Dubai | InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) are about to launch three brand new properties at the Creek side in Dubai Festival City. The elegant InterContinental Dubai Festival City, superior upscale Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City and lavish long-stay InterContinental Residence Suites Dubai Festival City will be the latest luxury hotels to open in Dubai. The soft launch of the InterContinental will take place in November, shortly followed by the Crowne Plaza and InterContinental Residence Suites in December 2007. These magnificent properties have gone from concept to completion in just three years, becoming iconic landmarks on the city skyline. The project is the largest in the history of IHG; having three properties open simultaneously within the same location is a first for the group. However this is not the only reason to celebrate this monumental occasion, as InterContinental Dubai Festival City will be the 150th InterContinental to open worldwide, the highest number of InterContinental hotels ever to be open at one time.

The 36 floor InterContinental Dubai Festival City is already a visually iconic example of modern architecture on the outside and beautifully furnished inside. The new hotel managed by Dieter Franke will have a total of 500 ultra stylish rooms, including 121 Suites, 3 Presidential Suites and one Royal Suite. The rooms consist of a series of interlocking zones for maximum flexibility as well as privacy. Each room contains a large bathroom with a wet zone and splash area, and all have stunning views of either the historic Dubai Creek, city skyline or the world-class shopping centre, the Festival Waterfront Centre. InterContinental Dubai Festival City will offer sports and recreational facilities dedicated to fulfil the needs of any traveller, whether they desire a full work-out session, or simply to unwind and enjoy themselves. The leisure deck will include an outdoor 25 metre pool, children’s splash pool and three outdoor spa pools, and the state of the art gym will sport the latest fitness equipment including the Kinesis ‘free weights’ range. For those who prefer to relax when travelling, Spa InterContinental will feature 700 square metres of wellness facilities including eight treatment suites and two VIP couples spa suites. After opening in December, a variety of treatments will be available from experienced therapists, including holistic therapies infusing unique Arabic and Asian techniques.

Opening with the hotel will be two splendid food and beverage outlets. Anise will be a world-food restaurant catering to a total sensory experience, integrating the diner into the kitchen. Cuisine from all over the world is prepared and served from live cooking stations around the restaurant, keeping diners on the edge of their seat with excitement. Also to open with InterContinental Dubai Festival City is Vista lobby lounge and bar. This large and luxurious venue will curve the Creek side of the hotel, framing stunning views across the water, and also the striking silhouette of the towers and skyscrapers of Sheikh Zayed Road. Vista Lounge will be a place to sit and enjoy exquisite decor, the impeccable views to amaze and sample delicious and funky beverages at the bar which appears to be floating above the promenade at the edge of the infinity pool. Once fully operational, the hotel will feature eight superb restaurants and eateries, including the much anticipated ‘Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire’. Set to be the sixth and sexiest restaurant in the three star Michelin chef’s repertoire, ‘Reflets’ will be an example of exceptional taste in every fashion. Contemporary and stylish furnishings will accompany modern French cuisine, encapsulating a culinary art of flavours.

Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City, to be managed by Pascal Eggerstedt, will host 316 superior upscale guest rooms and suites over 19 floors, most with panoramic views over Dubai Creek. The hotel will include a fully equipped gym with sauna and steam rooms, and its own leisure deck featuring a 25 metre outdoor pool with spa pools overlooking the beautiful views of Dubai. Crowne Plaza will launch with an exceptional all day dining restaurant ‘Zaytoun’ (‘Olive’ in Arabic). This Eclectic international restaurant will feature an innovative and timeless concept with a vast selection of food. There will also be a lobby lounge café serving hot and cold beverages as well as a selection of pastries and cakes. Soon to surely become a favourite addition to Crowne Plaza is the Belgian Beer Café. This themed bar and café will feature antiques and knick-knacks handpicked and transported from Belgium to add an authentic flavour to the warm and welcoming atmosphere this venue has to offer. The Belgian Beer Café will be a perfect spot to relax and reflect with comfortable seating, a terrace with Creek view and a grand selection of Belgian Beers and European cuisine.

InterContinental Dubai Festival City and Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City will share an impressive 3,800 square metre (40,660 square feet) Event Centre across two levels. This space also has the option of splitting into 8 break-out rooms to provide additional meeting space for smaller functions. The Event Centre will be able to service anything from smaller VIP board meetings to a reception style banquet catering up to 1600 guests, with direct access to either InterContinental or Crowne Plaza.

InterContinental Residence Suites Dubai Festival City, managed by Steven Greenwood, just minutes along the Creek from InterContinental Dubai Festival City is an extended stay hotel with the feel of a home. 212 rooms made up of studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments are found within the iconic building. Residents will benefit from InterContinental services, such as complete maid and laundry service as well as 24 hour room service and concierge. A swimming pool and gym are also available for residents. Dining options include the stylish MezzaLuna. This Italian themed casual restaurant is warm and inviting with traditional Italian cooking and contemporary design, serving the finest pasta, tastiest pizza and freshest salads. There is also a Deli shop for the swift convenience of guests and residents. As InterContinental Residence Suites are part of the IHG group of properties within Dubai Festival City, guests will also have the opportunity to dine at any venue within the three properties and have this order charged to their room.

Opening three hotels within a mixed-use project will have great advantages for guests of InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and InterContinental Residence Suites. As both the InterContinental and Crowne Plaza are internally connected to the Festival Waterfront Centre, the 550 retail outlets and 90 restaurants and cafés are just a minutes’ walk away. Two 18-hole championship golf courses are also close to hand, as is a scenic stroll along the waterfront promenade, connecting to the 100 berth Festival Marina. The opening of these new hotels promises to be something worth celebrating. Celebrated because this is the largest launch in the history of IHG, celebrated because this will be the 150th InterContinental hotel to open worldwide, but above all because these three hotels have been built to offer the utmost of luxury, comfort and aesthetic pleasure for the modern traveller. IHG DFC will shortly be welcoming their first guests, and their visitors can expect many more exciting surprises to come once they have been launched.

Area General Manager Tom Meyer, who oversees the entire project, prepares for the biggest launch of his career, “It is an absolute pleasure to be a part of such a monumental project that InterContinental Hotels Group is about to launch at Dubai Festival City and to lead such a formidable team as this. Every measure has been taken to ensure these hotels will add much value to Dubai, in terms of scenic attraction, quality restaurants and impeccable service. InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and InterContinental Residence Suites will certainly set a new standard for the hospitality industry, and as such is a very humbling experience to be a part of. It simply makes me dizzy to think of what is yet to come!”

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) of the United Kingdom [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 3,700 hotels and more than 558,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. IHG owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards, with over 31 million members worldwide.

The company pioneered the travel industry’s first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The IHEI formed the foundations of the Tourism Partnership launched by the International Business Leaders Forum in 2004, of which IHG is still a member today. The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG’s global corporate responsibility focus.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at .

Aditi Daga
Public Relations Manager
+971 4 701 1059
IHG

Meet IHG at