Marriott International has revealed details of the United Arab Emirate’s first Renaissance Hotel. Set to open at the end of 2016, the Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai will be a 298-room luxury hotel aimed at business and leisure travellers who seek both authentic and unexpected experiences. Details of the brand’s UAE debut come as the travel company plans to open an additional four hotels in the country throughout 2016.
Amongst the 2016 openings is Abu Dhabi’s first Marriott Hotel, the 315-room five-star Marriott Hotel Downtown Abu Dhabi as well as the 64-suite Marriott Executive Apartments Downtown Abu Dhabi.
Further strengthening Marriott International’s luxury lifestyle offering, scheduled 2016 openings also include the 86-room La Ville Hotel CITY WALK Dubai, Autograph Collection, the 68-suite La Ville Apartments CITY WALK, Dubai and 500-room Lapita Hotel, Autograph Collection, all set to open by the fourth quarter of this year.
Speaking ahead of this week’s Arabian Travel Market 2016 (ATM), Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East & Africa of Marriott International, said: “The Renaissance Downtown Hotel Dubai will be a truly unique offer within the UAE hospitality sector as it is a highly appealing lifestyle option for both business and leisure travellers. The debut, alongside the opening of our flagship Marriott Hotels brand and two other Autograph Collection properties make for a very attractive luxury lifestyle proposition in the UAE.”
Aimed at discovery-oriented business travellers and curious leisure travellers, the Renaissance Downtown Hotel Dubai will join over 160 global Renaissance Hotels. Following the concept Business Unusual, Renaissance Hotels focus on helping their discerning guests to make the most of their trip – whether it be for business or leisure. In doing so, each hotel employs local experts called Navigators who are hand-picked and able to share what typically wouldn’t be covered in guidebooks.
Along with the new Renaissance Hotel, the UAE is also slated to welcome two Autograph Collection hotels this year. An evolving ensemble of strikingly independent hotels, the Autograph Collection’s defining feature is that each hotel is “Exactly Like Nothing Else”. Lapita Hotel, Autograph Collection, will be a Polynesian-themed resort and located in the center of Dubai Parks and Resorts. The other property is a boutique style property at City Walk Dubai, La Ville Hotel and Apartments CITYWALK, Autograph Collection. These properties will join the luxurious Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa – the region’s first Autograph Collection hotel which was added to Marriott International’s portfolio in 2014.
Vivienne LePage, Director of Sales and Marketing, Europe, Autograph Collection, said: “Autograph Collection is known for creating authentic experiences that are centered in rich personality and the spirit of independence. We feel that essence is fully represented in Dubai, which with its courageous inventiveness, makes it a perfect fit for our second Autograph Collection property in the region.”
Along with these luxury lifestyle openings, 2016 is also slated to see the opening of a Marriott Executive Apartments property in Abu Dhabi, reinforcing what is a growing extended stay segment across the UAE.
Diane Mayer, Vice President and Global Brand Manager – Residence Inn by Marriott and Marriott Executive Apartments, said: “Across the region and within the UAE specifically, we are seeing demand rising for luxurious and long-term extended stay accommodation and we are perfectly positioned with the scheduled opening of the new Marriott Executive Apartments property, Abu Dhabi’s first, in 2016. Today it’s not only the executive traveller who seeks out an extended stay property, but also families who are looking for a home-like environments where they can still experience the comfort and convenience that they would benefit from in a hotel.”
The 5 property openings planned for this year will be amongst nine Marriott International properties, representing over 2000 rooms, scheduled to open in the UAE by 2018. Among the much-anticipated Marriott International openings will be the region’s first EDITION and Bulgari Hotels – both set to open in 2017.
At present, Marriott International operates nearly 150 properties across the Middle East and Africa region, representing 9 brands in 19 countries. By 2020 the hotel company will add a further 93 properties and approximately 19,000 rooms within the region for a total of 240 properties and 40,000 rooms.
