AccorHotels, a leading global hotel operator, has signed four new management agreements with Manazil Group for projects in the UAE emirates of Dubai and Sharjah.

Bringing over 1,300 new hotel rooms to the UAE, this partnership constitutes one of AccorHotels’ largest in the UAE, with the hotel group set to operate five properties owned by Manazil Group.

Engineer Abdul Mohsen Al Hammadi, CEO of Manazil Group, said: “We are pleased to sign these hotel management agreements with AccorHotels for a range of properties being developed by us in Dubai and Sharjah. Our successful experience with AccorHotels in the management of Marjan Island Resort & Spa in Ras Al Khaimah has encouraged us to extend our partnership in the UAE hospitality sector. And we are confident that this partnership between AccorHotels and Manazil Group will improve the services provided to our customers and enhance the efficiency of the operations in these hotels.”

Jean-Jacques Dessors, chief operating officer of AccorHotels Mediterranean, Middle East & Africa, said: “We are delighted with the signature of these four new hotels with Manazil Group. It reinforces our partnership and demonstrates the trust that Manazil Group has vested in the Accorhotels Group following the successful launch of Marjan Island Resort & Spa, managed by AccorHotels, this month in Ras Al Khaimah.”

The announcement was made during a ceremony held in Marjan Island Resort & Spa in Ras Al Khaimah, a 299-key five-star resort owned by Manazil Group and managed by AccorHotels.

Haitham Mattar, CEO RAK Tourism Development Authority, said: “Al Marjan Island is one of the core elements of the overall destination strategy as we look to attract families, leisure seekers and business travelers with a range of world-class hotels, restaurants and entertainment outlets all in one convenient location. The alliance between AccorHotels and Manazil Group is exactly the kind of synergies we look to nurture as we aim to attract 1 million visitors by 2018.”

The new project currently under construction in Sharjah is a new upscale hotel called Pullman Sharjah. In Dubai, a cluster of three properties located in Jumeirah Village Triangle (JVT) will combine an upscale Majlis Grand Mercure hotel, a midscale Mercure hotel and a midscale Adagio aparthotel.

Construction of the Pullman Sharjah is expected to be completed by 2018. This property, embodying the contemporary cosmopolitan identity of the Pullman brand, will offer 188 rooms and suites, three lounge-cafés, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, large meeting rooms, two health clubs, a spa, two indoor pools, one infinity indoor pool and a poolside juice bar.

Situated in the prominent Al Taawun area of the city amongst a mix of corporate, government and leisure institutions, Pullman Sharjah will be close to the Sharjah Expo Centre, 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport, and approximately 25 minutes from Downtown Dubai. Major nearby landmarks include the new Chamber of Commerce and Al Qasba Canal, a prime art, culture, leisure and tourist attraction.

In Dubai, the new trio-cluster of properties located at the Jumeirah Village Triangle (JVT) will bring together a 164-room Majlis Grand Mercure, a 330-room Mercure and a 336-room Adagio. These hotels will tap into the evolution of the previously residential-focused community of JVT, which is witnessing the development of important corporate, leisure and MICE segments.

The concept behind this one-of-a-kind cluster combining three brands on a single podium emanates from the ambitious scale and nature of upcoming projects within the JVT area, including Expo 2020. Located in proximity to new attractions such as Al Khail Avenue and JVC Mall, the hotels’ site is easily accessible from both Al Khail Road and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. The hotels are expected to open in 2019 and attract both families and corporate travelers, offering guests a unique water themed play area, a vast retail space, and multiple F&B outlets in addition to extensive meetings facilities, health clubs, spas and infinity swimming pools.

AccorHotels currently operates 76 hotels in the Middle East, encompassing over 18,500 rooms across the luxury to economy segments. The Group has another 49 hotels under development in the region, bringing its total number of properties in operation and under development to 125 with just under 32,000 rooms. - TradeArabia News Service