Frasers Hospitality launched the beginning of its major expansion in the Middle East with the grand opening of Fraser Suites Seef Bahrain, the first of five properties to come on line throughout the region over the next two years.
The 19-storey property sets new standards for luxury accommodation in the city, with 91 one or two-bedroom suites and three stunning penthouses. Each floor accommodates just eight suites for greater privacy and security and the elegant interior design is complemented by the highest quality fixtures and fittings – including Herman Miller furniture, BOSE sound system and an iPod docking station in every apartment.
Fraser Suites Seef Bahrain’s grand opening was held under the patronage of Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture and Information.
The launch will be followed in quick succession with the opening of two more properties, Fraser Suites Dubai and Fraser Suites Doha.
Another two properties already on the drawing board, in Oman and Saudi Arabia, are scheduled to open within the next two years.
“The Middle East remains a most exciting growth area for business and tourism and, strategically for Frasers Hospitality, an important pillar in our global network,” said Frasers Hospitality CEO Choe Peng Sum.
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The exclusive pool area |
Guus Bakker, chief operating officer Europe and Middle East added: “The serviced apartment idea is growing world wide and people are looking more and more for it when they travel. In a way they offer a better solution in a down time as there is increased flexibility to travel with family, for example, and it doesn’t have to cost so much but you can still have access to hotel services.
“I think the popularity which is allowing us to grow rapidly is down to a combination of high service standards and being a young and dynamic group that is up for the challenge.
“We chose the Middle East as it is between our home in Asia and Europe, which is a big market for us. We know that the residence concept is already popular with Middle Eastern travellers coming, for example to London and Bangkok, so it was a logical step.”
The company currently manages 31 properties – a total of 4,800 individual residences – in 19 cities worldwide.
This year, it will open a total of 16 new properties, 12 under the Fraser brand and four under the new Modena brand, and will make its debut in 12 major cities – Budapest, Hungary, Bangalore and New Dehli, India, Doha, Qatar, Dubai, UAE, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Osaka, Japan, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Suzhou and Tianjin, China and Bahrain.
With another 6,000 residences being developed, the company is on course to manage more than 10,600 individual residences in 34 cities by the end of 2012.
Frasers Hospitality, the hospitality arm of Frasers Centrepoint Limited, is a global serviced residence owner and management company with residences across Europe, North Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Australia.
Conceived with the lifestyle preferences of today’s discerning extended stay executive travellers in mind, Frasers Hospitality has three brand offerings – Fraser Suites, Fraser Place and Fraser Residence. A second brand, Modena, which targets the professional who spends the majority of his or her time travelling, was established under the Frasers Hospitality umbrella in July 2009.