Kempinski, one of Europe's oldest luxury hotels group, is to open a property in Business Bay as hospitality groups tap rising visitor numbers to Dubai.
Work to build the brand's latest property is expected to begin in six to 10 months and the hotel could be open two years from now, said Ulrich Eckhardt, Kempinski's president for the Middle East, Africa and India.
The hotel is located on the edge of the Dubai Design District, one of a number of planned projects in the emirate that includes the extension of Madinat Jumeirah and a Dh4.87 billion development by the Al Habtoor Group featuring three hotels opposite Safa Park.
"The general area of the Burj Khalifa area has shown a lot of traction. And they have now announced also the Design District. We are on the fringe but near enough to be participating," added Mr Eckhardt.
It will be the 116-year-old group's third hotel in the emirate and fifth in the UAE, where it also operates the Kempinski Hotel Ajman and Emirates Palace in the capital.
But it is currently looking for a location in a fourth emirate, Fujairah, which could help add "class" to the destination, said Mr Eckhardt.
"There is no class right now, let's be honest. Some are really two-star."
As a destination Fujairah is totally different from the rest of the Arabian Gulf as it borders the Indian Ocean, he said.
Kempinski is looking for a site somewhere between Dibba and Fujairah city. It thought it had found a suitable location but missed out to another investor and the group is "now back to scratch" with the search.
The group has eight properties under construction in the region but much of the growth at the moment is coming from areas such as the UAE. A project in Damascus, which was at the design stage at the start of the civil war in Syria, has been on hold since.
"On our southern flank we have constraints because of Egypt, so the business is concentrated in the UAE and in Qatar. Bahrain has its own problems so the GCC region, with the exception of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE is very stressed," said Mr Eckhardt.
The specs
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder
Power: 70bhp
Torque: 66Nm
Transmission: four-speed manual
Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000
On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
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iPhone XR
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Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
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if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr