News

Marriott International (www.Marriott.com) today unveiled Marriott Bonvoy, the new loyalty brand replacing the current loyalty brands – Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) – and reflecting the unmatched benefits, single loyalty portfolio and experiences announced last year. Marriott Bonvoy is built on the belief that travel enriches us all and has the power to enrich the world. Marriott Bonvoy launches on February 13 when the logo and branding begins rolling out across all consumer touchpoints, including on property, marketing and sales channels, digital, mobile and co-brand credit cards, bolstered by a multimillion-dollar global media campaign starting in late February.

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Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) have signed an AED 1.6bn loan facility agreement. The agreement will provide ADNH with the financing capability to acquirea number of Dubai-based hotels.

The Agreement was signed by Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Sultan Suroor Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of ADNH and André Sayegh, Deputy Group CEO and Group Head of Corporate & Investment Banking at FAB.

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As the new year starts, fun doubles when travelling to Constance Hotels & Resorts, a collection of luxury hotels in authentic destinations across the Indian Ocean.

Visitors will get the chance to start 2019 with a host of exciting activities, luxurious atmosphere, white beaches and turquoise sea, in addition to earning credits to their next getaway. Constance Hotels & Resorts is rewarding its loyal guests by tying its loyalty program with four prestigious airlines, Etihad Airways’ Etihad Guest being one of them.

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The Middle East’s first EDITION hotel has opened doors within the landmark Bloom Marina mixed-use development in Abu Dhabi, offering a new kind of resort environment and breath-taking beauty and serenity of Marina Bateen.

EDITION Hotels is the most successful boutique hotel brand developed by renowned American hotelier and real estate developer Ian Schrager in partnership with Marriott International with 8 hotels already opened and 30 in the pipeline. The powerful partnership brings with it the region’s finest hotel concept offering the ultimate elevated experience in design, food, amenities and entertainment.

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Bab Al Qasr, a 5-star luxury beach resort and spa, located on the exclusive Corniche in the heart of the city of Abu Dhabi, is all set to add sparkle to your festive celebrations. Whether for the ultimate holiday break or for a seasonal get-together to remember, a collection of culinary delights have been prepared to create magical experiences during Christmas time and New Year.

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Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today the official opening of Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi, turning the iconic ‘Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi’ into the first Andaz hotel in the Middle East. Represented across the globe in destinations including London, New York, Tokyo and Shanghai, Hyatt’s luxury lifestyle brand celebrates distinctively local culture and delivers an elevated experience that awakens the senses. Aligned with the brand ethos of authentically bringing the local neighborhood to life, Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi offers inspiring experiences, helping guests immerse themselves in their surroundings and feel like a local from the moment they arrive.

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Known for its impeccable Corporate Social Responsibility reputation in the UAE, Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi hosted an interactive event to raise awareness about the issue of mental health, in collaboration with the “Darkness into Light” global project. This very special edition of mental health Tea & Talk series featured Niall ‘Bressie’ Breslin, a renowned Irish musician, author, sportsman and the Ambassador for Pieta House.

During this interesting event, Bressie spoke about his struggles with anxiety and extensively supported various mental health organisations in their efforts to eliminate the stigma of mental illnesses. The event saw an overwhelming response from the audience. Over 170 attendees made it to the event and were simply inspired by the vivid stories of Bressie.

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The award-winning Turkish-grown hospitality brand Rixos Hotels is set to open the first All-inclusive, All-exclusive resort in Abu Dhabi. Opening its stylish doors on 15^th October 2018, Rixos Saadiyat Island invites guests to experience pure luxury in an opulent setting inspired by the palaces of the Ottoman Empire, with dazzling interiors reflecting gem stone shades of green, blue and turquoise throughout. Situated on the pristine white sands of Saadiyat Island, what really sets it apart is its unique positioning as the most successful fully integrated resort in the Emirates.

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The Lantern and Moon Festival is back at Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi for four days full of widespread celebrations and engaging activities.

Hosted from September 21 to 24, the event is held at the stunning hotel as a symbol of unity and harmony and will feature delightful street food options, special cultural performances, lantern-making workshops, lighting of lanterns and an abundance of moon cakes.

Ulf Bremer, General Manager at Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, said: “The Mid-Autumn Festival is a harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people, which has spread across other parts of Asia owing to its popularity.

“The festival celebrates three fundamental concepts that are closely connected: gathering, thanksgiving and praying. It is said that the moon is the brightest and roundest on this day which resembles family reunion. And this is why it is important for us to celebrate this as a family and join hands with our guests to give thanks with such a wonderful festival.”

