As winter proceeds, the Middle East beckons - a time when the climate and a bewildering array of options for the luxury traveller combine to make it the perfect upmarket destination.
The king of these is Dubai and although it might be playing the numbers game with a plan to double tourist arrivals to 20 million by 2020 by building more three and four-star hotels, the coming months are a landmark for its luxury sector. Some brands conspicuous by their absence make their debut there in the next 12 months or so, acting as a magnet for those loyal to upscale hotel names.
The long-awaited debut of Four Seasons in Dubai came in November after the group was invited by the ruling family to build on its land on Jumeirah Beach Road. The 237-room property claims to be the closest beach hotel to the airport and includes 49 suites.
And it’s not the only hotel hitting the emirates from the drawing board of the Toronto-based company; there will be another 100-room hotel in the DIFC by 2017, designed by Martin Brudnizki, one of his first ever hotel projects.
Another coup will be the opening of the world’s second Palazzo Versace hotel by spring 2015. Signature linens, lavish use of marble and couple-size spa baths in rooms will make this hotel a ‘bling’ destination in its own right.
In the year to date, Dubai’s UK arrivals are up 8%, but the five-star sector is up 19%. “It is growing quicker than any other category,” says Dubai Tourism’s UK and Ireland director Ian Scott.
And other brands are also making their debut soon. This year saw the first Waldorf Astoria and the emirate will get a St Regis in early 2015. Also from the Starwood stable will be the first of three W hotels by the third quarter of 2015.
“Dubai has been dominated by brands like Jumeirah for a while, but by next year we will have them all,” says Scott, and “all” also now includes Sofitel, which opened its Dubai Downtown hotel earlier this year.
Jumeirah is not standing still either, with the development a 350-room resort close to its existing Jumeirah Beach Hotel. There will also be a private beach, marine facilities and retail - but that project won’t be ready until 2018.
Before then, much-loved Madinat Jumeirah will have finished its fourth phase, with expansion on track to complete in March 2016, when there will be a new 420-room hotel, villa complex, restaurants and a retail centre.
