THE Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, the brand’s first hotel in the UAE and the latest addition to the global Waldorf Astoria portfolio, opened in August and has already been attracting a very positive feedback and response.
Offering sweeping views of the Arabian Gulf with 346 rooms, the hotel was exclusively designed to mirror classic features of palaces in the Arabian Peninsula. The interiors complement the tranquil surroundings of the emirate with ocean, desert and mountain-inspired décor. TTN caught up with the property’s general manager, Andre Herrenschmidt, who has enjoyed a long career with Hilton Worldwide including serving roles in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He spoke to us about expectations and future plans of the new property.
How will the hotel be positioned at the new location?
The luxury destination hotel at Ras Al Khaimah is an extension to the Waldorf Astoria brand and will continue to promote the hotel through the three brand pillars True Waldorf Service, Inspirational Environment and Authentic Moments. These pillars are tailored for the region with highlights throughout the different services and outlets.
What GCC presence is expected in Ras Al Khaimah?
Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah will attract guests from all over the GCC as well as the globe. The hotel appeals to high net worth individuals and top level executives on corporate trips or holiday excursions from the GCC, particularly from the KSA.
Visitors from Saudi Arabia represent a small but high value and fast-growing proportion of Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism sector and have a significantly higher average hotel spend per guest than other source markets.
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What is the plan to educate Arab travellers on the Waldorf Astoria brand?
It is important to build awareness of Hilton Luxury Brands and Waldorf Astoria in the region and encourage travellers to experience the True Waldorf Service that is so well known in other parts of the world. Waldorf Astoria prides itself on providing exceptional service within inspirational settings to create unforgettable memories and this ethos is what appeals to local tastes and expectations. Also, the Hilton Honors programme, the global loyalty programme with 30 million members, has helped draw visitors with a number of promotions targeted at various segments including MICE segments. In addition, the marketing strategy includes ‘early bird’ and seasonal promotions such as the Great Getaway summer promotion which helps build strong brand recognition as well as a sustainable booking base.
What are the key source markets?
Aside from local customers who mostly travel from Dubai to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the international source markets are Europe, the neighbouring GCC and Russia. Within Europe the main origins of business are Germany, UK and Italy with other key feeder markets including Austria and Sweden.
Although Waldorf Astoria is world renowned for its luxurious offerings, what are the plans to steer away from any competition?
The brand footprint in Ras Al Khaimah is significant and caters to a diverse range of requirements. Hilton Worldwide has a number of diverse properties in the portfolio. Each hotel has its own unique character for leisure and meetings facilities and can all be booked through the Hilton.com website.
With three distinct brand propositions, Hilton Worldwide are able to tap into diverse travel segments and maximise the potential of each of their properties. Hilton luxury hotels are expanding throughout the Middle East with current expansion plans of Waldorf Astoria in Doha, Qatar.