Tag Archives: exclusive
Wyndham Hotel Group Announces First Wyndham Hotel in the U.A.E.
World’s largest hotel company with over 7,000 hotels aligns with British developer The First Group DUBAI (May 5, 2013) – Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company with approximately 7,380 hotels and part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), today announced plans for the first Wyndham® Hotels and Resorts property in the United Arab Emirates following the signing of an agreement with Sigma III Limited, a subsidiary of British-owned developer The First Group, to manage its impressive 33-storey building in the Dubai Marina. Currently under development, the Wyndham Dubai Marina is expected to open within the next three years with 497 guest rooms including 251 luxurious suites. The hotel will also comprise nearly 6,800 square feet of food and beverage outlets, including all-day-dining and speciality restaurants, as well as a coffee shop, an executive lounge and a bar. Alongside meetings and conference space, the hotel will also offer almost 2,500 square feet of spa and leisure facilities including a gym and outdoor pool with a pool bar. “We’re very excited to be bringing our namesake Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand to Dubai, following its successful introduction to the region through the spectacular Wyndham Grand Regency Doha,” said Rui Barros, senior vice president and managing director Europe, Middle East and Africa, Wyndham Hotel Group. “I have no doubt that Wyndham Dubai Marina will be another superb addition to the brand, which we are already growing in key cities throughout the Middle East.” In addition to the Wyndham Grand Regency Doha, which opened in 2011, Wyndham Hotel Group has already announced the development of two Wyndham Hotels and Resorts properties in the Middle East. The Wyndham Grand Manama and Wyndham Grand Riyadh are both anticipated to open by the end of next summer. This will further strengthen the hotel group’s diverse portfolio throughout the Middle East which already consists of more than 30 hotels and over 6,100 rooms ranging from economy right through to upper-upscale. “The First Group is proud to be collaborating with such a renowned name in the global hotel industry on one of our most prestigious hotel developments to date,” commented Danny Lubert, co-founder and joint chairman of The First Group. “We are excited to be partnering with Wyndham Hotel Group on the first Wyndham Hotels and Resorts property in the U.A.E.” “We are delighted to have Wyndham Hotel Group on board and are certain this partnership will be a huge success,” agreed Gary Shepherd, co-founder and joint chairman of The First Group. “Wyndham Dubai Marina adds to our dynamic portfolio of hotel projects across the U.A.E. and Africa and we look forward to watching this stunning project take shape.” The Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand is also experiencing strong growth outside of the Middle East. On March 01, 2013 alone, Wyndham Hotel Group added eight hotels under the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts flag in major markets across the U.S. through a deal with FelCor Lodging Trust, Inc. as well as opening 11 Wyndham Hotels and Resorts properties across Germany as part of a strategic partnership with Grand City Hotels, with seven more hotels still set to join the brand. This partnership will see a total of 43 hotels and more than 5,400 rooms rebranded under Wyndham Hotel Group flags in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands over the next two years. About Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC, offers upscale hotel and resort accommodation throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and China. All Wyndham® hotels are either franchised by the company or managed by Wyndham Hotel Management, Inc., one of its affiliates or through a joint-venture partner. Additional information and reservations for all Wyndham hotels are available by visiting www.wyndham.com. About Wyndham Hotel Group Wyndham Hotel Group, part of the Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE:WYN) family of companies, is the world’s largest hotel company with approximately 7,380 hotels and 631,800 rooms in 66 countries under the hotel brands: Wyndham® Hotels and Resorts, Ramada®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Wingate by Wyndham®, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Microtel Inn & Suites® by Wyndham, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham®, TRYP by Wyndham®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® and Knights Inn®. In addition, the company has licence agreements to franchise the Planet Hollywood Hotels, Dream® and Night® brands and provide management services globally. All hotels are independently owned and operated excluding certain Wyndham, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham and TRYP by Wyndham hotels as well as certain international Ramada, Days Inn and Super 8 hotels, which may be managed by one of the affiliates of Wyndham Hotel Group. Wyndham Hotel Group is based in Parsippany, N.J., United States. Additional information is available at www.wyndhamworldwide.com. For more information about hotel franchising