Kleindienst Group today launches The Floating Venice, the world's first underwater luxury vessel resort at Cityscape Global. Valued at 2.5Bn AED (680m USD), The Floating Venice will be located in The World islands, 4km offshore from Dubai and will bring an authentic Venetian experience to the Middle East.
Amenities, design, and who will be the head chef in the restaurant are all important decisions for a new hotel to make, but before any of that groundwork can be done, hotel operators must choose the single most important characteristic of any hotel — where will it be located.
Sprawled across a superlative slice of the Persian Gulf, Dubai’s three beachfront Jumeirah resorts comprise a veritable empire. A diverse one, at that, with an overwhelming array of lavish eateries—from Japanese and Italian to Mexican and Arabian—chic bars and lounges, extravagant swimming pools and iconic architecture, including the Burj Al Arab’s sailboat design, a Dubai skyline gem. The opening of Jumeirah Al Naseem last December was a kind of declaration that the empire-building continues: Behold the final chapter of the lavish story that is Madinat Jumeirah, Arabic for, aptly enough, “the country of Jumeirah.”
The role of the appointed asset manager is undeniably valuable for owners' whose properties are under the operation of a management company. The asset manager acts on behalf of the owners' interests with a core objective to optimize value and. Therefore, it is important for hotel asset management companies to remain aware of new skill sets and to be equipped with innovative practices to protect the objectives of owners. For this reason, we have been motivated to identify practices for hotel asset managers to leverage their owners' returns.
Officials of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association ("HAMA") today announced the successful conclusion of its third-annual 2017 Global Summit hosted in Dubai at the Jumeirah Emirates Tower. The presidents of the U.S., MEA, European and Asia Pacific chapters all were in attendance and met with Mauricio Ventura, the Costa Rican minister of tourism.
Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya has revealed the general manager and executive team who will be responsible for bringing the first Four Seasons address to the country.
The flagship brand of Smartotels Hospitality LLC, FORM Hotel is integrating an advanced proprietary enterprise application system - HotOIL™ (Hotel Operational Intelligence Layer) designed and developed by Smartotels with MKG Group.
RSG International, UAE-based business group with interests in the property development, automotive and industrial equipment sectors, signed a management agreement with Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the region with the hotels across the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, for a new 4-star hotel in Dubai, at a prime location on Sheikh Zayed Road, Jebel Ali Central, next to UAE Exchange Metro Station.
At a meeting in Dubai attended by Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta (www.Hilton.com) and Mohammed Alshaya, Chairman of KFCD and Mabanee Company S.A.K, the two parties confirmed an agreement to open Bahrain's first Hilton Hotels & Resorts property. The 210 room Hilton Bahrain Bay Hotel & Residences will be located at The Avenues in Manama – a major retail and leisure destination scheduled to open later this year.The announcement strengthens a growing partnership between Hilton and Mabanee that promises to boost tourism to the GCC by delivering exceptional guest experiences to visitors in the region. The partnership sees the debut of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand in Bahrain and the opening of Waldorf Astoria and a Hilton Garden Inn as part of the expansion of The Avenues, Kuwait, also owned by Mabanee.Rudi Jagersbacher, President, Middle East, Africa & Turkey for Hilton Worldwide, said: "It is very exciting for us to be bringing our core Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand to Bahrain for the first time. This represents a significant commitment to the market for us and we are doing so with a trusted partner in KFCD, and at a location which is set to become one of the country's premier attractions for both visitors and local residents."Hilton Bahrain Bay Hotel & Residences will be directly attached to The Avenues, Bahrain. Phase 1 of the development will offer a wide choice of leading retail and restaurant brands covering 40,000 sqm of GLA which is due to open in the last quarter of 2017. A second Phase will add a further 30,000sqm of GLA. The site is located on the waterfront of Bahrain Bay. Mohammed Alshaya, Chairman of KFCD and Mabanee, said: "As we continue to evolve The Avenues brand, we are delighted to strengthen our partnership with one of the world's best-known hospitality companies and build on a relationship forged in Kuwait. Our partnership with Hilton Worldwide will enhance the overall experience at The Avenues, Bahrain creating a destination that appeals to local visitors, tourists and business travellers alike at this prime location.Hotel guests at Hilton Bahrain Bay Hotel & Residences will have direct access to the world class retail and entertainment offered at The Avenues, as well as the new 1.5km stretch of the Corniche, created to provide recreational and family-friendly facilities on the waterfront. The property will also benefit from direct links to both King Faisal Highway and Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Causeway, enabling ease of access to international visitors arriving at Bahrain International Airport or on the Causeway system linking Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.Carlos Khneisser, Vice President, Development, Middle East, North Africa & Turkey, Hilton said: "We are continuing to sustain rapid growth across the GCC under a range of brands and all these hotels represent quality locations and valuable additions to our portfolio. Working in strong partnership with owners such as KFCD and Mabanee, on a continued basis allows us to expand more quickly and more strategically. We look forward to working together on identifying further opportunities, as well as progressing the projects we are already developing together."Construction of the 210 guest room property is already underway and once completed it will consist of 150 apartments and 60 studio suites. Guests will be able to enjoy four distinct stand-alone dining outlets, a swimming pool, spa and fitness facilities. It is expected that the hotel will be completed and to welcome its first guests in early 2020.Hilton Bahrain Bay Hotel & Residences joins a pipeline of 120 properties for Hilton in the Middle East, North Africa & Turkey. The company boasts the largest active pipeline in the GCC of any hotel company, with over 16,000 rooms under construction.
