International hospitality chain AccorHotels has signed a management agreement with Action Hotels to develop an ibis Styles in the Diplomatic Area of Manama, Bahrain.

The new lifestyle economy hotel, located in the Bahraini capital’s central business district, marks the eighth collaboration between AccorHotels and Action Hotels in the Middle East. Globally, Action Hotels has 11 properties under management with AccorHotels, including three in Australia.

Olivier Granet, managing director and chief operating officer of AccorHotels Middle East, said: “It is a pleasure to be collaborating with our strategic partner Action Hotels for our first ibis Styles in Bahrain. We are confident that the modern design and ideal location of ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area will attract and serve the city’s emerging corporate and leisure clientele. The new hotel also represents AccorHotels’ fifth property in the kingdom, bringing the number of rooms that we operate in the country close to 1,000.”

Alain Debare, chief executive officer at Action Hotels, said: “We are very pleased to announce the development of our 11th property with AccorHotels. The ibis Styles in Bahrain will be a great addition to our portfolio and will benefit from synergies and economies of scale with the ibis Seef which opened in 2015. We look forward to opening this new hotel by Q4 2016 and growing the portfolio towards our objective of 5,000 rooms by 2020.”

Situated in the heart of Manama’s main government, diplomatic and financial district, the ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area will be able to accommodate visitors wishing to stay in proximity to embassies, ministries, banks and other corporate institutions.

The ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area will essentially constitute a unique offering in Bahrain’s under-developed economy segment, providing visitors with a modern, lifestyle hotel experience at an affordable price.

Each ibis Styles hotel carries its own individual design while adhering to the standards of the ibis brand, which is known for its simple yet welcoming nature, guaranteeing the highest level of comfort in its economy category. The ibis Styles brand is also distinctive for its all-inclusive package, which includes the room, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and internet connection as part of the rate.

“There continues to be a shortage of affordable accommodation in Manama. The majority of existing economy hotels are independently operated and not up to par with international standards. We are keen to utilise AccorHotels’ worldwide leadership in the economy and midscale segments to help fill that void in the Bahraini market, and meet the expectations of the growing number of visitors looking for the ideal stay on a budget,” Granet added.

AccorHotels has four existing properties in Bahrain, forming a wide-ranging network with a luxury Sofitel, midscale Novotel and Mercure, and an economy ibis. The group currently operates 75 hotels in the Middle East, encompassing close to 20,000 rooms across the luxury and economy segments. Another 55 hotels are under development in the region, bringing more than 14,000 additional rooms to the Middle East. - TradeArabia News Service