INTERNATIONAL residential and resort developer IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) announced the opening of its first hotel in Dubai – Fairmont The Palm. The $330 million five-star beach front hotel is the only operational resort located on the trunk of the Palm Jumeirah, making it one of the island’s most accessible destinations.
Fairmont The Palm will feature 381 guestrooms and suites, including two presidential suites, 3,000 sq m of meeting space, outdoor leisure facilities with four swimming pools, a private beach club, Children’s Activity Centre, as well as a variety of dining facilities featuring sea, garden or pool views, a Fairmont Gold product and a Willow Stream Spa. The resort will also house the newest addition to the brand’s private residence club offering, Fairmont Heritage Place, The Palm, Dubai, featuring 10 one- and two-bedroom residences.
Speaking exclusively to TTN, Martin Van Kan, general manager of Fairmont The Palm says, the new hotel is a resort that appeals both to tourists in Dubai and also residents in the area and living on The Palm Jumeirah.
“We anticipate “neighbourhood” guests to come to dine in the restaurants and to take advantage of the gym facilities and kids club.
“In addition, Fairmont The Palm is centrally situated for guests seeking short distance leisure activities, dining and exploration in and around the neighbourhood. The hotel is also minutes away from the Dubai Marina, lauded for its café style restaurants and al fresco dining alongside the Jumeirah Walk and public beach,” he adds.
The property is ideally located next to key business districts, including Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City and Dubai Knowledge Village and has convenient access to Sheikh Zayed Road. Fairmont The Palm also offers 3,000 sq m of meeting space for guests to utilise.
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Van Kan... location is key |
The hotel will also bring Fairmont’s branded signature spa concept, Willow Stream Spa to the UAE for the first time. The new Spa covers over 1,600 sq m with 13 treatment rooms and will showcase a wide range of treatments and wellness methodologies. The hotel also features two outdoor swimming pools, a 450 m private beach and a comprehensive Children’s Activity Centre offering appropriate programmes based on age groups.
Van Kan adds, “The Fairmont has developed into one of the UAE’s most trusted hotel brands, and we know from our Abu Dhabi property that guests are looking for an experience which combines beachside relaxation with accessibility to the city – our location on the trunk (or the heart of the Palm, as we call it), is ideal for those needs.
“Yes, there is choice in the market, but the fact remains that Fairmont has a reputation for location, for service, for luxury, and for our food outlets, and we are very excited to be delivering these on the heart of the Palm.”
In addition to UAE Nationals and from visitors across the GCC, the hotel hopes to attract international leisure and business visitors from Europe. In addition, there has been a shift in travel trends from big tour groups to more individualised and frequent travel.
“The Bric market is increasingly important to Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, as we have witnessed a steady increase in guests from Bric countries. Dubai has also witnessed a strong growth in Chinese visitors, with 203,440 tourists in 2011 according to the China Tourism Academy (CTA). The CTA predicted that a quarter of a million Chinese tourists will visit the UAE by the end of 2012.”
The resort also features seven restaurants and lounges that deliver a range of dining options from Frevo, one of the city’s only authentic Brazilian restaurants, incorporating the churrasco method of grilling to Bā, a pan Chinese restaurant providing a full spectrum of regional cuisines from the mainland and beyond. Flow Kitchen is an international restaurant serving family style cuisine from the Middle East, India, the Mediterranean and Asia, while The Cigar Room rounds out the evening in the comfort of elegantly chic surroundings, highlighted by a walk-in humidor and an award winning Habanos sommelier.
Gabriel Matar, head of Middle East and Africa for Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, predicts that; “Based on its competitive set, we expect to see Fairmont The Palm command a premium of up to 70 per cent versus city centre hotels. That figure takes into account the hotel’s location, its 460-m of beachfront, 381 balconied guestrooms, 2,200 sq m of meeting and conference facilities, 1,600 sq m spa, an array of amenities, seven food and beverage outlets and expected service levels.”
Guests can experience the new resort with a choice of two special offers – the Couple’s Package starting from Dh1,899 ($517) includes accommodation on Fairmont Gold which features elevated service and amenities such as complimentary breakfast and evening hors d’oerves in a private lounge, butler service and daily use of your own beach cabana. The Family Package starts from Dh1,999 ($544) and includes a spacious guestroom (children under 18 stay complimentary), daily breakfast for four, couple’s massage and access to Children’s Activity Centre.
Packages can be booked until March 31, 2013 for stays until May 31, 2013. Minimum two-night stay for family and three-night stay for couple’s package.