Category Archives: Hotels

Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) announced that many of its luxury and five star hotels across the UAE are operating and back in full swing with strict safety and precautionary measures in place to ensure the wellbeing of all its guests. “We have introduced strict procedures as per local authorities’ regulations across our businesses as we emerge from unprecedented challenges and adapt to the global transformation within the hospitality industry. Staying optimistic for future travel, the safety of all guests and employees is our primary focus and our responsibility being a leading hospitality company. We are continuously monitoring the performance of our businesses and adjusting accordingly whilst some of our hotels benefit from extensive refurbishments to enhance the guest experience.” says Khalid Anib, Chief Executive Officer of ADNH. To welcome guests with something special ADNH have kicked off exclusive getaway offers for the ultimate experience across their hotels in the UAE. Some of the attractive packages designed to guarantee you a memorable stay include: Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas: Delight your family with a seamless staycation and get 50% off the second room for your kids. Complimentary stay for children under 16 years if sharing room with parents, complimentary food & beverage for children under 12 years as well as 50% off food & beverage for children under 16 years. Address Dubai Mall | Address Dubai Marina: Views of the city’s finest sights, escape to Address Dubai Mall or Address Dubai Marina with packages designed with you in mind; rates from AED 449 with 200 DHS back to spend per night. Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort: Overlooking the stunning Corniche, escape to a resort catering to your …

Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA partners with Ecolab to deliver the highest level of hygiene and cleanliness to its guests across all its properties in the region. With strict measures and world-class health & safety standards already in place, Millennium Hotels & Resorts goes beyond conventional cleanliness and precautionary measures by providing comprehensive training programs and having every staff member certified as a COVID-19 Champion. Through this collaboration, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA is maintaining high levels of cleanliness and hygiene. To further enhance health and safety protocols, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA has introduced the following 10 Key Hallmarks, which will be implemented in the jurisdictions in which Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA operates to the extent applicable based on local health authority guidelines. Kevork Deldelian, Chief Executive Officer at Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA, stated, “Our commitment towards a comfortable and safe experience for our guests is an ongoing process and not a one-time measure. We will continue to seek partnerships with innovative solutions providers to elevate our services and be proactive in adapting modern, smart, science-backed and effective solutions. For that end, we capitalise on the stewardship and expertise of our employees supported by the tools and expertise of Ecolab.” “Through this partnership, Ecolab will play a vital role in driving the latest hygiene expertise, programs, training and support to help ensure clean and safe environments, across all the proprieties in the region to ensure a positive guest experience,” stated Hulya Ibrahim, Vice President and General Manager of Institutional for Ecolab in MEA.

Rotana is promising guests peace of mind from check-in to check-out with the launch of its new ‘Rotana Safe Space’ health and safety programme. Understanding that consumer expectations have drastically changed since the global COVID-19 outbreak, the initiative focuses on what guests now value most – a contactless hospitality experience throughout their stay using tools such as the Rotana app or their own devices and significantly enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices certified by leading water, hygiene and energy technologies and services provider, Ecolab. The hospitality firm, which operates 69 properties across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Turkey, has also partnered with SGS, the world’s leading inspection, testing, verification and certification company, to monitor and verify cleanliness and hygiene procedures at every property. Bolstered room-cleaning procedures that come with an ‘Unlock your Safe Space’ assurance for guests are a focal point of the Rotana Safe Space programme and range from full disinfection processes using intense aerosol methods to strict chemical and thermal treatments for bed and bath linens. “We have embraced the latest technology, boosted our employee training and strengthened our already stringent health and safety procedures to launch a new programme that gives guests peace of mind throughout their stay. Rotana Stay Safe focuses on what is most important to guests right now – contactless experiences and services and robust cleaning and disinfection practices verified by global experts, providing them with reassurance that when they stay with us, they are safe in our care,” said Guy Hutchinson, President and CEO of Rotana.

