barsha Heights (TECOM) near Sheikh Zayed Road. Featuring 524 apartments equipped with top-notch facilities, it offers travelers the best of Arabian hospitality in the heart of Dubai. Building up on this …

Ashiana made its re-launch debut at Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers on January 25 in celebration of Indian Republic Day which fell on the 26th day of the month. One of the first Indian restaurants in Dubai, Ashiana is well-known for authentic Indian cuisine from various regions of India and a warm and inviting atmosphere. Ashiana’s relaunch focused on food and entertainment with creative nitrogen presentations of delicious canapés and the live sounds of Ajmal Ali’s beautifully sung ghazals. The relaunch comes along under the direction of a new chef, Vipin Kala and a new menu featuring traditional Indian fine dining with a modern twist. Hotel Manager Hector Ladeveze had this to say about the reopening of the restaurant: “First-time visitors and return guests alike will be thrilled by the new Ashiana. We have a delectable menu lined up by talented Chef Vipin Kala and artful performances for special and new experiences with every visit.” Founded in 1978, Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers was one of the first 5-star hotels to arrive to Dubai. The iconic property offers great views of Dubai Creek and the Dubai skyline. Sheraton Dubai Creek is in close proximity to some of the most exciting offerings in the area including Grand Mosque and the historical Al Bastakiya district. The hotel’s five dining establishments include Creekside Japanese, Hatta All-Day Dining, Chelsea Arms Pub, Vivaldi By Alfredo Russo and Ashiana.