Le Meridien Kuwait is to introduce the second phase of its five-project expansion in the country with the opening of the 70-room Le Meridien Safat, Kuwait, later this year.

The hotel marks the debut of Le Meridien's innovative Art+Tech design in the region, and forms part of an aggressive development strategy in the country - which will create almost 450 new rooms across five projects by 2006.

Le Meridien's development in Kuwait is the result of a newly established owning relationship with A'Amal Hotels Company.

Ahmed Al Abdaly, chairman of A'Amal Hotels Company said: "These five projects - which include the refurbishment and rebranding of the former Ritz Hotel - will change the face of Kuwait's hospitality structure.”

Sami Zoghbi, regional managing director of Le Meridien Middle East and West Asia, said the pace of development in Kuwait has accelerated after the end of the conflict in Iraq.
He said: "The hotel sector in Kuwait has been somewhat static for years. "It is reassuring to see new names coming in to the market now, but we feel that Le Meridien, in conjunction with our owners, will be the first group to inject a dynamic edge to the hospitality industry here - a move that reflects the revival of the emirate as a regional powerhouse.”