New Hotels in ABu Dhabi

Iconic Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi to be managed by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

ABU DHABI, 16th December 2019 – Emirates Palace Company, EPCO, has announced that Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will take over management of the iconic Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, from the 1st of January 2020.

Upon signature of the agreement, Mohamed Al Junaibi, Chairman of EPCO, commented “Since first opening its doors to guests, Emirates Palace has captured the essence of authentic Arabian hospitality and established itself as not only an exceptional hotel, but also as one of Abu Dhabi’s most iconic visitor attractions. We are delighted to enter this fresh chapter with Mandarin Oriental, whose operational expertise will further enhance the guest experience in line with our leadership’s example to continue striving for excellence and extending world-class hospitality to anyone visiting or living in the UAE.”

“The partnership with Mandarin Oriental represents an important milestone and aims to propel the property’s profile into a new era,” said Sultan Al Hemeiri, Managing Director of EPCO. “We look forward to a mutually prosperous and fruitful relationship with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group,” he added.

The award-winning iconic property which opened in 2005, is one of the world’s most luxurious hotels and a symbol of exemplary hospitality excellence, boasting 302 rooms and 92 suites, with over 9 exquisite international restaurants and featuring state of the art leisure facilities. Known for hosting high profile guests, heads of state, foreign dignitaries and celebrities, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi has become the leading destination for international and regional conferences and events.

The property will undergo a phased renovation to upgrade its facilities to an ultra-luxury level and further elevate the positioning of the property. During this period the hotel will remain open to welcome its guests.

“This is a unique opportunity to manage one of the most high-profile and iconic properties in the Middle East and will be an excellent complement to our other hotels in our portfolio,” said James Riley, Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

“We look forward to bringing the Group’s exemplary service standards to Abu Dhabi and to introducing the brand to a new audience,” he added.

The decision to award the new management contract was based on a highly competitive tender process, managed by third-party firm JLL, global real estate and hospitality advisers.

A look at The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert

We are very proud to share that on 11th November 2017, the first The Ritz-Carlton flag in Ras Al Khaimah was raised following our extensive re-positioning of this special oasis in the desert. I have attached our press release for this occasion for you to share our news on any marketing channels, social media and internally.

We have previously communicated enhancements including most recently the completion of all of our villas and the opening of Farmhouse in October as well as the introduction of Al Wadi Experience Concierge, integration of the Al Wadi Equestrian Center and Spa partnership with ESPA from earlier in the year. There have been so many touch points that have been enhanced during our transition, however now that we are fully-flagged as The Ritz-Carlton, I would like to share some further product updates relating to the villas repositioning and our many dining options now available to our guests.

Villas

NEW – We are delighted that all of our 101 Villas have been enhanced and are delighted to share some of these images with you. Our new images will be regularly added to our image library on Al Wadi Desert and we will continue to share the updated images. Please remove any images from your site that are not loaded on this link.
As well as newly designed and enhanced villas, we have re-positioned our Tented villas to be sold with the following key benefits:
•Full Board only – all bookings made on contracted rates include breakfast, lunch and dinner (more details below)
•Kids Stay free – up to 2 children can stay free including Full Board for children (as per contract)
•Al Wadi Experiences Included – a choice of daily experiences (1 per person) included as well as the daily Falcon Show and Owl Interaction for all guests in the resort.

Restaurants & Dining at The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert:

NEW – Kaheela
Kaheela is our new restaurant which is open for breakfast lunch and dinner. This restaurant have a fresh new modern look with Arabic touches that complement the menu. Stunning Arabic and international dishes can be enjoyed overlooking the organic herb garden or on the shaded terrace with a view of our water feature. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

NEW – Farmhouse
Inspired by a traditional rustic farm house, the restaurant offers fresh food produced from the land, air and sea with premium selections of wild meats smoked for 18 hours in our own smoker as well as our homegrown vegetables. Enjoy a sunset shisha or after-dinner drink at the outdoor deck. Open for dinner.

