Minor Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and investor, currently with a portfolio of 530 hotels and resorts in 56 countries, continues to grow its footprint in the Middle East and new territories.
During the last 12 months, four properties have been added in the region, including the debut of the NH Collection brand to the Middle East with the launch of NH Collection Dubai The Palm in February. Minor Hotels currently operates 26 hotels and resorts in the Middle East region across five brands, with the regional pipeline including expanding its footprint into both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, in addition to seeing the luxury Anantara brand launch in India before the end of the year.
Amir Golbarg, SVP Middle East, Africa & India for Minor Hotels, said: “After closing 2022 with a strong consolidated performance, this year has already seen the launch of a new brand in the region and the signing of our luxury Anantara brand in India, which is an area of key strategic interest for Minor Hotels. We are confident of a strong performance for our hotels during the months ahead and look forward to the much-anticipated launch of our luxury Anantara brand in Ras Al Khaimah, plus we have other exciting announcements are coming up soon.”
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
Later this year Anantara will launch its first property in the UAE’s emirate of Ras Al Khaimah and the ninth in the country with the launch of Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort. Scheduled to open in Q4 2023, the 174-key property is in the final stages of development and overlooks a private beach and an eco-reserve with mangroves. The resort will offer a range of luxury accommodation options including pool villas and the first Maldivian-style over water villas in Ras Al Khaimah.
Anantara will also debut in India later in 2023. Slated for a Q4 launch, Anantara Jaipur Hotel will feature 150 guest rooms and suites and is set to become a spectacular venue for weddings and celebrations. Able to cater to weddings of up to 2,500 guests, the new-build hotel will offer a collection of indoor and outdoor venues for both intimate and large-scale celebrations.
Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel became the brand’s third property in Dubai and eighth in the UAE when it joined the portfolio in July 2022. The 252-key property is in the early stages of a full refurbishment and will be positioned as a lifestyle hub with a new look and a range of exciting food and beverage outlets when it relaunches in Q4 this year.
Minor Hotels announced a hotel management agreement with Diriyah Gate Development Authority to develop a luxury Anantara hotel. Located just outside the Saudi capital of Riyadh, the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) is transforming more than 11 sq km of Diriyah into what will become the world’s largest cultural and lifestyle development. Anantara Diriyah Gate Hotel will be bringing its experience-led indigenous luxury to DGDA with a new hotel. Currently in the final stages of planning, further details of the upcoming new property will be announced soon.
Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara has added two new options to its exclusive villa collection. Al Sarab Villa and Sahra Villa are now available for travellers seeking unparalleled privacy and opulence in true Emirati style. Located a few minutes’ drive from the resort in a secluded area offering unobstructed views of the Empty Quarter, the four-bedroom 489-sq-m Sahra Villa and two-bedroom 853-sq-m Al Sarab Villa are part of the exclusive villa compound designed to offer utmost privacy and discrete service.
Avani Hotels & Resorts
Avani Palm View Dubai Hotel & Suites has just added a range of new facilities, including multiple meeting rooms, a spa, an exclusive Avani Club and a Lebanese-inspired restaurant, La Sirène. The new restaurant has just launched in April offering an urban lifestyle eatery and terrace with stunning Palm and Marina views. Following these enhancements, the property will also soon be rebranded to Avani+ which will renew its position as the flagship Avani property.
When it opens in 2025, Avani Bilaj Al Jazayer Bahrain Resort will be part of Bilaj Al Jazayer, a new waterfront leisure mixed-use masterplan. The new 110-key hotel will be located along the main boulevard of Bilaj Al Jazayer on the waterfront and will offer a selection of guest rooms and suites, an all-day dining restaurant, an Avani Pantry and a pool bar, in addition to an outdoor swimming pool, a gym and meeting space. The hotel will share a beach club with the adjacent Tivoli hotel within the Bilaj Al Jazayer development.
Bilaj Al Jazayer is located on the south-west coast of Bahrain and encompasses 1.3 million square metres of land with a three-kilometre beachfront. Manama, the capital and main city of Bahrain, is a 25-minute drive and Bahrain International F1 Circuit and Dilmun Waterpark are in close proximity.
Tivoli Hotels & Resorts
The 110-key Tivoli Bilaj Al Jazayer Bahrain Resort will be part of Bilaj Al Jazayer. Scheduled for a 2025 opening, the hotel’s facilities will include guest rooms and suites, two restaurants, two bars and a café, an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, plus spa and wellness facilities. The Tivoli hotel will share a beach club with Avani within the Bilaj Al Jazayer development.
Minor Hotels has also just last month announced the upcoming debut of the Tivoli brand in Oman. The 180-key Tivoli Muscat Hotel & Residences will begin development in the Omani capital later this year, with the property slated to launch in 2026. The new-build property will be located in LA VIE, Muscat Hills, a prominent established mixed-use community. The development will feature an 80-key hotel and 100 branded residences and will overlook the re-opened 18-hole golf course managed by Troon Golf.
NH Collection
This spring saw the debut of the NH Collection brand in the Middle East region and the first property outside of the brand’s traditional areas of operation in Europe and South America. NH Collection hotels are conceived for discerning travellers, whether for business or pleasure, who are looking for strategic locations in core international destinations. The brand blends thoughtful attention to detail, outstanding services, premium innovative products, state-of-the-art technology and genuine local gastronomy.
NH Collection Dubai The Palm opened its doors in February. Located in a new development on the city’s iconic Palm Jumeirah, the new-build 14-storey hotel features 226 hotel guest rooms and suites in addition to 306 studios and apartments across 11 room categories, all with a bold and original décor.
Opening in Q4 2023, NH Collection Doha Oasis Hotel & Beach Club is in the later stages of development and will be the first NH Collection property in Qatar. The 300-key hotel is located in the Ras Abu Abboud area along Doha’s eastern coast, midway between the city centre and Hamad International Airport, and has a rich history. The previous Oasis Hotel, from where the new property takes its name, was in the same location and was Doha’s first ever hotel when it opened in the 1950’s. Accommodation options will include a mix of guest rooms and over 50 suites.
In January 2023 Minor Hotels added a property on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road. Part of the 46-storey mixed-use Sidra Tower development, the 265-key La Suite Dubai Hotel & Apartments offers a wide range of accommodation options, including guest rooms, suites and one, two and three-bedroom apartments, in addition to an all-day dining outlet, lobby lounge, kids’ club, meeting spaces and a gym. The hotel will undergo an extensive renovation starting later this year, before being launched with an NH Collection flag later in 2024.
Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites
Scheduled to open in 2025, Oaks Egypt New Capital Apartments & Suites will be located in the heart of the Egyptian New Administrative Capital bringing a total of approximately 400 apartments and suites to the market in this fast-developing new administrative and financial capital. The new-build hotel will be housed across two wings, connected centrally at the rooftop and on the ground floor with a spacious retail area. One wing will feature a mix of Suites and Studios, in addition to One-Bedroom and Two-Bedroom branded apartments. The other will feature 203 branded Suites. Facilities at the property will include multiple restaurants, a lobby lounge, a spa and gym, in addition to meeting and co-working spaces. The property will also have a rooftop pool deck for guests and residents.
