Accor, Al Ghurair to open first Swissôtel hotel in Dubai

AccorHotels has signed an agreement with UAE-based conglomerate Al Ghurair to open the first Swissôtel-branded hotel and residences in the country.

Located in Deira and attached to the Al Ghurair Centre mall, the properties – with 428 rooms and 192 apartments – are being rebranded under the Swissôtel banner, a statement said.

The properties were previously operated by Rotana – with Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana Dubai serving as a five-star, alcohol-free hotel and Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana Dubai offering the residences.

They will now be managed by AccorHotels before transitioning to Swissôtel and Swissôtel Living by the end of 2017, when the first phase of soft refurbishment is completed, the statement added.

The properties will offer local and international dining at three restaurants and lounges including an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant and a lobby lounge.

The hotel will feature more than 800 sqm of meeting space, including six meeting rooms and two ballrooms.

Amenities also include an outdoor swimming pool, health club and spa, and squash and tennis courts.

The properties are also connected to the Al Ghurair Centre, which includes over 350 retail, dining and entertainment outlets.

The mall, which recently completed an Dhs1.8bn expansion, offers 80,000 sqm of retail space, and also features a cinema complex, an indoor rollercoaster and an ice rink.

It attracts more than 21 million visitors a year, according to Al Ghurair.

Also read: Dubai’s Al Ghurair Centre adds stores under wider expansion

Sami Nasser, COO, Luxury Brands, AccorHotels Middle East said: “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 Swissôtel properties in Makkah, and our flagship Swissôtel the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Al Ghurair Hotel and Al Ghurair Living provide a springboard for the future development of the brand in the Middle East,” he added.

AccorHotels currently operates 40 properties in the UAE along with 23 under development.

In the wider Middle East, the group currently operates 97 hotels, with more than 30,000 rooms in 10 countries across all segments.

Its portfolio includes upscale brands such as Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Pullman, Swissôtel and Majlis Grand Mercure; midscale brands including Novotel, Mercure and Adagio; and economy brands such as ibis and ibis styles.

The company plans to soon double the size of its network, bringing over 25,000 additional rooms to the region.