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Middle East’s 10 most anticipated hotel openings of 2018
2018 is gearing up for a busy year in openings. Hotelier Middle East presents 10 openings of the year – in no particular order
Proposed opening date: September 2018.
Location: Dubai Marina.Owner: The First Group.
Interior designer: The First Group.Architect: Alajmi Engineering Consultants.
Keys: 465.Total area of property: Total build up area, circa 27,500m².
F&B outlets: A distinctive F&
Swiss-Belhotel Al Aziziyah Makkah
Location: In the heart of the Holy City of Makkah, footsteps from Masjid Al Haram and the Holy Kaaba.
Owner: Cardamom International Property Management LLC.
Interior designer: Futurism Design, Architectural & Interior Design, Dubai.
Architect: Eng. Osama Abdelwareth Ain Sadoumah, MSC. consultant, KSA.
Keys: 525 rooms.
Total Area of property: Approximately 20,039m².
F&B outlets: One all-day-dining restaurant and a lobby café.
Leisure facilities: Nil.
MICE facilities: Extensive banquet facilities.
Unique selling points of the property: It is only a few minutes drive away from Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Al Aziziya.
Copthorne Makkah Al Nasseem
Proposed opening date: Q2 2018.
Location: Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Owner: Al Raijhi Estate Investment.
Interior designer: IDS Interior Design Studio.
Architect: IDS Interior Design Studio.
Keys: 502 with private balconies.
Total area of property: 15,523m².
F&B outlets: The Copthorne Makkah Al Naseem will host an all-day dining venue, which will offer international cuisine.
Leisure Facilities: Male and female gyms.
MICE facilities: Four high-tech conference rooms accommodating a total of 400 guests, theatre room (200 guests).
Unique selling points of the property: The property offers views of the Aisha Al Rajhi Mosque and surrounding areas, and is located less than a mile from Mina and Muzdalifah train stations. It offers the convenience of access to the Makkah City Centre, and is 105km from King Abdul Aziz International Airport. Its facilities are perfect for business travel.
Millennium Golden Horn Istanbul
Proposed opening date: Q1 2018.
Location: Historical City Centre, Istanbul.
Owner: SNR Holding.
Interior designer: METEX Group.
Architect: METEX Group.
Keys: 127.
Total area of property: 6,280.36m².
F&B outlets: All-day dining restaurant.
Leisure facilities: 24 hour room service, wellness centre with spa, steam and Turkish baths, 24-hour gym, swimming pool.
MICE facilities: A 340m² ballroom which can be divided into three meeting rooms, a 58m² meeting room, and a 72m² PDR.
Unique selling points of the property: Located in the heart of the historical city centre in the garden of the Tekfur Palace which is the first palace of Byzantum, next to the Virgin Mary Church. It is 200m to Khora Mosque & Museum in Balat neighbourhood which is protected by UNESCO, and is a five-minute drive from the Pierre Loti Hill and 15 km from Ataturk International Airport.
Anantara Tozeur Resort
Proposed opening date: Not set yet but will be in 2018.
Location: Tozeur, right outside the city centre, Tunisia.
Interior designer: Agora Architects.
Architect: Agora Architects.
Total area of property: TBC.
F&B outlets: All-day dining Tunisian restaurant, speciality Thai restaurant, and an Arabian night’s souq experience.
Unique selling points of the property: The property will be a palm oasis by itself, and offers excursions to the Chott El Jerid salt lake, along with a star gazing experience. Star Wars fans can visit the film set at Chott El Jerid.
TIME Asma Hotel
Proposed opening date: Q2 2018.
Location: Al Barsha, Dubai.
Owner: Adel Noori Jaber Ali.
Interior designer: TRS.
Architect: Ragheed Ahmed.
Keys: 232 over six floors.
Total area of property: 18.741m2.
F&B outlets: It will offer an all-day dining restaurant/Italian pizzeria, pool bar & in-room dining.
Leisure facilities: Gym, swimming pool, kids pool and treatment rooms (male & female).
