ISING above the Arabian Gulf the Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers is a spectacular five-star city conference resort property in the heart of Abu Dhabi's business district.
Flagship of the Rotana Group, one of the region's most dynamic and progressive hotel operators, it is representative of the unique property management, operational expertise and sheer warmth of hospitality offered for the local, regional and international business and leisure traveller.
The Beach Rotana's success is increasing momentum in the Group's strategic vision of ambitious expansion throughout the Arab world. The original Beach Rotana Hotel Towers was the first property opened by Rotana in 1993 and steep growth has been recorded over the last three years with resort hotels opening in Egypt and new hotels in Lebanon.
The Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers, an integral part of the massive Abu Dhabi Trade Centre, is linked to the Abu Dhabi Mall by a separate entrance to this prestigious shopping and entertainment complex. Despite its towering scale, architectural verve and immense physical footprint, the hotel's ambience is warm and intimate.
The Grand Lobby is inviting and, with the hotel's high occupancy rates, it’s busy day and night. There are 558 rooms, suites and apartments, ten world-class food and beverage outlets and extensive beach facilities. In addition, there are 3,700 sq m of conference space and 2,000 sq m of sea-front function space.
General manager Orner Z. Kaddouri has presided over the property's redevelopment and expansion for four years opening the Tower Wing, new outlets and facilities whilst maintaining with seamless efficiency, superior service levels and maximum guest comfort
“The Rotana approach is customer-driven, and more intimate and less hierarchical than many international chains, which translates into more empowerment for property management. As well as being the Group's flagship the Beach Rotana Hotel also generates the highest revenue, has the largest staff and is the most complex of the properties by the sheer scale and range of facilities,” he said. “Even if I pride myself in knowing the majority of the staff by name, and we have about 800 in all, one of the most important principles is ensuring that as well as operationally, the hotel is always warm and hospitable, and that the service levels are consistently the best.”
Kaddouri added that 2003 was a record year for tourists drawn not only from Europe but increasing GCC business including from Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for official delegations as well as Eid breaks. An office has now been established in Kuwait to monitor business trends for GCC tourism.
The majestic Tower Wing contains 186 rooms facing the Arabian Gulf including the Royal and Presidential suites and radical refurbishment of the original 227 rooms in the Beach Wing is now underway. “We began work in April,” explained Kaddouri. “This is a significant investment with the refurbishment programmed two floors at a time to minimise impact on customers. Even the bathrooms are being gutted so the final result will again be the superior quality associated with the Tower Wing with fixtures and fittings of darkish wood and immaculate facilities.”
With an impressive guest to staff ratio that highlights the service levels available throughout the hotel, Kaddouri is proud of his personal contribution to the property's success and continues to enjoy the challenges with the newly-completed exclusive Beach Club, with facilities ranging from squash to sauna and a soon- to-open scuba diving centre plus plans also for a spa.
“Despite the scale of the Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers as a city conference resort, we have worked hard to successfully create an intimate and warm atmosphere throughout. With up to 1,800 covers a day, we are proud of our superior service levels and the increasing range of our contemporary and more traditional outlets,” Kaddouri said.
All outlets are world-class, each with a unique ambience, service and cuisine. Prego's has an open-theatre kitchen serving in an indoor location as well as a beach terrace, Trader Vic's is the ultimate French Polynesian restaurant, while there is a Rodeo Grill and Benihana for American-Japanese teppanyaki. What’s more, the Finz seafood restaurant is also due to open in June.