‘It’s important for us to be in Dubai’
—Kathleen Taylor, president and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Kathleen Taylor, president and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts (left) and Talha Al Hashimi, CEO, Bright Start L.L.C. (right) signed a formal agreement announcing plans for a new resort property set to be developed in the heart of Jumeirah Beach. The new Four Seasons Resort at Jumeirah Beach is expected to open in 2014.
If you’re in the hotel business and you don’t have a hotel in Dubai, you’re not in business at all. Apparently with this rule of thumb in mind, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has embarked on a project to open one on a 4.45 hectare natural waterfront at the northern end of Jumeirah
Starwood to open 40 new MENA hotels Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. which already has an existing portfolio of nearly 70 hotels in the region and a pipeline of 40 new hotels, has debuted six new hotels throughout the Middle East and North Africa in the past 18 months and has recently inked deals for 10 additional hotels, a company statement stated. This growth, primarily in the luxury and upper-upscale segments, represents an increase of nearly 60% over the next five years. Frits van Paasschen, President and CEO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said MENA is key to Starwood’s global expansion strategy, representing the company’s second largest growth market after China. “When you consider that the region has 35 metropolitan areas with a population of over one million, and many with a wealthy middle class, there’s huge long-term potential for internationally-branded luxury and upper-upscale hotels,” he said With the openings of six new hotels under five of the company’s brands, Starwood has marked a number of key milestones in MENA over the past 18 months.
Beach Road which will have 237 rooms, including 49 suites; three restaurants, poolside dining, a 600-square-metre ballroom and five meeting rooms. In keeping with its resort positioning, the property will also be home to a world class spa, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts
and private beach club. This will be the luxury hotel chain’s first in Dubai.
Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel Dubai serves as pilot hotel for Quality Management Programme Scott Butcher, General Manager of the Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel Dubai, a brand of the Australian StayWell Hospitality Group, will be heading off to Sydney to make a special presentation on the successful implementation of the Quality Management Programme in the hotel at a group conference being held on June 21-22, 2012. The Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel Dubai served as the pilot hotel for the programme that StayWell Hospitality Group is now looking to roll out across its other hotels. “Being chosen to pilot a Quality Management Programme for the entire group is an enormous achievement for our hotel,” said Butcher. “It isn’t easy to run a quality management programme in a multi-cultural society like Dubai since it is quite subjective and judgmental based on different guest expectations and assessments. For more information about the hotel visit: http://www. parkregisdubai.com. www.travel-arabia.com
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TALKS
“Being the Middle East’s biggest tourism hub with a highly mature hospitality industry, it was important for us to be in Dubai with a strong product that can serve as one of the company flagships in this region,” said Kathleen Taylor, president and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “As with all markets across the globe in which Four Seasons operates, it was important for us to take the time to find our niche here as well as identify a partner that first and foremost shares our service and business values. We are confident that we not only have an unparalleled location, but also an excellent development partner – two key factors that will allow us
to offer what guests travelling to Dubai on business or pleasure desire and have come to expect from Four Seasons.” Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach has been designed by world renowned architect WATG, with interior design by San Fransisco based BAMO. The resort project, which is expected to open mid-2014, was made in collaboration with UAEbased holding company Bright Start L.L.C. which will be developing the new property and has appointed H&H Investment and Development as the development manager. No specific amount has been disclosed about the cost.