DusitD2 Kenz hotel, an upscale, contemporary hotel in Dubai's Barsha Heights, held a grand opening ceremony this month to showcase its artistic and innovative space.

Revealing thoughtful design in both private and communal spaces, this hotel features 237 rooms and boasts an art collection of 299 pieces throughout the hotel’s public areas and guest rooms.  DusitD2 Kenz hotel ran at full capacity by the time of the grand opening, just a few short months following the official opening.
 
Business and leisure guests, along with local residents, are welcomed into the hotel’s breathtaking reception, which gives a glimpse of the tailored art programme throughout. The whole interior is an inspirational canvas, home to a carefully curated art programme, one of the first of its kind and scale in the UAE, and is a reflection of the team’s vested interest in becoming a patron of the arts for the community in which it resides.
 
Alya Al Noaimi, innovation advisor and creative director for the hotel, said: “I have always had an interest in how art and creativity can influence the fabric and flow of a building and our holistic approach is borne from my own experience of continually living at a crossroads of culture and ideas. We actually have more pieces of art in the hotel than rooms and I am so proud to have worked with Zeinab on this project who is such a strong, inspiring Emirati woman.”
 
“Every element in the hotel has been designed to provide a warmth and familiarity for our guests; from the creation of bespoke scents, specially composed music and the use and contrast of different textures throughout, all these touches have the guest experience at its heart.”
 
The hotel’s art programme is a collaboration of exclusive pieces from Emirati artist Zeinab Al Hashemi and pays tribute to the hard work that has gone into creating modern Dubai using the symbol of the dhow sail.
 
“This has been a pivotal project for me,” said Zeinab. “I was inspired by the creative team behind the hotel and the first fictional work of Emirati literature ever published in the UAE ‘Shahinda’ one of the first works of HE Rashid Abdulla Al Noaimi. The suspended lobby piece was the first to be commissioned and is the largest installation that I have worked on. I was then asked to create further designs which was both thrilling and exciting for me.
 
“The art influenced the space and the space influenced the art and I feel there has been a real transfer of energy into the hotel from the pieces themselves. I am very confident that this project has opened doors for me, and that it will encourage other art students, artists and designers who want to create and exhibit work in new, traditionally commercial spaces in Dubai.”
 
The hotel has wellbeing at the core of its values, each experience encourages a healthy living lifestyle for its residents – from the spa and fitness suite to the rooftop pool. Each guest room provides a cool, calm and innovative design, created for comfort, style and relaxation and has been expertly put together to offer the space, ambience and privacy of residential living in Dubai.
 
The space has a real identity and delivers intangible touches that combine to create meaningful experiences and a haven for the senses through handpicked artefacts and furnishings. In addition to welcoming residential guests dusitD2 also set out to reflect the needs of the community and has ambitions to become a destination for the residents of Dubai. Providing a space to relax, take inspiration from or work in its cool, calm and innovative spaces.
 
For both residents and  guests looking to enjoy a healthy breakfast, lunch or delicious dinner, the hotel prides itself on its locally-sourced and fresh cuisine – the hotel is even experimenting with home-grown, nutritious greens for its kitchen. Diners can opt for Ostro, a bright and spacious Mediterranean restaurant or Wise Kwai, a crazy, kitsch hideaway that will transport guests to Thailand with its aromatic spiced Thai street food.
 
Bruno Guilloux, general manager at dusitD2 Kenz hotel, said: “We believe that increasingly travellers are looking for an authentic, tailored experience, whether it’s for business or pleasure. We have created a comfortable environment that is both welcoming and personalised for guests in every way. Every detail has been carefully considered, from the art you see, the colours surrounding you to the design of the staff uniform. Our team is trained to ensure guests are treated as individuals so their needs are not just met, but exceeded.”
 
Located in Barsha Heights, next to the Internet City Metro Station, the dusitD2 Kenz hotel is only a stone’s throw from Dubai’s Internet City, Media City and the Marina and is also well connected to the World Trade Centre, Dubai’s international Airport, and both Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates. - TradeArabia News Service