news: review: Rezidor to open more Dubai hotels
Rezidor to open more Dubai hotels
Hotel operator Rezidor is opening a fourth Radisson property in Dubai this spring to capitalise on strong demand for rooms across the emirate.
Kurt Ritter, president and CEO of Rezidor, said that the 242-room Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Downtown was expected to prove popular with travellers, despite a general worldwide slump in hotel RevPAR (revenue per available room).
“Despite the slowdown, Dubai continues to have the highest RevPAR worldwide and is an interesting market for Rezidor — and one of our focus areas in the Middle East,” he said. “We see a promising potential especially for business travellers, and the new hotel benefits from an excellent location near the main commercial areas.
” Ritter added that the new hotel’s location in Downtown Dubai, one of the emirate’s hotspots, would help attract business and leisure travellers. The property will be located on the upper floors of a mixed-use building within walking distance of Dubai Mall, the world’s biggest shopping complex, and 10 km from the international airport.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Downtown comprises 220 contemporary rooms and 22 suites that are equipped with high-speed internet access.
Features will include an all-day dining restaurant, a speciality restaurant, and two bars (including a rooftop pool bar).
Meeting facilities will include six conference rooms, two board rooms, and a business centre, while on the leisure side the hotel will have a swimming pool, gym and spa.
The new hotel will border Business Bay, a mega project covering six million square meters, which will eventually become the emirate’s commerce hub. Leading landmarks near the property include Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai International and Exhibition Centre, and Dubai International Financial Centre (the world’s fastest growing international financial centre).
Rezidor already operates the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek; the Radisson Blu Residence, Dubai Marina; and the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City.
Elie Younes, Rezidor’s vice president development, Middle East & Africa, confirmed that the group plans to expand further by opening more Dubai hotels.
“Our focus is now to serve the market with more Radisson Blu resorts on the Dubai beachfront, identify suitable opportunities and partners for our lifestyle brand Hotel Missoni, and complement this with the addition of a new Park Inn by Radisson hotels to offer something fresh for the mid-market traveller,” Younes said.
The hotel group recently opened a new property in Kuwait, extending its portfolio to 25 hotels across the Middle East.
Hotel Missoni Kuwait, a luxury hotel based at the Symphony Centre with 169 sea-facing rooms, came online in March.
The property features meeting space, a gym, sauna and pool-deck, two restaurants serving Italian and Arabic fare, and a cafe.
A 1,500 square metre Six Senses Spa with 10 treatment rooms, yoga studios, gyms and hammams, will open at the Kuwaiti property later this year.
“The hotel will strengthen our presence in the Middle East and reinforce our position as one of the leading international hotel groups,” Ritter said.
“A combination of design, lifestyle and technology will bring a truly new and authentic travel experience — as soon as you walk through the doors, you’ll know it’s Missoni.”
While focusing on new hotel openings, Rezidor is also making changes to an existing property in the Middle East. The Al Fanar Rooftop Ballroom at The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa in Bahrain will be converted into a meeting and events venue with panoramic views of the coast.
The Al Fanar Rooftop Ballroom will have capacity for 455 guests in theatre style or 250 for conferences and formal dinners. Its reception area will feature an exclusive VIP lounge.
“This new addition to our already extensive meetings and events space continues The Diplomat Radisson Blu’s intensive upgrade programme, which was launched following our rebranding from SAS to Blu,” said the hotel’s general manager, Rick Erdos.
