AccorHotels to rebrand landmark Dubai Properties
Leading travel and lifestyle group AccorHotels has announced the signing of an agreement to rebrand two landmark properties at Al Ghurair Centre Complex in Dubai.
The deal with with Middle East family businesses Al Ghurair will see two the properties – consisting of a 428-room hotel and a complex of 192 apartments – managed as part of AccorHotels’ upscale Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living portfolio.
Located within Deira, the hotel and residences offer access to the iconic Al Ghurair Centre – one of Dubai’s original upscale shopping centres, which recently completed an AED 1.8 billion expansion – and represent the brand’s first foray into the United Arab Emirates.
The hotel and apartments will be managed by AccorHotels before transitioning to Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living by end of 2017 when the first phase of soft refurbishment is completed.
Room in the Al Ghurair Hotel
Sami Nasser, chief operating officer, Luxury Brands, AccorHotels Middle East, said: “The Al Ghurair family plays a leading role in driving Dubai’s growth as a global destination, and as such, the iconic Al Ghurair Centre is the best location to debut the city’s first Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living.
“Through this rebrand, we are bringing a new travel experience that is full of energy, passion and vitality – all part of the Swissôtel brand DNA – to the revitalisation of Old Dubai.
“Along with two notable Swissôtel properties welcoming guests in Makkah, in addition to our flagship Swissôtel the Bosphorus, Istanbul, Al Ghurair Hotel and Al Ghurair Living provide an excellent base and springboard for the future development of the brand in the Middle East.”
Sultan Al Ghurair, CEO of Al Ghurair Properties, added: “This landmark agreement, in partnership with AccorHotels, reflects Al Ghurair’s commitment to working with best-in-class service providers and to attracting new brands to the UAE.
The Al Ghurair Centre Complex
“The Al Ghurair Centre comprises of over 350 retail, dining and entertainment outlets, attracting more than 21 million visitors a year. With the rebrand of our hospitality offering, we are proud to include international brands such as Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living as part of the Al Ghurair Centre experience.
“With 53 real estate projects under development, of which a large proportion are in Deira, the rebranding of the Al Ghurair Centre hospitality offering is a key part of our goal to lead the regeneration of Old Dubai.”
Al Ghurair Hotel and Al Ghurair Living feature 428 spacious guest rooms and suites and 192 serviced apartments, respectively. Guests and residents can experience local and international dining offerings at three restaurants and lounges including an all-day dining restaurant, a speciality restaurant and a lobby lounge. The hotel also offers more than 800 square metres of meeting space, including six fully-equipped meeting rooms and two ballrooms. Facilities also include an outdoor swimming pool, health club and spa, and squash and tennis courts.
One of the Al Ghurair Living residences
AccorHotels operates 40 properties in the UAE in addition to 23 under development. In the Middle East, the Group currently operates 97 hotels, encompassing more than 30,000 rooms, across all segments. The network is expected to double in size, bringing over 25,000 additional rooms to the region.
