Hospitality Design - December 2011 - 46

perspectives

places: middle east

island, situated in a tropical oasis surrounded by beautiful beaches, some of the most pristine beaches in that part of the world, and the design is very residential in its approach, it has that tranquility of being a resort,” Dowell says. Also new to the island is the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, site of the region’s ﬁrst Iridium Spa. Here, rooms have balconies and a neutral color palette of brown and cream hues with splashes of coral turquoise. “Almost 30 percent more hotel guests stayed in Abu Dhabi this year than the year before, according to the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. With Abu Dhabi only an eight hour plane ride from four billion people, the region is emerging as an important global hub,” says James, who points out the St. Regis Abu Dhabi is next in February. “Saadiyat Island is particularly interesting as its cultural scene has been developing rapidly, with plans to open the Louvre, the Guggenheim, and the Zayed National Museum in the next coming years. This growth is illustrative of an emerging generation of wealth, who demand experiential luxury and bespoke service. It also doesn’t hurt that the city experiences sunshine year-round and sits on the coastline with pristine beaches and sparkling turquoise waters.” open elections, hotel brands keep their eyes on Cairo. The Hilton Zamalek Residences, “a relatively small property,” according to Traxler, opened this year. Marriott has immediate plans for a Courtyard by Marriott Cairo Mirage City in 2012, as well as a number of other properties including the Ritz-Carlton Palm Hills Resort slated for 2016. Abu Dhabi wasn’t the only Middle Eastern city Rocco Forte had his eye on either: a hotel in Cairo is in the works as is one in Luxor.

Clockwise from left: The colorful lobby of Hotel Missoni in Kuwait; a rendering of the eco-friendly Wadi Resort in Jordan; and an airy suite at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort.

Iraq
Perhaps the most is surprising Iraq, country with in the Middle East to be in the midst of hotel

Dubai
“Dubai is unlike any other place in the Middle East,” observes Margaret McMahon, director of New York-based Wimberly Interiors, who has worked on several projects in the region, including the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo. “It’s more like Shanghai.” The over-the-top, bigger-is-better approach to design for which Dubai is known may have suffered in a faltering economy that built too much too soon, but it hasn’t stopped new developments from springing up. Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel opened last winter on Palm Island with ornate handpainted frescoes and the two-story Talise Ottoman Spa, while the Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre made its debut with a 10-story outdoor waterfall. Now, the city anticipates the arrival of the J.W. Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, a sprawling 1,614-room property comprised of two towers, 13 restaurants, bars, and lounges, and a Saray Spa. The ﬁrst phase is expected to be complete by 2012 and the second in 2013. Traxler is looking forward to Hilton’s “strong pipeline in Dubai” including the soon-to-open DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai Al Barsha Hotel and Residence, the Conrad Dubai in 2012, and the Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah in 2013. “It’s a very exciting project that is probably going to rival anything ever built in the UAE in terms of architecture and interiors,” Traxler points out.

development

war-torn

Best

Western, Hilton, Marriott, and Starwood all expressing interest in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan in the northern part of the country, on the Turkish border far from shattered Baghdad, in particular. “I think the Kurdistan Autonomous Region (KAR) is where the development will happen in greater Iraq ﬁrst,” says Simon Turner, president, global development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “The KAR is very different than the green zone in Baghdad. I think you will see us, and possibly some of the other international operators, there in the relatively near future. It’s complicated, but not necessarily any more complicated than developing in certain parts of Africa and other parts of the Middle East. Security issues aren’t as signiﬁcant as you would think in Kurdistan.” Ground is about to be broken on both the Best Western Premier Erbil and Best Western Premier Erbil Airport for fourth quarter 2013 openings. With an inﬂux of foreign business travelers from Turkey, the GCC, and Asia, speciﬁcally South Korea and Japan for the automotive industry, Glenn DeSouza, VP international operations, Asia and the Middle East, Best Western International, believes it’s time for a globally branded property. “One of the few limitations of the city is the lack of international quality accommodations to cope with high demand and expectations of international travelers. Current visitors opt for substandard local hotels while having to pay very high rates for their stays,” he says. “Tourism is relatively new for Erbil (and all of Iraq). Our announcement earlier this year of our intent to establish a footprint in

Egypt
The Mubarak regime may have toppled, but as Egyptians gear up for

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - December 2011