Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide plans to open its first Le Méridien hotel in Riyadh in 2016, the first new build Le Méridien to open in Saudi Arabia since the brand was acquired by Starwood in 2005.

Starwood has signed an agreement with Al Jazeerah Al Oula Real Estate, an entity managed by Kuwait’s leading financial institution First Investment Company to debut the Le Méridien brand in Riyadh.

“We are delighted to work with Al Jazeerah Al Oula Real Estate as we debut our Le Méridien brand in Riyadh,” said Michael Wale, president, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East.

“Over the past seven years, Starwood has made significant investments in developing Le Méridien as a contemporary lifestyle brand focused on bringing destinations to life through cuisine, the arts and local culture. We believe Le Méridien Riyadh will offer a compelling experience in the capital, which has become a leading business destination in the Middle East.”

“We are excited to work with Starwood to bring its Le Méridien brand into Riyadh,” said Tariq Al Adsani, deputy CEO of First Investment Company and manager of Al Jazeerah Al Oula Real Estate.
“We believe a world-class brand like Le Méridien with its unique and contemporary approach will make the hotel a popular destination for both business travelers and the local community.”

The 15-storey hotel will feature 219 guest rooms and 12 suites all with the Le Méridien Bed, as well as three restaurants. Le Méridien Riyadh will offer nearly 7,000 sq ft of extensive meeting and event space to cater to the growing number of business travelers into the capital. Leisure facilities will include a spa with four treatment rooms, an outdoor pool and a fitness center.

Le Méridien Riyadh will offer the brand’s award-winning “Arrival” experience, curated by LM100TM members – a group of international creators of mixed generations and interdisciplinary artistic fields like architecture, cuisines, design and art.

The hotel will feature the Le Méridien Hub concept, which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate and exchange, providing both guests and locals with a creative atmosphere where contemporary, curated artwork sets the environment.

The hotel is located in the heart of Riyadh, at the intersection of Al Olaya Road and King Abdullah Road and is in close proximity to the city’s main business district and the King Khaled International Airport.

“Le Méridien is our largest brand in Saudi Arabia and we continue to see opportunities to grow the brand in the country,” said Bart Carnahan, Senior Vice President Acquisitions & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “Today, our Le Méridien portfolio is the strongest it has ever been and the brand is poised for expansive growth around the world.”

Starwood currently operates 10 hotels in Saudi Arabia under its Sheraton and Le Méridien brands and recently opened the Four Points by Sheraton Riyadh Khaldia, marking the debut of the mid-market brand in the country.

Later this year, the company will open two hotels in Madinah – the Sheraton Medina Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Medina Hotel. With its current development pipeline, Starwood expects to add more than 3,000 rooms to its portfolio in the country. – TradeArabia News Service