THE InterContinental Dubai celebrates its 30th anniversary this month, making it the longest-serving property in the country. Expect a whole month of festivities, says general manager Tom Meyer.
"While 30 years can seem like an eternity, in some markets it’s nothing at all. But, of course, for us it is an opportunity for us to say thank you to our guests and to our business colleagues, and to pay a tribute to the vision of the owners that put up a building in the middle of nothing much,” he told TTN.
Celebration plans include an-all day Dh30 buffet at the Boulvar restaurant, Dh30 three-course lunches all month at any of the hotel’s F&B outlets, several parties, VIP guest events and special gifts for guests staying at the hotel in March. “In a city where many hotels are not even 500 days old, we’ve increased our repeat business. Fifty per cent of our business is repeat business,” says Meyer. The hotel has given away several certificates to guests who have stayed at the property 500 times, commemorating check-ins, not room nights.
“Throughout the year, we will continue to improve and innovate in an effort to drive greater quality. We’re currently finishing renovation of our balconies and plan to open our 11th restaurant, serving East European food, in August,” adds Meyer, highlighting recent changes at the hotel such as the introduction of three new restaurants in as many years, wireless availability in all the public areas of the hotel, Rangerover limousine transfers as well as work in the guest bedrooms.
The hotel was opened on March 15, 1975, by HH Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai from 1958 to 1990. Over the last three decades, the hotel – which provides luxury accommodation in its 287-guest rooms – has provided more than 2.8 million room nights and served almost 17 million cups of coffee, whilst polishing 1.1 million shoes. It has been the venue for 2,000 wedding receptions, 1,640 engagement parties, 236,000 birthday parties and 12,854 office parties, and has provided more than 50,000 ‘Happy Hours’ across its outlets. Predictably, the hotel’s guest history is extremely strong, says Meyer.