MICE facilities: Three meeting rooms as well as a business centre.
Unique selling points of the property: Two floors of the hotel will be reserved exclusively for female travellers with dedicated services, including: room service, a female-only check-in counter, women-only guest relations, in-house baby-sitting services, in-room tablets highlighting the services offered for women such as bespoke beauty products, in-room beauty treatments, and enhanced amenities in each room. The hotel aims to have females making up 80% of the team members, led by GM Ghada Mahgoub.
Radisson Blu Residence Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter
Proposed opening date: 2018.
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Interior designer: Samuel Creations.
Architect: Omrania.
Keys: 115.
Total area of property: 9,400m².
F&B outlets: All-day dining restaurant.
Leisure facilities: Children’s play room, health club, business class lounge.
MICE facilities: 282m² meeting space, four meeting rooms, one boardroom.
Unique selling points of the property: The Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence will be the only hotel located within the Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh. The project is specifically designed to allow for short-term hotel stays as well as medium and long-term demand. With this location, the Radisson Blu will serve the diplomats, high net worth individuals and other influential guests visiting the upscale diplomatic quarter of the city.
Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residences
Proposed opening date: May 2018.
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Owner: Granada Investment Centre established by General Organisation for Social Insurance (GOSI).
Keys: 645 guest rooms and 221 hotel apartments.
Total area of property: Approximately 200,000m2.
F&B outlets: Anar is a Turkish restaurant that will offer Turkish/Middle East food, Lotus is an Asian-inspired restaurant with an open-air terrace, Teatro will be the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant and will offer international dining options buffet-style, Lobby lounge and executive lounge for light bites.
Leisure facilities: Eforea spa and health club, with separate male and female areas and swimming pools.
MICE facilities: Large pillarless ballroom that can host up to 5,100 delegates, junior ballroom that can host up to 616 people, and 11 flexible meeting rooms.
Unique selling points: Extensive MICE facilities, including one of Riyadh’s largest pillarless ballrooms, Presidential Suite with a panoramic view of Riyadh. Located between Granada Centre and Granada Business Park.
W Dubai The Palm
Proposed opening date: June 2018.
Location: West Crescent, Palm Jumeirah.
Interior designer: dwp.
Architect: RMJM.
Keys: 350.
Total area of property: 92,903m2.
F&B outlets: Six, including Massimo Bottura’s Torno Subito, and Akira Back.
Leisure facilities: WET (Pool area), 400m of beach, DND Suites, AWAY Spa, FIT (Gym), Water Sports, W The Store, P.A.W. (Pets Are Welcome).
MICE facilities: 1,215m2 Great Room plus seven studios and strategy rooms, pre-function area, and a 204m2 lawn.
Unique selling points of the property: It offers the first ‘W Escape’ in the Middle East, and the hotel hopes that its WET Deck will be famous for pool parties and Friday brunch. Two Michelin star chefs are anchoring its F&B venues: Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura and Akira Back — set to create a buzz. And all 350 rooms, including 59 suites, have sea views.
Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla
Proposed opening date: May 2018.
Location: Aqaba, Jordan.
Owner: Ayla Oasis Development.
Interior designer: Yabu Pushelberg.
Architect: Simeon Halsted from Arcadia design.
Keys: 286.
Total area of property: 68,000m2.
F&B outlets: Five outlets.
Leisure facilities: Fitness and spa, golf (the hotel is a walking distance from Ayla Golf course), Camp Hyatt kids club, two pools, beach.
MICE facilities: 970m2 of meeting space.
Unique selling points of the property: All rooms have balconies overlooking the water lagoons or the marina, and the hotel offers an authentic Turkish hammam, with a separate outdoor pool for spa guests only. It has a variety of food and beverage outlets, separate entrance from the main hotel entrance for ballroom and meeting facilities, dedicated group check-in area, and is walking distance from Ayla golf club, the first and only 18-hole championship golf course in Jordan, designed by Greg Norman.