JA Resorts & Hotels focuses on flexibility and adaptability as they introduced a new wave of strategies, policies and tools for travel trade partners including new booking technologies, a new website dedicated to travel industry professionals, new B2B communication tools and e-learning opportunities, incentive schemes and fully flexible cancellation policies. Thomas Grundner, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, JA Resorts & Hotels remarks, “We have used this downtime productively and really examined where we can streamline our communication and improve our processes in relation to our travel trade partners. Its clear that we need to be nimble, expect constant change and take a speed-to-market approach with any changes. The answer of course lies in Digital, and using technology as much as possible, hence we are introducing 5 new tools and initiatives to take us into the future in a flexible and adaptable manner” JA CONNECT is an initiative from JA Resorts & Hotels designed to assist trade partners and corporate clients across the globe. It is the new connectivity and distribution platform available to all partners which allows partners to connect, shop and book all JA Resorts & Hotels online and in real-time, book both contracted and dynamic rate plans and have easy access to rich content such as high-resolution images and fact sheets for all room types and suites within the portfolio. The new platform reduces the time lag and potential errors of static rate loading ensuring instant access to rates, availability and offers without having to email or call the hotels directly, offering a seamless booking process and real-time confirmations for both bookings and cancellations JA CONNECT will also automate payments for credit and non-credit customers using both …

A panel of industry experts explained during the opening day of ATM Virtual as to how developing a global set of transparent hospitality standards relating to health, safety and hygiene will be key to regain the trust of travellers in a post COVID-19 landscape. The panel which was moderated by industry consultant Gemma Greenwood, also included Tim Cordon, Senior Area Vice President for Middle East & Africa, Radisson Hotel Group, Christopher Lund, Head of Hotels, Colliers International, Middle East & North Africa, Simon Casson, President of Hotel Operations, EMEA, Four Seasons and Raki Phillips, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. “Building confidence will be key as we look ahead to the post-COVID-19 hospitality recovery. Not only is it important that our workers have confidence that their health and wellbeing is of prime importance, but for consumers too. They will need full reassurance that our properties are safe, secure and following the highest standards when it comes to hygiene and cleanliness,” said Cordon. Phillips said, “It’s important that hotels don’t drop their room rates. Hotels need to adapt to a new normal with increased sanitisation at the forefront, while being creative with their offerings and embracing innovative technologies which can help differentiate them from their competitors.” “One way of achieving this consumer trust, and I believe the hospitality industry in the UAE is leading the way in this respect, is by partnering with accreditation agencies such as the Bureau Veritas to ensure your property is following disinfectant and sanitisation protocols implemented by government bodies and abiding by the highest levels of hygiene,” said Lund. Casson added, “While we are doing everything we can to ensure the wellbeing and safety of …

Radisson RED Hotel unveiled their latest sculpture. Designed by Neel Shukla, the falcon marks the opening year of the hotel and strengthens ties with the local art scene. Having already worked with a collaborative of locals artists on the hotels distinctive bespoke wallpaper, Radisson RED appointed Neel and his team to continue the theme of capturing elements of the local history and culture while recognising the cities modern art, music and fashion scenes. Neel operates Four Winds Gallery in Dubai Design District and other notable works include the W sculpture at W on the palm. Of this project, he said, “Dubai is probably the most avant-garde city when it comes to art. Quirky art pieces are showcased in so many unique places and spaces all over the city and RED is such a cool space highlighting this vibe and spirit. Visitors indulge in this selfie heaven, hence every wall and every area deserved an incredibly distinct element and story. The falcon will be the first thing people see and so I wanted to create a statement. We wanted to feature the falcon in a powerful way, yet making it unpredictable. The headphones resting on the falcon’s neck signify the falcon’s connection to the new generation and follows the overall design direction of the hotel.” Stuart Birkwood, Curator at Radisson Red Dubai Silicon Oasis, said, “Art is at the core of the brand and it was important to me to make sure that our Art was truly representative of everything Dubai had to offer. The falcon is a national symbol for the UAE and we’re really excited to present a new sculpture to our community which captures both the cities great …

