ONE of Dubai’s oldest hospitality ventures, Al Bustan Centre and Residence in Al Ghusais, has embarked on a Dh15 million ($4.08 million) renovation project.
Aimed at enhancing the holiday experience of hotel guests, the renovation will bring in state-of-the-art facilities to add comfort and convenience giving guests a memorable and relaxing stay.
All 640 rooms at the property including 296 studios and 136 one-bedroom apartments will undergo complete make-over with a new and fresh look while the 208 two-bedroom apartments have been completely refurbished.
Chief operating officer Moussa El Hayek says: “Business guests and vacationing tourists will be delighted to stay in our renovated guest rooms, all featuring contemporary design with modern amenities needed to make their stay in Dubai truly memorable. The renovation work is also aimed at remaining competitive in the market especially with new properties and brands coming to the city. We want to make sure that we provide our guest complete satisfaction and value for their money.
“Every 15 days we get around 25 units refurbished. The project is expected to take six months for completion. We have some improvements on our ‘go green initiatives’ as well such as using LED lights and adhering to energy compliances to save on energy. We will also upgrade our Building Management System (BMS) that controls all our electrical equipment and air conditioning system as well as part of the green initiative.”
The rooms will go through a complete refurbishment – from floor to ceiling and curtains to the corridors. New amenities will include a 39-inch flat screen LED television, high speed wi-fi internet access in all the rooms and public areas and upgraded facilities in the kitchenette.
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El Hayek |
For 17 years, Al Bustan Centre and Residence has given hotel guests easy and convenient access to major shopping malls and tourist attractions being located in one of Dubai’s bustling business districts is five minutes away from Dubai International Airport and also has the convenience of being close to the Al Nahda Metro Station. Al Bustan Centre & Residence also features and expansive shopping mall with over 95 outlets attached to the property.
Its strategic location also allows its residents and visitors a smooth access to other emirates including Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah.
El Hayek says: “In the region, a majority of our business comes from Saudi and Qatar followed by the rest of GCC. We also see a lot of interest from the local UAE markets who visit us in particular during weekends and national holidays.
Since the inception of our property, the CIS region has been a key market. Over the years, we have been able to build on this segment – from 1,000 room night per annum to 20,000 room night per annum by the year end of 2013. This indicates the importance of our market. We have continued our drive to attract this market by participating in trade shows and exhibitions, road shows and so on which has led to this achievement.
El Hayek says: “We are now concentrating on the Far East, starting with India and the sub-continent as we it is a big market for MICE. With the expansive MICE inventory we offer it gives us an edge over our competitors. We have been successful in tackling this market. We are also looking towards China and are pursing it constantly by taking part in trade shows organised at all major cities, under the umbrella of Dubai Tourism.”
El Hayek who will complete 18 years in May, 2014 with the company, has a wealth of knowledge in the industry from more than 30 years. “No matter what happens in the rest of the world, Dubai always manages to do well. During international crisis, Dubai was affected but it was the first to recover. This is because the emirate is a destination like no other; because of its stability, security, accessibility and flexibility.”