SHARJAH’S NEW HISTORIC HOTEL

The people behind the ever-popular Chedi hotel in Muscat are taking their luxe style to Sharjah. A new resort, the Al Bait Sharjah, opens at the end of the year in Heart of Sharjah, the emirate’s historical inner-city district under restoration (these images are artists’ renderings of the hotel). The project aims to revive Sharjah’s heritage and history.

How will it do that? For starters, the hotel will be constructed from foundations of old houses that once belonged to important families in the area; hence the name Al Bait, which means ‘home’ in Arabic. The five-star resort’s 53 luxury guest rooms and suites will overlook the conservation project of the last remaining round wind tower and the hotel will have a direct connection to Souq Al Arsah – the UAE’s oldest traditional bazaar and marketplace.

Although its exterior architecture will incorporate handcrafted thatched roofs and motifs of a bygone era, inside you’ll find state-of-the-art mod cons. There’s meeting spaces, two eateries – all-day dining The Restaurant serving traditional Arabic food and pastry outlet The Café – and a spa with hammam facilities is also set to take shape. Al Bait Sharjah is a project developed by General Hotel Management – the company behind the renowned Chedi – and Shurooq, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority.