Construction of the 55 cabin YOTEL has started with plans to welcome guests early 2008.
Talal Jassim Al-Bahar, Chairman and Managing Director of IFA HR stated, "In line with YOTEL's global expansion strategy, we are delighted to announce the partnership with Schiphol Group and our entry into the Netherlands. YOTEL is the hotel of the future, offering luxury accommodation at an affordable price and the concept of YOTEL is ideal for major transportation hubs and urban destinations that host a strong mix of leisure and business visitors. Amsterdam, therefore, provides the perfect location for the first YOTEL location outside the UK."
The Schiphol site, YOTEL's third property, will be YOTEL's first air-side hotel, located inside the airport terminal after passport control on the second floor of lounge 2, close to Pier D. One of Europe's busiest airports, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the ideal site for YOTEL - a dynamic environment servicing business and leisure travellers with over 44.2 million passengers passing through it per year.
The first of YOTEL's pioneering, luxurious cabin hotels opened in London in July 2007, within London Gatwick Airport's South Terminal building. A cross between Japanese pod hotels and business-class air travel, YOTEL is the brainchild of Simon Woodroffe, founder of the YO! brand who hit upon the idea after being upgraded to first-class on a British Airways flight, and decided to translate the language of luxury airline travel into a small capsule-style hotel.
Woodroffe commented "The radical approach of the YOTEL brand with the signature YO! formula of innovation and entertainment fits well with Schiphol's visionary picture of the new world. YOTEL aims to make the airport experience as pleasurable as possible. At London Heathrow, a 32-cabin YOTEL will open within Terminal 4 in December 2007.
Other international locations, in addition to this first air-side location at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, are already under negotiation and will be announced in due course."
The next-generation cabins come fully equipped for all the needs of the business traveller with desks, free WiFi and wired internet access, workstations and 'techno wall' entertainment systems and all cabins come with the facilities expected from a comfortable hotel room to enable work, relaxation, sleep, refreshment and entertainment. Available in 'Premium' double, and 'Standard, large single' all have en-suite bathrooms, in-cabin entertainment and 24hr room service.
The airport location and the fact that cabins are bookable in four-hour blocks means that delayed and transfer passengers will be able to relax in privacy while taking in a movie, or enjoy a refreshing shower. Passengers leaving on early morning flights can spend the night before with YOTEL to catch some valuable sleep before travelling, safe in the knowledge that they are just a stroll away from their departure point.
Al Bahar concluded: "YOTEL represents our commitment to partnering with innovative industry leaders, and typifies the diverse portfolio of products in our expansion plans. We've already witnessed great success at our Gatwick site and we feel very strongly that the growth potential of this concept continues to be strong."
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IFA Hotels & Resorts enters the Netherlands with YOTEL
- Kuwait: Tuesday, November 27 - 2007 at 15:14
- PRESS RELEASE
IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) announces the entry of YOTEL, the revolutionary new hotel concept creating a stir across the hotel industry, into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
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Notes and media contacts
IFA Hotels & Resorts - www.ifahotelsresorts.comIFA Hotels & Resorts is a leader in the development of premier integrated and mixed-use hotel and tourism resort projects throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, the Indian Ocean region and Africa.
IFA Hotels & Resorts' activity in resort development began in the mid 80s with the acquisition and development of Pine Cliffs Resort in the Algarve, Portugal, through United Investments Portugal, which is part of the IFA Consortium.
The grandeur of Pine Cliffs provided the ideal environment for investment in the real estate sector as well as residential homes and resort living, and thus the consortium's link with the hospitality sector developed. Today, IFA Hotels & Resorts sets the international benchmark for the development of world class integrated real estate development.
IFA Hotels & Resorts' main operating office is located in Dubai, while it's head office is in Kuwait. The company is run by Chairman and Managing Director Talal Jassim Al-Bahar along with President & COO Werner Burger and VPs in key markets across the globe including Portugal, the United Kingdom, Dubai, Lebanon, Kenya, Zanzibar and South Africa. IFA Hotels & Resorts is a specialist in resort development, and the company enjoys close links to premier hospitality operators such as Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, appointed to manage some of its developments both in South Africa and in Dubai.
IFA Hotels & Resorts listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange in January 2006, with a market capitalisation of over US$ 1 billion. The company also listed on the South African JSE Limited (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) during 2006 with plans to list on other major exchanges in the future. In January 2007, the company invested in listed Thai developer Raimon Land.
Globally, IFA Hotels & Resorts has entered into strategic alliances and joint venture partnerships with leading companies such as Kingdom Hotel Investment Group (Saudi Arabia), Nakheel (UAE), Istithmar (UAE), United Investments (Portugal), a strategic alliance with RCI (part of the Cendant's Group), Moreland Developments (Pty) Ltd (South Africa), Boschendal Ltd. (South Africa), Raimon Land (Thailand) and most recently Ohlthaver & List (Namibia).
