AccorHotels, Al-Ghurair announce rebrand of landmark Dubai properties
AccorHotels, a leading travel and lifestyle group, has announced the signing of an agreement with Al-Ghurair, one of the Middle East’s leading family businesses, for the rebrand of a landmark property consisting of 428 rooms and 192 apartments located at Al-Ghurair Center Complex.
Both properties will be managed as part of the group’s upscale Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living portfolio, representing the brand’s first foray into the UAE. Located within Deira, the hotel and residences offer access to Al-Ghurair Center — one of Dubai’s original upscale shopping centers, which recently completed an AED1.8 billion ($490 million) expansion.
The hotel and apartments will be m0anaged by AccorHotels before transitioning to Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living by the end of 2017 when the first phase of soft refurbishment is completed.
Sami Nasser, chief operating officer, luxury brands, AccorHotels Middle East, said: “The Al-Ghurair family plays a leading role in driving Dubai’s growth as a global destination, and as such, the iconic Al-Ghurair Center is the best location to debut the city’s first Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living. Through this rebrand, we are bringing a new travel experience that is full of energy, passion and vitality — all part of the Swissôtel brand DNA — to the revitalization of Old Dubai.”
He added: “Along with two notable Swissôtel properties welcoming guests in Makkah, in addition to our flagship Swissôtel the Bosphorus, Istanbul, Al-Ghurair Hotel and Al-Ghurair Living provide an excellent base and springboard for the future development of the brand in the Middle East.”
Sultan Al-Ghurair, CEO of Al-Ghurair Properties, and responsible for the organization’s extensive real estate portfolio, said: “This landmark agreement, in partnership with AccorHotels, reflects Al-Ghurair’s commitment to working with best-in-class service providers and to attracting new brands to the UAE. The Al-Ghurair Center comprises over 350 retail, dining and entertainment outlets, attracting more than 21 million visitors a year. With the rebrand of our hospitality offering, we are proud to include international brands such as Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living as part of the Al-Ghurair Center experience. With 53 real estate projects under development, of which a large proportion are in Deira, the rebranding of the Al-Ghurair Center hospitality offering is a key part of our goal to lead the regeneration of Old Dubai.”