The ribbon cutting ceremony was graced by the Guest-of-Honour His Highness Sheikh Hasher Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, Director General, Department of Information.
The 19-storey hotel features a striking pyramidal design inspired by ancient Egyptian architecture. It enjoys an unsurpassed location at Wafi, a unique destination in the heart of Dubai, which offers an unrivalled collection of the best the world and the region has to offer in art, food, fashion, entertainment and lifestyle. Raffles Dubai is only 15 minutes away from Dubai International Airport and a short drive to the business district.
Sheikh Mana bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Chairman, MKM Commercial Holdings LLC, which owns Wafi, said, "Raffles Dubai, being the first Raffles hotel in the United Arab Emirates, is an indication of Dubai's ability to attract global brand names and further enhances Dubai's reputation as one of the leading cities in the region.
It is particularly fitting that the Raffles brand should be introduced to the Middle East by Wafi, a destination renowned within Dubai for innovation and creativity."
The hotel's stunning interiors draw design elements from both the Middle East and Asia. Columns intricately carved with Egyptian hieroglyphs decorate the hotel's impressive lobby, continuing the ancient Egyptian theme that inspired the hotel's pyramidal structure.
Raffles Dubai assures its patrons of unparalleled luxury with its well-appointed and spacious rooms, each occupying at least 70 square metres. All 248 rooms and suites at Raffles Dubai feature private balconies with panoramic views of the city and interiors that exude a sense of intimacy, luxury and residential charm - distinctive qualities in Raffles hotels and resorts across the globe.
The hotel also features Raffles Hotels & Resorts' award-winning lifestyle concept, RafflesAmrita Spa. According to an ancient Sanskrit legend, 'Amrita' is the gift of living well, sought by deities.
When it comes to dining, gourmands will be spoilt for choice as Raffles Dubai's 11 restaurants and bars offer an exquisite myriad of cuisines from around the world, such as fresh seafood and premium steaks at Fire & Ice - Raffles Grill, contemporary Chinese cuisine at The Noble House, Pan Arabic cuisine at the all day dining restaurant Azur, English afternoon tea at Raffles Salon and innovative cocktails including the Singapore Sling at the Balinese styled Crossroads Cocktail Bar. The Singapore Sling originated at the Group's flagship hotel, Raffles Hotel Singapore.
For meetings and conferences, 11 large meeting rooms with customisable capacity, a ballroom for 500 guests, and a state-of-the-art Business Centre are also featured in Raffles Dubai. Each meeting room enjoys natural daylight and offers access to the hotel's library.
Diana Ee-Tan, Managing Director, Raffles Hotels & Resorts commented, "Dubai is a vibrant destination, renowned for its architectural and cultural diversity, with spectacular events all year round. In addition, it is also a successful business hub and continues to attract increasing numbers of both business and leisure travellers, and Raffles is delighted to be part of this dynamic and exciting landscape."
"Raffles Dubai will bring to the Middle East the heartfelt and gracious service, creative dining concepts and cultured luxury that Raffles hotels and resorts are known for. International flair, uncompromising service and breathtaking vistas will make the Raffles experience a truly memorable one," said Mr Hagop Dohramadjian, General Manager, Raffles Dubai.
Raffles Dubai is owned by MKM Commercial Holdings LLC, a Dubai based conglomerate with businesses in property asset management, manufacturing and industrial services and freight forwarding, shipping, trucking, car rental and shipping agency.
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Raffles Dubai celebrates opening with fanfare
- United Arab Emirates: Sunday, November 25 - 2007 at 10:25
- PRESS RELEASE
Raffles Dubai, the much awaited addition to Raffles Hotels & Resorts' collection of luxury hotels, celebrated its recent opening, marking the Group's debut in the Middle East.
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About Raffles Dubai•Raffles Dubai features 248 rooms and suites; each occupies at least 70 square metres and has a private balcony, offering panoramic views of the city.
