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Middle East
ABU DHABI AN APRIL 15 OPENING date has been set for Starwood’s 283-room St Regis Abu Dhabi, one of a string of new hotels opening in the Emirate this year. This will be followed in July by the Novotel Al Bustan, a 361- room property with function spaces including a 1,035sq m ballroom, minutes from the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Also opening this year are the 258-suite Capital Centre Arjaan by
Rotana and, at Abu Dhabi International airport, a 300-room Premier Inn. They are due to be joined in 2014 by the 315-room Abu Dhabi Marriott, the 195-room Courtyard by Marriott Central Market and a 64-unit Marriott Executive Apartments property; the 323-room Four Seasons Abu Dhabi Sowwah; Rezidor Group’s 437-room Regent Abu Dhabi; and the 275-room Intercontinental Al Raha Beach.
BAHRAIN IN FEBRUARY IN BAHRAIN, negotiations began between the government and its supporters, and opposition groups, to end the Arab Spring-inspired political unrest that has dogged the Kingdom for the last two years. However, demonstrations and protests marked the second anniversary – on Valentine’s Day – of the start of Bahrain’s troubles, leading to various factions boycotting the talks. The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office were still warning travellers to “maintain a high level of security awareness”. Despite the unrest, a new survey by Ernst and Young says that
Bahrain’s hotel occupancy rates rose 7 per cent last year, “pointing to a rebound in the Kingdom’s tourism and business sectors”. In particular, the report says, increased attendance at trade events such as Jewelry Arabia, and the Oil and Gas Trade Forum, pushed visitor numbers higher, bringing average room rates down, albeit by only 0.4 per cent. Downward pressure on prices could continue this year with a host
of new hotels due to come on stream. Biggest of the lot is the 407- room Bahrain Rotana, ahead of Marriott’s 318-room Renaissance Bahrain Amwaj Island, due to open this month. Also new this year are Intercontinental’s Holiday Inn Bahrain Al Seef, with 240 rooms, the 215-room Tulip Inn, and the Swiss-Belhotel Seef, with 146 rooms.
DUBAI THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY’S love affair with Dubai shows no sign of cooling, with more than 5,000 new rooms due to be added to the supply in the next two to three years. One of the most recent additions is Movenpick’s fifth property in
Dubai, Movenpick Hotel Apartments The Square, the first international addition in the Al Mamzar district of Deira, Dubai’s historical centre. Also new this year are three Marriott properties and a further
three from France’s Accor Group. The Dubai Marriott Healthcare City (352 rooms) and the Renaissance Dubai Motor City (354 rooms) will be accompanied by a 128-unit Marriott Executive Apartments – also in Healthcare City – while Accor is opening a Novotel, a Sofitel and a Pullman, with 187 apartments and more than 1,000 rooms between them. Other newcomers this year are a 165-unit Staybridge Suites
property and the Coral International Sports City, with 290 rooms. Another Sofitel, with 350 rooms, opens on Sheikh Zayed Road next year, along with a 407-room Crowne Plaza, the 480-room Sheraton Dubai, and the Rezidor Group’s 310-room Park Inn Dubai Airport Free Zone.
QATAR
WITH AN EXISTING GLUT of upscale hotels, and more top-end properties on the way, Qatar this year mixes things up with the opening of the 200-room Premier Inn Doha Education City, the budget group’s first foray into the country. The trend is not being bucked for long, however. The 300-room
Four Seasons Hotel Doha at The Pearl makes its debut in 2014, as does the Marsa Malaz Hotel Kempinski, with 278 rooms. They will be followed in 2015 by the five-star Shaza Doha, with 180-rooms, Rezidor’s 300-room Missoni Doha, and two Accor properties – the 215-room M Gallery Doha Musheireb, and the massive Pullman Doha West Bay, with 371 rooms and 97 apartments.
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