Master developer Nakheel held discussions with Spain’s RIU Hotels & Resorts on the design and construction of its first 750-room four star resort at Deira Islands in Dubai, UAE.

As per the partnership deal announced in May this year, Nakheel and RIU will be creating one of Dubai’s biggest resorts in terms of rooms, and the first RIU resort in the Middle East at the new 15.3 sq km waterfront city in the emirate.

The Spanish company already has 45,000 rooms across more than 100 hotels in 19 countries.

Nakheel chairman Ali Rashid Lootah said: “RIU Hotels & Resorts was the first hotel operator to partner with us for Deira Islands, and our discussions this week bring this exciting new concept a step closer to reality. We look forward to moving ahead with the resort.”

Luis Riu, the chief executive of RIU Hotels & Resorts, said: "With its long standing experience, Nakheel is the ideal partner for us in this new venture. We are convinced that our partnership will lead to a successful RIU resort at Deira Islands.”

Nakheel said the collaboration with RIU Hotels & Resorts is one of a hat trick of hotel partnerships for the company in the last six months.

In September, the company revealed a planned 500 room Avani-branded resort with Thailand’s Minor Hotel Group and last week announced a partnership with Centara Resorts, also from Thailand.

Nakheel is planning 10 new hotels across Dubai as part of its expansion into the hospitality and leisure sector. Five will be at Deira Islands, one on Palm Jumeirah, two at Dragon City and two at Ibn Battuta Mall.-TradeArabia News Service