JUMEIRAH Group is set to make its foray into the UAE capital with the launch of the Jumeirah Etihad Towers, scheduled to open in July 2011. The hotel will be part of the iconic Etihad Towers mixed-use development built under the inspiration of Sheikh Suroor bin Mohammed Al Nahyan.
Located along Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, Etihad Towers is a mixed-use development, featuring three residential towers, an office tower with 48,000 sq m of leasable space and an observation deck with café lounge and the Jumeirah Etihad Towers hotel. All the towers are connected through a six-floor podium which will feature 43 high-end boutiques and various restaurants. According to general manager, Doris Greif: “The Jumeirah Etihad Towers will be the company’s flagship operation in the capital. It is an iconic project and we hope that the project will go on to be the market leader in Abu Dhabi.
“The management agreement for Jumeirah Etihad Towers was signed in 2007 and so we have been waiting a long time to get this flagship property into the capital.”
The hotel is made up of 397 guest rooms and suites, 199 serviced residences and 13 restaurants, bars and lounges. The Royal Etihad Suite is located at level 60 and covers 980 sq m occupying the entire floor.
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The Etihad Towers |
The hotel will offer 13 food and beverage options including a pan-Asian supper club concept restaurant on level 63 and a club executive lounge which functions as an outlet for club executive guests on level 44. Also available will be a traditional French brassiere, a Japanese lounge and restaurant concept, an up-market Lebanese restaurant and an all-day-dining outlet, both of which will overlook the ocean. The hotel will also operate on Tower 2, an observation Deck with a café concept.
“Our meetings and conference centre will be a key aspect with a ballroom that can seat 1,400 people. We will have 13 meeting rooms all offering state-of-the-art facilities ahighnd the highlight will be the conference centre which will sit above the lobby level, with pre-function areas overlooking the lobby,” said Grief.
“One of the unique features at the Etihad Towers is, wherever you are, you will have ocean views.”
The hotel will also offer a Talise Spa, with 14 treatment rooms, a 130-m private beach and a fully- equipped gym.
While the exteriors will feature dramatic sculptural forms, the interiors will be sleek and contemporary in design reflecting a very calm feeling and art works from Sheik Suroor’s private collection will provide a local Arabian touch in public areas, conference pre-function areas and around the Royal Etihad Suite, located on Level 60.
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“We are also working with young fashion designers from a local university, who have been tasked to design the uniforms – this will give a local touch in the uniforms too. As Jumeirah feels it is very important to embrace national development,” said Greif.
With Abu Dhabi Tourism’s commitment to increase tourist arrivals into the emirate, Greif is confident that the Jumeirah Etihad Towers will fit in nicely with Abu Dhabi’s fast growing hotel room inventory.
“Abu Dhabi continues to push itself on the international scene with conferences and events. Early 2011 will see the World Ophthalmology Congress which is expected to bring 16,000 delegates into the emirate. A large number of sporting events, including the Formula 1 Grand Prix, are taking place in Abu Dhabi now, cultural and musical events, art exhibits – with so much emphasis on different events for all sorts of age groups and interests, I am confident that all these hotels will get filled easily,” she added.
“Summers will continue to be difficult time, if you look at the market today, but around Eid, it has again become very difficult to find a room in the emirate. So, Abu Dhabi needs these hotel rooms.”
While the hotel has scheduled it opening for July 2011, a number of inquiries for conferences and weddings, from key corporate partners as well as tour operators have started coming in and the hotel has taken provisional bookings for the final quarter of 2010, when the conference center will be fully operational.