opportunities visit www.whgdevelopment.com or email development.EMEA@wyn.com. About The First Group The First Group is an internationally acclaimed British-owned global property development company based in Dubai, specialising in delivering property solutions to meet the demands of the international property investor market. The group has a proud history of over 25 years’ experience and success and offers innovative and unparalleled hotel and property investment opportunities in the U.A.E. and Africa. With offices spanning Dubai, Moscow, Almaty, Kazan, Astana, Abuja and Lagos, The First Group continues to produce and develop bespoke property investments in some of the world’s most desirable locations. For more information visit www.thefirstgroup.com. About The First Group Asset Management (TFG Asset Management): The First Group’s Asset Management is dedicated to dealing with every aspect of a completed development, to ensure investors enjoy maximum returns on their property. Once a project is complete, the TFG Asset Management team takes over from Client Services to manage the entire rental process, including marketing, tenant liaison, guaranteed leasing, contracts and finances, whilst also working in partnership with hotel management companies such as Wyndham Hotel Group. # # # Continue reading
Susan Sarandon launches ping-pong club in Dubai
Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon has launched a unique new nightclub in Dubai, which encourages party-goers to play ping-pong.Dubai is famous for its vibrant nightlife and the emirate boasts some of the most exclusive clubs on the planet, but nobody in the city will have seen anything like SPiN Dubai before.The venue has 11 table tennis tables and also has a special golden one set aside in a VIP area, the National reports.Sarandon – who has been appearing in blockbuster films since the 1960s – told the news provider that the establishment allows people to interact in a completely different environment to “normal” nightclubs.The Academy Award winner has already launched similar clubs in the US, but she insisted the Dubai version is extra special, as it reflects the glitz and glamour that the city is famous for.”This club has much more of a nightclub feel than the ping-pong clubs we have in the States – it's very lavish,” the 66-year-old was quoted as saying.”We want the clubs to reflect the city they are in – the golden table is not something you're going to find in Milwaukee. Dubai is such a futuristic and amazing city that I think it will work well here.”It will be interesting to see how the club – which is based in The Pyramids in Wafi – is received by the plethora of rich and famous people who frequent Dubai's trendiest nightspots on a regular basis, but the early signs are encouraging.A number of A-list celebrities have been seen partying in the city in recent months, including actor Jude Law and ex-Baywatch stars Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra.Glamour girl Electra was the guest of honour at the swanky Cavalli Club last month and she was on hand to launch the establishment's Just Sundays with DJ Katerina promotion.Dubai is definitely the place to be seen these days and it is no surprise that more and more famous faces are buying luxurious villas and apartments in the most upmarket and exclusive parts of town. Continue reading
Yet another Bollywood star declares love for Dubai
It seems that hardly a week passes by without a Bollywood star singing the praises of Dubai.Filmmaker Japinder Kaur is the latest member of the Hindi-language movie industry to hail the Middle Eastern city as an excellent place to shoot footage.Having grown up in Dubai, Kaur is better placed than most people to tell the world what it is like to live in the emirate.She told tabloid! that she plans to record a music video in one of Dubai's swanky nightclubs and the song will feature British Punjabi rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh.Although all of her debut feature film has been filmed in Delhi, Kaur – who is 24 – is clearly keen to showcase Dubai as much as possible too.”I love this city and it's wonderful to know that I will be shooting a song in Dubai. I have also convinced Yo Yo Honey Singh to make his first appearance in a film. The song is called Birthday Bash,” she was quoted as saying.If this project goes to plan, Kaur said she hopes to shoot a romantic song by singer Sunidhi Chauhan among the flowerbeds of Dubai's Miracle Garden.Kaur is the latest in a long line of Bollywood stars to have heaped praise upon Dubai.The likes of Anil Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan have all declared their fondness for the emirate in the last few months.In fact, Khan's brother Sohail told Emirates 24/7 in March that they have been scouring the Dubai property market in the hope of snapping up a plush new pad.He reiterated the point that Dubai is only two-and-a-half hours from Mumbai – the home of Bollywood – which perhaps explains why so many stars of the Indian film industry feel right at home in the UAE.”We are looking, in fact we have been looking for some time, it's just that this whole year we have been tied up and yeah we would love to buy a pad in Dubai,” Khan was quoted as saying. Continue reading