•The hotel's four Presidential Suites are also each thematically designed to embrace each of the elements of life, earth, wind, fire and water.
•11 restaurants and bars offer an exquisite myriad of cuisines and innovative cocktails from around the world. The Noble House, Asiana Restaurant, New Asia Bar & Club, China Moon Champagne Bar are located within the glass capstone that forms the top 3 levels of the hotel.
•One of the highlights at the hotel is its impressive one-hectare tropical Raffles Botanical Garden which displays over 129,000 plants, carefully selected to depict the four elements.
•The library at Raffles Dubai houses a collection of 15,000 books on the region's history, culture and arts.
•RafflesAmrita Spa at Raffles Dubai offers an extensive menu of wellness treatments and indulgences. RafflesAmrita Spa in Raffles Hotel in Singapore and Raffles Resort Canouan Island in The Grenadines are acknowledged as the best spa in its respective destination by prestigious publications such as The Robb Report.
About Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Raffles is a collection of luxury hotels and resorts worldwide, each distinguished by its luxury, elegance and residential charm. Each hotel is a landmark in its respective city, positioned at the top of its local market and rated among the very best in the world.
Raffles' relentless pursuit of service excellence has earned for its hotels and resorts a legion of international accolades, including Condé Nast World's Best Places to Stay and Travel & Leisure World's Best Awards. Its flagship Raffles Hotel Singapore was named Best Hotel in Asia by readers of Ultratravel magazine by The Daily Telegraph and Best Luxury Hotel 2007 by Travel Trade Gazette Asia. Raffles Hotels & Resorts is consistently ranked among the world's top 10 hotel brands in the annual Condé Nast Traveler Business Travel Awards.
Raffles Hotels & Resorts is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with over 80 hotels in 25 countries worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also owns Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties.
For more information, please contact:
Paul Estorffe
Account Director
WNN Limited
Tel: (971) 4 369 2497
Fax: (971) 4 391 0688
Laurence Kraenzlin
Marketing Manager
Raffles Dubai
Tel : (971) 4 324 8888
Fax : (971) 4 324 6000
Singapore contact:
Vivian Koh
Manager, PR & Communications
Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Tel : (65) 6496 1145
Fax : (65) 6339 1713
Marina Wee
Director, Brand Communications
Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Tel : (65) 6496 1146
Fax : (65) 6339 1713
USA PR Representation
Tory Lorance
Laura Davidson Public Relations
Tel: (1) 212-696-0660
Fax: (1) 212-696-9804
UK PR Representation
Elizabeth Morrison
ZFL PRCo
Tel: (44) 0207-259-1112
Fax: (44) 207-259-1101
Raffles Hotels & Resorts' award-winning collection of legendary hotels includes:
1.Raffles Hotel, Singapore
2.Raffles The Plaza, Singapore
3.Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
4.Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
5.Raffles Beijing Hotel, People's Republic of China
6.Raffles L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, United States
7.Raffles Resort Canouan Island, The Grenadines
8.Raffles Dubai, United Arab Emirates
9.Le Royal Monceau, Paris, France
10.Raffles Tianjin Hotel, People's Republic of China (2008)
11.Raffles Resort Konottaa, Maldives (2008)
12.Raffles Phang Nga, Thailand (2009)
13.Raffles St Lucia, West Indies (2010)
14.Raffles Resort Taimana Tahaa, French Polynesia (2010)
15.Raffles Macao, Cotai Strip (2010)
16.Raffles Tortola, British Virgin Islands (2010)
17.Raffles Manila, Philippines (2010)
18.Raffles Amartha, Jimbaran, Bali (2010)
19.Raffles Da Nang, Vietnam (2011)
20.Raffles Praslin, Seychelles (2011)
Posted by Medilyn Manibo, Assistant News EditorSunday, November 25 - 2007 at 10:25 UAE local time (GMT+4)
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