Dubai developer Nakheel has signed a second management agreement with UK-based Premier Inn for a new 250-room hotel at the Dragon City mixed-use master development.

The agreement comes a year after Nakheel and Premier Inn inked a deal on a 372-room hotel, currently under construction, at Dubai’s Ibn Battuta Mall.

The new property deal was signed by Sanjay Manchanda, Nakheel CEO; and Premier Inn COO Adam Nicholls; at Dubai’s Cityscape Global property exhibition today (September 10)

Scheduled to open in 2018, the new hotel at Dragon City is part of a huge master plan from Nakheel that will transform the area into a giant retail, residential and recreational complex spanning more than 11 million-sq-ft in built-up area.

The Premier Inn-managed hotel, one of two hotels at Dragon City, will have a restaurant, Costa coffee shop and gym. The first hotel, managed by Accor under the Ibis Styles brand, is already complete and due to open this year.

Dragon City – currently most famous for Dragon Mart, the largest Chinese trading hub outside mainland China – includes an extra 2.2 million-sq-ft of retail space as well as a new, twin-tower residential complex with 1,120 apartments.

Nakheel is planning nine hotels across Dubai over the next five years. Earlier this week the company announced a new partnership with Thailand’s Minor Hotels Group for a new, 500-room resort at Deira Islands, and in May it confirmed a joint venture with Spain’s RIU Hotels & Resorts for a 750-room all inclusive resort, also at Deira Islands.

Nakheel is also building the five star Palm Tower Hotel and Residences on Palm Jumeirah and two hotels – on of which will be managed by Premier Inn – at Ibn Battuta Mall. – TradeArabia News Service