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Hotel update: Dubai

1 Jun 2017 by Business Traveller Asia Pacific
Dukes Dubai pool

NEW

Al Habtoor City

The mixed-use development on the banks of the new Dubai Water Canal is home to three new Marriott-operated properties: W Dubai – Al Habtoor City (opened June 2016); The Westin Dubai, Al Habtoor City (opened August 2016) with more than 1,000 rooms; and The St Regis Dubai (opened December 2015). The complex boasts four restaurants and a 1,300-seat water-themed show called La Perle by Franco Dragone (of Cirque du Soleil fame).

Jumeirah Al Naseem

Opened: December 2016

This hotel is the final addition to the luxury beachfront Madinat Jumeirah Resort complex, designed to resemble a traditional Arabian city with interconnecting waterways and lush gardens. The 430-key property offers suites, a spa, ten restaurants, and entertainment options including a private beach and bustling souk.

Dukes Dubai

Opened: December 2016

Part of the Preferred Hotels and Resorts portfolio, the luxury Dukes Dubai comprises 279 guestrooms with a Duchess Floor catering exclusively to female travellers. Situated in Palm Jumeirah, the property is close to Media City and Dubai Marina. It offers a “quintessentially British experience”, from the iconic martini bar headed by Alessandro Palazzi to the Cigar Lounge and Great British Restaurant.

M Hotel Downtown

Opened: January 2017

Millennium Hotels & Resorts’ midscale M Hotel brand occupies the former Radisson Blu on Al Asayel Street in Business Bay. The M Hotel Downtown by Millennium offers 242 guestrooms, an all-day dining restaurant, outdoor pool and eight meeting rooms.

Dusit D2 Kenz Dubai

Opened: February 2017

This upscale hotel is a new entry from Thai-hospitality company Dusit International. The 237-room property is located next to Dubai Internet City Metro facing Sheik Zayed Road, with Thai and Mediterranean restaurant offerings.

Rixos Premium Dubai

Opened: May 2017

The 35-storey, crystal-design tower of Rixos Premium Dubai is home to 443 guestrooms in the middle of the Jumeirah Beach Residence development. It boasts ten meeting rooms with a 1,000-capacity ballroom, a private beach, gym and spa with Turkish hammam, plus six F&B outlets.

Emaar Hospitality

The Dubai-based hospitality group has been extremely busy over the past year, with four new openings, plus a raft of properties in the pipeline. New hotels include the five-star “city lifestyle resort” Address Boulevard, which opened in March in the heart of downtown Dubai. Four Rove-branded hotels have also opened within the past 12 months, beefing up the presence of midscale options in the emirate. This includes Rove Downtown, Rove City Centre, Rove Healthcare City and Rove Trade Centre.

Upcoming projects include the redevelopment of the Address Downtown, which infamously burned down on New Year’s Eve, along with six further luxury Address-branded properties, a number of properties from the upscale lifestyle brand Vida Hotels and Resorts, plus more Rove hotels also planned.

COMING SOON

Rotana is set to manage two new properties in Duba opening in Q3 2017. The five-star Creek Rotana will feature 190 rooms, four dining outlets, a swimming pool and wellness centre. Adjacent will be the new 90-room Creek Arjaan by Rotana property, with conference facilities and a fitness centre.

Hyatt Centric The Palm Dubai is also scheduled to open later this year – marking the lifestyle brand’s debut in the GCC. The hotel will be located at the centre of Palm Jumeirah with 217 guestrooms and 116 serviced apartments.

Another millennial-minded lifestyle brand set to open this year is Tryp by Wyndham in Barsha Heights. The 650-room hotel will feature co-working spaces and meeting rooms alongside leisure options.

Marriott is also planning to tap into the younger demographic with the launch of its Aloft brand at the end of this year on Palm Jumeirah. Meanwhile, the upmarket Marriott Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai is gearing up for a July 2017 opening. Looking further ahead, Marriott is also set to welcome the new Bulgari Dubai later this year, and its first Edition-branded hotel in 2018.

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group plans to make a splash with the opening of Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront, expected this year, with two more Radisson Blu hotels scheduled for 2019: the 356-key Radisson Blu Hotel International Media Production Zone and the 290-room Radisson Blu Hotel in Dubai Studio City. A Radisson Red is also expected in 2018.

Hilton has a couple of luxury projects on the horizon, including the Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre, scheduled to open in the autumn, plus the Hilton Rosemont Hotel & Residences – part of the Curio collection – due to open in 2018.

Intercontinental Hotels Group will welcome the Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City later this year, while construction of the Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina (originally slated to open in 2016) is ongoing.

Other openings planned for 2018 include three Movenpick properties: Movenpick Hotel Apartment Al Burj Business Bay; Movenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai; and Movenpick Hotel Dubai Media City.

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