Malta-based CHI Hotels & Resorts (CHI) has announced that within months of entering Abu Dhabi with the scheduled operation of its first Ramada Hotel in the Mafraq region, it has now concluded negotiations for the operation of a second Ramada Hotel in the centre of the Emirates’ capital.
The 15-year technical services and operations agreement for the new 313-room Ramada Abu Dhabi Beach hotel was signed by CHI’s vice-president for business development Paul Pisani and Major General Khalil Dawood Badran on behalf of the Social Security Fund of the Ministry of the Interior of the United Arab Emirates, owners of the upscale project.
The new hotel, targeted for a 2011 opening, is being developed on a 31,000 square-metre site with a 300 metre beach front, and is within a short drive from Maqta Bridge, at the entrance to Abu Dhabi city centre.
The Ramada Abu Dhabi Beach will feature 313 guest rooms and suites on seven floors, several meeting rooms, a two-storey ballroom, three restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools and a Health Club with gymnasium, squash courts, massage rooms, a sauna and solarium.
Announcing the Abu Dhabi agreement, CHI’s chief executive officer and managing director Tony Potter said “This new deal in Abu Dhabi, struck so closely after our first incursion in this phenomenal city, reaffirms CHI’s current and future commitment to actively grow our management operations not only in Europe, where we already have a strong presence, but most importantly in the vast African and Middle East regions. These territories are not only a natural breeding ground for our Mediterranean born ‘Corinthia’ luxury brand, but also offer extensive growth opportunities for the well established Wyndham and Ramada brands, which CHI operates on an exclusive basis through its joint venture with the US-based Wyndham Hotel Group. Over the last year alone, besides the two Abu Dhabi hotels, CHI has increased its portfolio in this part of the world by developing other upscale hotels in, Dubai, Egypt (2), and Libya.
Abu Dhabi is the capital and second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), after Dubai. It lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast. One of the world’s largest producers of oil, Abu Dhabi is actively diversifying its economy through investments in financial services and tourism. In Abu Dhabi, luxury and style are infused with traditional values of hospitality and respect. Perfect weather, tranquil beaches, lush oases, a vibrant city life, and a mixture of culture and traditions come together to create a one-of-a-kind destination. Whether it’s a visit to the emirate’s old souks, sipping a fragrant Arabic coffee, riding the dunes on an exhilarating desert safari, or simply diving into a dazzling blue sea - Abu Dhabi is the ideal location for both the business and leisure traveller.
