Southern Sun Middle East, a leading player in the hospitality industry and a unit of Africa-based Southern Sun Hotels, is set to open a 350-room four-star hotel in the business district of Abu Dhabi.

Scheduled to open mid-2013, the hotel will be targeted towards both business and leisure travellers with comfortable and high-quality facilities including restaurants. It will feature a reflection pond on the fourth floor where traditional Middle Eastern cuisine and shisha will be served, and a roof top gym and pool deck overlooking the city skyline.

Five years after opening their doors, Southern Sun’s two flagship properties in Downtown Dubai, Southern Sun Al Manzil and Qamardeen Hotels, continue to cement their position in the competitive Dubai hospitality scene.

Both properties began the New Year by receiving the distinction of being guest-voted among TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice 2012 Top 25 Ranking for the Middle East.

Al Manzil and Qamardeen Hotels’ service-focused approach, discounts on early bookings and a range of value-added services such as free shuttle bus services to the city’s leading shopping destinations offer guests value in the form of savings and convenience.

In 2011, both Hotels were represented in the “What’s On Awards” with consumer-driven nominations for The Courtyard Restaurant (Best Middle Eastern Food), Boulevard Café (Best Café), Nezesaussi Grill (Best Pub Grub) and Esca Restaurant (Best Italian Food) respectively.

Founded in 1969, Southern Sun Hotels has over 40 years of experience in providing great hospitality to its guests. Offering an extensive portfolio of hotels in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Seychelles, Tanzania, and Mozambique, Southern Sun Hotels has emerged as a leading hotel group in Africa and, after six years, looks set to also leave its distinctive footprint in the Middle East, with plans for further expansion in the region.

The group also continues to expand in its home region. Southern Sun’s first two-star property StayEasy Lusaka in Zambia opened in November 2011 and is trading exceptionally well in the market, a  statement said.

“We are very excited to grow this two-star brand in Africa as it is perfectly poised to suit the economy-conscious traveller in key African destinations,” said Richard Weilers, managing director, Southern Sun Middle East. – TradeArabia News Service