The Lantern and Moon Festival kicks off with the Family Friday when an all-day brunch will be hosted at Sofra BLD, the award-winning restaurant, from 1pm until 11pm combined with Shang Palace and Hoi An, the hotel’s Chinese and Vietnamese venues. Homemade dimsum and snow-skin mooncakes will be served from 1.30pm onwards, and live entertainment will be organised at Sofra BLD from 1pm until 4pm.

The all-day brunch, priced at AED 258, will include beach and pool access for the day from 11am to 8pm. Children aged under 12 years can dine for free and enjoy the special kids’ zone activities. Drinks packages are also available at additional costs of AED 120 for cocktails and AED 220 for champagne.

The Kung Fu Tea Master, exclusive to the property, will perform at various venues including Shang Palace at 1.45pm and 8.30pm, Hoi An at 9.15pm and the Pool Bar at 7.45pm combined with the traditional face-changing performance. Live music played on traditional Chinese instruments is worth experiencing and will be organised at both Hoi An and Shang Palace from 7pm until 11pm.

Children can look forward to the exciting lantern colouring activity, which will be organised at 5pm at Sofra BLD’s terrace, from where guests can enjoy the spectacular panoramic views of Abu Dhabi.

The hotel’s own Dragon Boat team will lead the way for the lantern floating ceremony at 7pm. With live drum performances and all guests at the hotel joining the event to light the lanterns, this is guaranteed to be a fun Friday for the full family. ESS Lounge will also organise a movie night at 8.30pm for those who would like to enjoy the outdoors.

“Mooncakes are a specialty enjoyed during the traditional mid-Autumn festival and we have specially imported plenty of the authentic treats for all our guests,” Ulf said.

On September 22, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi gets a makeover for the Saturday Street Market. Hosted at Sofra BLD and Shang Palace from 1pm until 4pm, the lunch buffet is priced at AED 198, with an additional AED 120 for cocktails and AED 220 for the champagne package. Children under 12 years can dine for free and enjoy activities like face painting as well as art and crafts sessions.

Hoi An, a hidden gem of the capital’s dining scene, hosts a four-course set menu dinner on September 23 from 6.30pm until 11pm. Ideal for those looking to sample authentic Vietnamese cuisine, this dinner is priced at AED 160.

On September 24, Shang Palace welcomes all to discover the various styles of Chinese cuisine through its six-course set menu. Served from 7pm until 11pm, the dinner is priced at AED 200 and celebrates with authentic dishes served during the mid-Autumn festival.

For reservations, please call 02 509 8555 or email restaurantreservations.slad@shangri-la.com

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La International Hotel Management Limited, one of the world’s premier hotel management companies, currently operates over 95 hotels in 22 countries and 73 destinations under the Shangri-La, Kerry, Hotel Jen and Traders brands. Prominently positioned in Asia, the group has established its brand hallmark of “hospitality from the heart” over four decades in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, North America and the Indian Ocean. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. For more information, please visit www.shangri-la.com.

Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi has strengthened its sustainability commitment with a new initiative in Food & Beverage operations. The hotel has joined forces with AVANI, a leading global supplier of alternate packaging based on renewable resources and has successfully replaced disposable plastic products with eco-friendly products.

In pursuit of its “Go Green” strategy, the hotel has introduced biodegradable beverage straws and coffee takeaway cups across onsite restaurants, cafe’ and lounge. The material used in fabrication of these products comes entirely from plants and henceforth, it is 100% compostable.

According to Mr. Desmond Hatton, General Manager, Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi “Every year more than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped in our oceans, killing more than 100,000 marine creatures, leading to a global plastic menace (Source: United Nations Ocean Conference, New York, 2017). It is high time that hospitality industry across the world puts a strong concerted stand against the use of plastic in hotel operations. We are the agents of change and our small efforts can make a big difference in protecting our environment.”

Dusit Thani has always been at the forefront when it comes to rolling out environment centric projects in Abu Dhabi. Achieving energy efficiency by replacing CFL with LED lamps in over 500 guestrooms and maintaining an in-house organic roof garden are few of the key sustainable activities unveiled at the hotel. In recent times, the property has also modified the lobby entrance area from a water fountain concept to garden landscape them, resulting in a saving of 100,000+ litres of water annually. In addition to it, the hotel managed to reduce the food waste in the café by 450 kgs per month, post collaborating with Winnow, one of the leading waste management technology companies of the region.