NEW – The Lobby Lounge
As a Ritz-Carlton, we have completely re-designed our lobby offering a fresh and relaxing environment with the center piece being our 300 year old Olive Tree. Guests can now enjoy drinks and light fare as well as The Ritz-Carlton Afternoon Tea and signature cake. Afternoon tea in the lobby lounge is also included for guests staying on Full Board in one of our Tented Villas.
Please note the inclusion of The Lobby Lounge replaces the Stables Café which is due to open later in 2018.

Samar Lounge
Samar Lounge features cozy nooks, mood lighting and offers a selection of tapas dishes with a selection of international wines and signature cocktails. Open for dinner, evening drinks and shisha on the terrace. Samar Lounge will be re-positioned with new menu as Moorish in 2018 and we will keep you updated on the progress.

NEW – Khan-Zaman
Join our Al Wadi BBQ, every Friday at Khan-Zaman, in an outdoor relaxing Arabic seating, overlooking the desert landscape. Enjoy live BBQ grill stations, a selection of mezze, salads and desserts complimented by live entertainment. Open Friday evenings.

Al Wadi Tower
Constructed in the style of a traditional Arabian watchtower, The Tower offers private dining looking out over the desert. A dedicated chef prepares a spread of specialties. Perfect for exclusive or romantic meals.
Can only be booked privately for lunch or dinner.

Dining on the Dunes
We offer various ‘destination dining ‘ experiences on the suns from Western-style and Arabic BBQ, in-villa BBQ and picnic’s in the desert dunes.
Not included in meal plans.

Moon Bar and the NEW Farmhouse Bar & Terrace
The Moon bar was closed throughout the summer which is normal as an outdoor only rooftop bar. The bar will remain closed until the enhancement is complete which is planned for 2018. Until then, we have a new bar at Farmhouse as well as an outdoor bar and terrace with stunning sunset overlooking the watering hole and sand dunes.

As a reminder, all Al Rimal Villas are sold on B&B basis with options to upgrade to Half Board and Full Board. Where this is added, guests are able to dine-around as per contract.
All bookings in Tented Villas include Full Board, which is also dine-around and includes experiences. Children stay free on full board in Tented Villas and can dine from the children’s menu.

The Lion roared at The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert was officially flagged on 11th November 2017 in presence of esteemed dignitaries and hospitality leaders. With the newest addition, The Ritz-Carlton brand expands its portfolio of distinctive luxury destinations across the UAE to four properties.

New luxury resort to showcase Emirati culture

A major UAE tourism developer has announced the opening of its luxury desert resort project in the Emirates’ Western region.

Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) said the Qasr Al Sarab Arabian desert retreat was set to open on Sunday and will give visitors an authentic taste of Emirati culture.

The resort is set among the towering dunes of the Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter) – the world’s largest uninterrupted desert, an area made famous by British explorer Wilfred Thesiger who crossed it in the 1940s recording his experiences of the Bedouin camps.

The Anantara Resort and Spa Qasr Al Sarab has been designed in the style of the ancient forts which defended the tribes who inhabited Abu Dhabi’s remote western region.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of TDIC, said: “We are extremely proud of Qasr Al Sarab and the inspirational story behind its conception. This is more than just an extraordinary luxury resort; this is a symbol of our highly admired and respected Arabian hospitality and deep-rooted culture.”

The getaway features a five-star hotel with 154 guestrooms, 10 Royal Pavilion villas and 42 additional villas, traditional hammam spa, a conference centre and a children’s playground.

A private 1,000 metre air strip and runway is being developed to fly visitors to the destination.

Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi, MD of TDIC, added: “Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry is continuously growing and the launch of this unique development will ensure that visitors to our nation will have the opportunity to experience the true culture and rich history that the UAE has to offer.

“The experience we have created is a unique balance of Emirati culture, breathtaking views and the best standards of international hospitality. Every element of Qasr Al Sarab, right down to the finest detail, has remained faithful to Arab culture while embracing the rich history and heritage of the UAE.”

Tourist chiefs in Abu Dhabi say they are aiming to attract 2.7 million hotel guest arrivals by 2012 with a targeted hotel room inventory of around 27,000.

In 2008 Abu Dhabi attracted 1.5 million guest arrivals, 4.7 million guest nights and AED4.3 billion in hotel revenue and a room bank of 13,000, they said.