Jumeirah Group has signed a deal to operate the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, which is scheduled to open in the first quarter of next year as the second luxury hotel on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah.
Located on the west crescent of the Palm, the Ottoman-themed property will include 405 rooms, 38 villas and 10 restaurants and bars, in addition to an 8,000 square metre spa. It is owned by Zabeel Properties, a unit of Zabeel Investments of Dubai.
The hotel will join the Atlantis on Palm Jumeirah, where the construction of several other of high-end hotels has been delayed.
"Quite a few of them haven't proceeded or had some sort of challenges," said Jalil Mekouar, the managing director of Jones Lang LaSalle's hotel division for the Middle East and Africa.
The hotel will enter a competitive market. Although average occupancy rates in Dubai have fallen to 72 per cent after hitting a high of 85 per cent in 2004, according to Jones Lang LaSalle statistics, luxury properties have tended to perform better. And the Zabeek Saray should also benefit from the relationship with Jumeirah Group, which operates the Burj Al Arab, Mr Mekouar said.
"Jumeirah has been very successful, even in times of crisis," he said. "They are the ones that suffered the least."
Jumeirah Group has been working since August to prepare the hotel for its opening, a company spokesman said. Jumeirah Group replaced Rixos Hotels, a Turkish hospitality company that was originally working on the project.
The hotel has not announced an official opening date, but an "opening party" was planned for next Tuesday, said the spokesman, who declined to be named. Bookings were already being accepted, he said.
Room rates range from Dh1,350 (US$367) to Dh2,500 a night, according to Jumeirah's website.
The Jumeirah Zabeel Saray will be Zabeel's first hotel in Dubai. The company is also developing Tiara Residence and Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah.
kbrass@thenational.ae
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicola%20Coughlan%2C%20Luke%20Newton%2C%20Jonathan%20Bailey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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SECRET%20INVASION
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