Rosewood Abu Dhabi, the ultra-luxury five-star hotel located on the waterfront of Sowwah Square will open its doors on May 1, marking the first presence of the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts brand in the UAE.

Leveraging years of global experience and a corporate passion to exceed expectations, the renowned hospitality brand will offer UAE residents and Abu Dhabi tourists a distinct and personalised luxury lifestyle experience on Al Maryah Island.

“Rosewood Abu Dhabi is a perfect choice for travellers coming to the capital on business or pleasure,” said Luigi Romaniello, Rosewood Abu Dhabi’s managing director.

“Travellers today are looking for more than a bed and breakfast; they require a destination which offers both a comforting retreat from the day, but also a vibrant energy and variety of amenities.  Rosewood Abu Dhabi will provide a luxury lifestyle experience currently unmatched in the capital.”

"The opening of Rosewood Abu Dhabi is a spectacular addition to our existing Middle East hotels and a significant milestone for us as we continue our global expansion," said Radha Arora, president of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts.

"This hotel exemplifies the Rosewood sense of place philosophy with its spectacular design and unrivalled guest experiences and underscores our commitment to providing exquisite luxury experiences in key business and leisure destinations around the globe."  

The 189-room hotel is located at the core of the new central business district between the prestigious Sowwah Square development and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. The Galleria, a new retail and dining destination with direct access to the hotel is set to open on the island in August. Downtown Abu Dhabi, leisure facilities and the airport are also easily accessible from Al Maryah, a statement from an official said.

Rosewood Abu Dhabi will feature nine signature restaurants and lounges; eight fully equipped conference and event spaces including a ballroom which will accommodate up to 1,000 guests; pool and gym facilities and Sense, a Rosewood spa.

The interiors will have an air of understated elegance, with exquisite materials such as Italian marble, a bespoke four-meter American walnut table and custom and hand-blown chandeliers from the Czech Republic featured throughout the hotel, the statement said.

“Our 300-member team originating from more than 60 countries, has undergone extensive training and been immersed in the local culture over the past six months,” said Romaniello.  “Led by a multicultural management team, they are committed to creating unique and sophisticated experiences inspired, crafted and delivered under the Rosewood guiding principle, a sense of place.”

Rosewood Abu Dhabi understands that its team, known as “internal guests”, embodies the core attributes of the brand and is at forefront of public thought. As such they have enlisted the expertise of internationally renowned Italian fashion designer Domenico Vacca to design the official hotel uniform.

Vacca has built his tailored clothing empire on a concept of a wardrobe that lasts a lifetime and has also applied this concept throughout the range of Rosewood Abu Dhabi uniforms, the statement said.

Under the helm of executive chef Wolfgang Eberle, the hotel will cater to every palate in the hotel’s nine restaurants and lounges, including Catalan, a sophisticated restaurant offering cuisine from the authentic Barcelona and north-eastern region of Spain; Sambusek, a modern Lebanese restaurant; Smoke, a vibrant shisha terrace, Aqua, which will offer Italian and Mediterranean delicious dishes in a refined yet informal setting; Spice Mela, a contemporary restaurant serving Pan-Indian cuisine; La Cava, a grape cellar with a walk-in cigar room; Glo, the glamorous bar lounge, the intimate Hidden Bar; and the Majlis lobby lounge.

Ali Eid Al Mheiri, executive director, Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI), said: “The opening of Rosewood Abu Dhabi marks an exciting milestone for Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure as the hospitality component of our portfolio advances.”

“This development also represents the next stage in the evolution of Sowwah Square as it moves closer to a realising its vision as a thriving urban hub. The ultra-luxury hotel will offer a variety of amenities and food and beverage offerings to the neighbouring business community, local UAE residents and both regional and international tourists visiting the capital.”

In addition to Rosewood Hotel Abu Dhabi, Sowwah Square, the heart of Abu Dhabi’s new CBD, is comprised of four grade ‘A’ commercial towers, a second hotel offering and The Galleria at Sowwah Square, a luxury fashion and dining district connecting the entire mixed-use development to the waterfront. – TradeArabia News Service