In response to the unique challenges of 2020, Hospitality Sales & Marketing International Middle East (HSMAI) has introduced ROC@Home, a full-day Global Revenue Optimisation experience taking place on June 17, 2020. The day-long session involves live sessions from the Middle East, Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, and is designed to fuel industry recovery and revitalisation efforts. Neither a virtual conference nor a replacement for HSMAI in-person ROC programmes, ROC@Home is an opportunity for hotel revenue professionals to reset, refocus, and re-energise, with an exclusive free toolkit to guide learning and engagement, and more than 20 live expert-led sessions hosted by HSMAI’s regions around the globe. “ROC@Home is the first experience of its kind,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, President and CEO of HSMAI. “By focusing the attention and energy of revenue professionals from around the globe, HSMAI’s regions are building a global network of experts who will have the insights, tools, and resources needed to lead the industry into recovery.” “An event like ROC@Home provides a dedicated opportunity to work with colleagues whilst connecting to industry leaders around the world,” said Mona Faraj, Managing Director, HSMAI Middle East. “In these challenging times, divergent thinking will create opportunities and platforms such as ROC@Home can ignite the innovation and motivation for successful strategies within the region.” At the heart of ROC@Home is a free toolkit available to hoteliers around the world. It includes advice and inspiration from some of the world’s most respected revenue optimisation leaders. Hospitality and tourism professionals can participate either with their teams in-person or virtually, or on their own, and can now sign up to receive the free toolkit and be part of a ROC@Home Industry Survey.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has announced a strategic partnership with Bureau Veritas Certification (Bureau Veritas) to launch the ‘Safeguard Assurance Program’ – an initiative to ensure that all operations within the hospitality sector resume safely and efficiently. Bureau Veritas will support the Authority in implementing stringent health, safety and hygiene measures across all Ras Al Khaimah hotels to mitigate any possible risks for employees and guests and provide complete peace of mind. The partnership will see Bureau Veritas conduct an independent audit, with all costs covered by RAKTDA, under its “SafeGuard Assurance Program” for 45 hotels, as part of the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel campaign. The additional audit process serves to further validate the safety and hygiene measures and processes already put in place by the Authority in partnership with Government Authorities, and takes its ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification to the next level. Having operated in the field of risk management for more than two centuries, Bureau Veritas has developed its SafeGuard Assurance methodology in collaboration with experts in the field, ideally suited to organisations looking to restart their business efficiently. The auditing process will involve sharing a checklist of measures to be implemented across the properties, an onsite inspection and an unannounced visit. Individual properties will be assessed on factors including: commitment to the program; respect for social distancing guidelines; compliance with hygienic practices and measures; as well as surveillance and management of any issues.    

As per the directives of the Ras Al Khaimah government and Crisis and Disasters Management Federal Authority, leisure assets including Al Hamra Golf Club, Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club along with two signature hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah – Al Hamra Beach and Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah have reopened. Christopher Hewett, Vice President – Hospitality, Al Hamra stated, “Al Hamra Golf Club has opened to club members, hotel guests and UAE registered golfers with stringent preventive measures in place such as limited player capacity, single use carts, limit on players per groups as well as sanitisation of all carts before and after use. Body temperatures of members, guests and employees are checked on the arrival with sanitising programmes and social distancing measures being implemented across the club’s food and beverage outlets. We are also in the process of implementing the latest new F&B technology which removes the need of menus by allowing guests to view the menu, order items and pay directly from their mobile device.” “Al Hamra, along with our hotel partners and the Public Service Department of Ras Al Khaimah (PSD), have implemented a full sterilisation programme and are undertaking various measures across all of our hospitality and leisure assets, such as training for safe guest interactions, guest education programmes, elevated hygiene standards and revised operational procedures. Furthermore, our hotels are in the final stages of implementing RAKTDA’s ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification’, which is an excellent initiative by the Emirate’s Tourism Authority, that aims to boosts confidence and rebuild trust in the emirate’s tourism industry amid concerning and challenging times. The achievement of the certification will solidify Al Hamra’s destination-wide measures and reiterates Al Hamra’s goal of …

Accor is pioneering a new guest safety initiative ‘ALL Safe Officer’ that will redefine the hospitality experience in the Middle East and Africa during these unprecedented times.The ground-breaking programme, which is scheduled to be rolled out in the coming weeks, will see every hotel appoint a health and safety officer who will not only ensure cleaning and hygiene protocols are implemented to the highest standards, but will be available to handle guests questions and concerns.These specially trained officers are the face of Accor’s new ALL Safe Accor Programme – a set of rigorous measures designed to protect and reassure guests that are being implemented at its 300 properties region-wide. The initiative is bolstered by Accor’s strategic partnership with global insurance giant AXA which, as of July 2020, will be providing guests at its 5,000 properties worldwide with free medical support that includes consultations with medical professionals by phone or in the location where they are staying. “The safety and wellbeing of our guests is always our priority at Accor and we regularly review and enhance our procedures and services to adapt to new circumstances or as improved technology becomes available,” said Mark Willis, CEO, Accor Middle East and Africa. “The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us all to change the way we live, work and stay and as the largest hotel group in the Middle East and Africa, we are taking the lead in reinventing the hospitality experience, introducing dedicated ‘ALL Safe Officers’ and a rigorous programme of transparent measures that give guests peace of mind and put their health first, which is what they now value most,” he added.