THE Rotana group is planning four new hotels in Dubai, an increase of more than 1,400 rooms over the current inventory of around 2,500 rooms.
“This expansion parallels the government vision for Dubai, and will help us cater to the number of people we turn away each year,” Mrad El Khoury, area director of sales and marketing, Rotana Hotels told TTN. The five-star Murooj Rotana off Sheikh Zayed Road will cater to the Dubai International Finance Centre, the Amwaj Rotana in Jumeirah will be a beachside property, besides two suite apartments, the Villa Rotana and the Rose Rotana, set to be the tallest suite apartment in the world.
All of these will open in 2005 and 2006, as will a property each in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah’s Al Aqah beach area. New properties around the region include Al Manshar in Kuwait, Doha, Beirut and Damascus. “The management is also looking for new properties in keeping with our vision of being available in the Middle East,” says El Khoury.
The group has seen occupancy rates rise across its Dubai properties this summer. “In particular, the five Dubai hotels have seen business rise between five and seven per cent over 2003, with overall occupancy rates between 80 and 92 per cent,” says El Khoury.
Some of this summer’s business is doubtless in response to the group’s excellent summer offers. Each night, for example, diners at restaurants in the flagship Al Bustan Rotana Hotel can bid for a room, in addition to enjoying 50 per cent off their tabs.
Both offers run until August 31. “We also have several value-added services, such as free transport to malls, free beach access and other family-oriented services. The aim is to provide an extra edge to our business.”
By Keith J Fernandez