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced today that it will manage a second luxury hotel and branded residences in Dubai which is targeted to open in late 2020. The hotel, located in downtown Dubai, will complement Mandarin Oriental Jumeira Beach, Dubai, the Group's previously announced urban resort which is currently under construction on the beachfront and due to open in the fourth quarter of 2018. Both hotels are owned and developed by wasl Asset Management Group.
How is the concept of "luxury" perceived and what hotel brands come to mind when you hear the word "luxury"? The word carries a sense of prestige and exclusivity that only selected brands can fulfill. In today's era, this term is often overused, causing the meaning to be diluted. At the same time, as luxury becomes democratic, qualities (such as exclusivity) which had once been associated with it, have become less important to modern day customers.
Global hotel management company, Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI), has announced its further expansion in Egypt with the signing of Swiss-Belresort Marseilia Beach 4 on the country's stunning north coast. The agreement was formalised today at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai in the presence H.E. Mohamed Yehia Rashed, Minister of Tourism for Egypt.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced plans to expand Hyatt's brand footprint in the Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with the signing of management agreements by a Hyatt affiliate for 14 Hyatt-branded hotels across the Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Place, and Hyatt House brands. There are currently 14 Hyatt-branded hotels open in the Middle East and GCC, and the expected openings of these 14 Hyatt-branded hotels would double Hyatt's brand presence in the region within the next few years.
Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the region with hotels across the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, signed a management agreement with Golden Group Holding (GGH), a diversified Oman-based business group with interests in real estate, hospitality, construction, logistics and oil and gas, for a new hotel project in Muscat, Oman.
Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure business of Emaar Properties, unveiled six new hotel projects as part of its regional and international expansion plans, at the Arabian Travel Market 2017.
Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the region with hotels across the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, will showcase its key upcoming properties at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017, the region's premier travel and tourism event which takes place in Dubai from 24 – 27 April.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) continues to strengthen its position across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, with projected growth across 38 countries and 150,000 rooms, operational and pipeline, by 2022. The new additions will bolster Marriott International's existing collection of 247 hotels and 54,000 rooms in 30 countries across the region.
Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI), a global hotel management company with over three decades of strong track record, has a number of strategic announcements lined up for Arabian Travel Market (ATM) taking place in Dubai from 24 to 27 April, 2017. With over 3500 rooms under development in key markets such as Jordan, Egypt and Bahrain, the group has emerged as a major player in the region's hospitality sector.Mr. Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International, said, "We have more than 17 hotels under development in the Middle East, in addition to our existing properties, and some of these will be officially announced during the ATM. We are pleased to expand our footprint in the region where we have been operating, with great success for over a decade and will soon be adding exciting new destinations."Swiss-Belhotel International currently manages a portfolio of over 145 hotels, resorts and projects in 23 countries and is targeting the Middle East, Africa and India region as a key growth market. Mr Laurent A. Voivenel, Swiss-Belhotel International's Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India, stressed, "With an outstanding portfolio of globally-recognized brands, we have got an aggressive expansion strategy that is aimed at diversifying our offering in the region giving more choice to our guests with new destinations and products. Being a leading travel and tourism exhibition, Arabian Travel Market is a fantastic platform to share the news of our upcoming projects with our trade partners as well as explore and unlock new opportunities. We are truly excited to be there."###Visit Swiss-Belhotel International Stand HC0300 in Sheikh Saeed Hall, Dubai World Trade CentreAt Arabian Travel Market from 24 – 27 April, 2017For further information visit http://www.swiss-belhotel.com
Expanding its footprint in the hospitality sector, Dubai-based The First Investor group, a subsidiary of Al Fardan Group, announced the purchase of the Carlton Downtown hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road. Formerly the Warwick Hotel, it is the third hotel to be operated by Carlton Hotel Management - a brand owned by The First Investor, and the ninth in the group's collection of hotels.
AccorHotels is to rebrand a property on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai as the Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights Hotel Suites & Apartments.