Yotel, an affiliate company of Kuwait-listed IFA Hotels & Resorts KSCC, broke ground last week on its first property in the Middle East, expected to open in 2018.

This follows the technology-focused hospitality brand's signing of a long-term agreement with Dubai Investment Properties (DIP) to operate a new hotel in Dubai, UAE.

The hotel will be Yotel's Middle Eastern flagship, boasting 582 cabins and serviced apartments. It marks the brand's debut in the serviced residence space. In addition to its signature compact but luxurious cabins, the hotel will offer dedicated co-working and meeting spaces, a gym and a luxurious pool deck. Conveniently located on Sheikh Zayed Road, it will be a short walk to the Business Bay monorail station and only a few minutes from Downtown Dubai, the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall.

"We are delighted at the excellent progress we're seeing with our first location in the Middle East," said Hubert Viriot, CEO of Yotel. "Dubai is one of the most visited cities in the world, and we are excited to bring affordable luxury to its visitors. The thriving hospitality market here is a natural place for our debut into the serviced apartment segment, delivering outstanding quality at an affordable price."

Francois Faure, executive director of DIP added: "Yotel's first Middle Eastern hotel will be a unique offering to the local hospitality market and we were delighted to be joined by the Yotel team for our ground breaking ceremony in April. Following an initial period of excavation and preparation work, we will kick off our 24-month construction programme for completion in 2018. Yotel is forward-thinking and focussed on innovative design and technology - qualities which perfectly align with DIP's business ethos."

The Yotel brand is inspired by first class plane travel, taking the concept of luxury airline travel into compact but luxurious spaces. Founded by YO! founder Simon Woodroffe OBE, Yotel's headquarter is in London and has offices in Boston and Dubai. This agreement represents the first phase of Yotel's aggressive expansion into the Middle East. The company is currently in advanced negotiations on potential hotel projects in other key destinations in the region, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Muscat and Abu Dhabi. - TradeArabia News Service