InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) today (May 4) has signed a management agreement with UAE-based Diamond Developers to launch its second Hotel Indigo in the UAE in the upcoming Dubai Sustainable City.

Hotel Indigo is IHG’s boutique brand and each Hotel Indigo property is designed to reflect the local neighbourhood it is located in. From the design of the building to the hotel’s artwork and locally-inspired menus, each Hotel Indigo property is unique to its surroundings, so no two properties are the same.

Due to open in the first half of 2017, the 170-room Hotel Indigo Dubai The Sustainable City (TSC) will be part of Dubai’s first sustainable integrated development. TSC will be the first community of its kind in the region and is expected to meet the highest environmental, social and commercial sustainability standards by adopting a sustainable approach in its quest to become a regional leader in eco-tourism and global environmental protection.

The hotel will be a Net Zero energy building, where 100 per cent of its energy needs will be met by solar power. All waste water produced by the hotel will be recycled, and all material waste will be sorted at source and then recycled. A solar powered shuttle bus transportation service will be available to guests of the hotel, ensuring they are well-connected to Downtown Dubai.

The complex will include residences, a green school, a community center, an equestrian centre, solar covered parking lots and an organic farm which will supply all the herbs the community needs, as well as tourist attractions such as a planetarium and a grass amphitheatre for hosting events.

Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG, said: “Hotel Indigo Dubai The Sustainable City will set us apart – it will be a truly unique hotel, perfect for guests looking for boutique style and design with the story of its exciting new location woven into the very fabric of the property. We’re looking forward to working closely with Diamond Developers to bring this hotel to Dubai and help showcase another great neighbourhood in a way that only Hotel Indigo can do.”

Faris Saeed, CEO, Diamond Developers, added: “Dubai is a truly global city and is expanding in new and interesting ways every day. The Sustainable City will set the standard for environmental standards and will include a number of interesting tourist attractions as well as venues to attract business events and meetings. Hotel Indigo is the perfect brand for this new community and with IHG’s strong track record of operating hotels in the UAE, we’re confident the hotel will be a success here. We look forward to working with them to open Hotel Indigo Dubai The Sustainable City.”

IHG currently has 18 hotels open in the UAE, with another 10 hotels due to open in the next three to five years. Hotel Indigo Dubai The Sustainable City will be the second Hotel Indigo in the UAE and third in the Middle East, joining the recently signed Hotel Indigo Dubai Business Bay and Hotel Indigo Riyadh King Abdullah Financial District in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is set to open in 2016.

The company launched the first hotel under the Hotel Indigo brand in South East Asia earlier this year with Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road in Thailand.

IHG has 79 properties open across five brands in the Middle East: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Staybridge Suites, with an additional 26 hotels due to open over the next three to five years. – TradeArabia News Service