Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert Resort will be the brand’s 12th UAE hotel

The company previously managed two resorts in the UAE emirate of Ras Al Khaimah

Building is now underway on almost 6,000 new rooms

Jumeirah Royal Saray opens its doors on February 28

STR said enough hotel rooms were in development to account for 76 per cent of current supply

One Palm is home to one of the most expensive penthouses ever sold in Dubai

Zabeel House is Jumeirah’s new four-star brand

“We are looking at growing our own brands and considering franchising and licensing,” the company’s CEO said

The new levy is in addition to a 5 per cent value added tax rate introduced on January 1 and the existing service tax

The hotels will be the first to open under the brand

Al Raidah Investment Company is the owner of the property

There are two other Swissôtel properties in the Middle East

The opening will mark Dorchester’s first hotel in the Middle East

The legendary ship has had a complicated history since being acquired by Dubai World unit Istithmar for $100m in 2007

The hotel was previously known as Holiday Downtown

Jumeirah unveiled the Zabeel House brand last week

Jumeirah had previously stated it intended to relaunch the brand after it was scrapped during the financial crisis

Silva replaces Stefan Leser, who left the company in May last year

The deal is said to be unrelated to chairman Prince Alwaleed’s detention under corruption charges

Nakheel and Accor signed another hotel deal on the Palm Jumeirah last month

The project is scheduled for completion in 2019

Some 4.3 million hotel guests stayed in the emirate from January to the end of November

The company is also planning to refurbish and re-open the Jumeirah Beach hotel in Dubai next year