Dubai, UAE, 11 July 2005 – Emaar Properties recently signed an agreement with Southern Sun Hotels, the leading hotel group in the southern hemisphere, to manage and operate two hotels within the prestigious 500-acre Burj Dubai development.
Scheduled to open at the end of 2006, the properties will be located in Burj Dubai’s Old Town area and will offer 21 suites and over 350 rooms, ranging from king, queen, double and twin rooms, as well as a host of amenities from business centres, swimming pools, all day diners, conference and meeting rooms, speciality restaurants, coffee shops and more.
“This partnership with Southern Sun Hotels lays further testament to the quality of Emaar’s partners within the Burj Dubai development. As the leading African hotel group with over 80 hotels in 7 countries, Southern Sun Hotels was selected as an ideal partner for this urban development which is situated in the heart of Dubai’s downtown,” said David Richmond, Senior Director Development, Emaar Properties.
Both properties will offer spectacular views of Burj Dubai, the heart of the Burj Dubai development, as well as The Old Town - a low-rise traditional residences community inspired by the stylist antiquity of Arabian architecture; The Old Town Island; and numerous landscaped parks and man-made lakes.
Ron Stringfellow, Southern Sun Group Executive Chairman commented: “We are aggressively expanding into other markets and expect to grow the group’s hotel rooms by a third over the next five years. Dubai is our first development outside of Africa and we look forward to being part of ‘history rising’ as the prestigious Burj Dubai district continues its development.”
In the heart of The Old Town area, hotel visitors will be in close proximity to all elements within the Burj Dubai development – from the world’s largest shopping and entertainment complex – The Dubai Mall, The Burj Dubai Boulevard - a 3.5 km stretch that binds the entire district and gives it an international ambience as well as the Business Hub for any business travellers.
“With these two properties Southern Sun Hotels will offer Dubai some ‘Southern Warmth’ – personal warmth with style and a focus on people like no where else in the world,” Stringfellow added.
Eight international chain and boutique hotels will be an integral part of the Burj Dubai development. These will add over 2,000 rooms to Dubai's booming hotel industry which crossed a major milestone by playing host to a record 5.42 million guests at 371 hotels and hotel apartments, earning a total of AED 6.2 billion in revenues in the year 2004.
“The exclusive development responds to a convergence of social and economic trends, including consumer demand for greater convenience and a variety of hotel properties that will reflect this mixed use community. Whether it is designer opulence and fine food at boutique hotels or top quality business facilities at another, the Burj Dubai district will cater to all needs,” concluded Richmond.