IFA Hotels & Resorts aims to link its resorts to new parts of the globe, such as the US, the UK, the Indian Ocean and Eastern Europe. This will offer investors and tourists access to world class facilities through a network of hotels, residential resorts, vacation and residence club destinations.
IFA Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Projects:
DUBAI
IFA Hotels & Resorts is the largest investor on The Palm Jumeirah.
• The Fairmont Palm Hotel & Resort - A 400 room 5 star hotel on the trunk of The Palm Jumeirah.
• The Fairmont Palm Residence - 558 luxury apartments. (www.fairmontpalmresidence.com)
• The Palm Residence - Al Nabat and Al Haseer - two shoreline residential buildings on the trunk of The Palm Jumeirah, with 246 apartments.
• The Palm Golden Mile development - A joint venture project with Istithmar. A project featuring 860 luxury apartments, 19,500 sq. metres of office space and 22,000 sq. metres of retail space comprising boutique shops and restaurants, all stretching along 7.8 hectors of park land. (www.thepalmgoldenmile.com)
• Kingdom of Sheba - A 1,000 key destination on the Crescent of The Palm Jumeirah (adjacent to Atlantis) comprising residences (Balqis Residence), a Hotel (Fairmont Kingdom of Sheba), Vacation Club (Fairmont Vacation Club, Kingdom of Sheba), Private Residence Club (Fairmont Heritage Place, Kingdom of Sheba) and a souq (retail plaza) - all to be managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. (www.kingdomofsheba.com)
• Laguna Tower - A 40 storey mixed-use tower located in the Jumeirah Lake Towers, next to the Dubai Marina, comprising residential apartments and a hotel-residence managed by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, the Movenpick Hotel & Residence Laguna Tower Dubai, in addition to retail and restaurants along the waterfront. (www.lagunatower.com)
LEBANON
• Alabadiyah Hills - A luxurious mountainside retreat in Bhamdoun, overlooking Beirut. This 7.5 hectare project will consist of high-end residential villas, townhouses and apartments, in addition to a world renowned spa and beauty clinic, which will be managed by Kempinski Hotels. (www.abadiyahhills.com)
• Four Seasons Hotel Beirut - IFA Hotels & Resorts is also a shareholder in this upcoming development.
PORTUGAL
• IFA Hotels & Resorts is the force behind the super-premium Sheraton Algarve Hotel (www.luxurycollection.com) and Pine Cliffs Resort (www.pinecliffs.com), part of Starwood's Luxury Collection.
SOUTH AFRICA
• Zimbali Coastal Resort & Zimbali Lakes Resort - IFA Hotels & Resorts owns a 50% share in the luxurious resort, a 700 hectare prime residential and resort estate located on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal. (www.zimbali.co.za)
• Zimbali Lodge - IFA Hotels & Resorts owns the exclusive Zimbali Lodge, managed by Sun International Limited. (www.zimbalilodge.co.za)
• The Fairmont Zimbali - A new 154 hotel key resort, with a unique portfolio of freehold properties including 57 apartments, 17 ultra luxury villas, 20 golf chalets and 10 villas incorporated into a Fairmont Heritage Place Private Residence Club, all to be managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. (www.fairmontzimbali.com)
• Boschendal Limited - A mixed- use resort development at an historic Cape Estate. (www.boschendal.com)
KENYA
• Lonrho Hotels - IFA Hotels & Resorts is a shareholder in five Lonrho Hotels in Kenya (www.lonrhohotels.com)
ZANZIBAR
• Mövenpick Resort & Spa - Zanzibar- Located on the historic Tanzanian spice island, with joint venture partner Kingdom Hotel Investments, the new resort will be re-opened in the last quarter of 2006 and will be managed by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. (www.zanzibarbeachresort.com)
NAMIBIA
• IFA Hotels & Resorts formed a joint venture with Ohlthaver & List and introduced Kempinski Hotels to operate all four of the joint venture hotel properties within the Namib Sun Portfolio: The Strand Hotel, King's Den Lodge, Mokuti Lodge and a fourth hotel to be developed in Windhoek. (www.ohlthaverlist.com)
UNITED KINGDOM
• YOTEL - IFA Hotels & Resorts is the majority investor in the two YOTEL hotels in Heathrow and Gatwick. (www.yotel.com)
THAILAND
• IFA Hotels & Resorts owns approximately 24.9% of listed Thai real estate developer, Raimon Land. The Raimon Land portfolio includes: The Lofts Sathorn, The Lakes, The Legend Saladaeng, Northshore (Pattaya), Kata Gardens (Phuket), The Heights (Phuket), Northpoint (Pattaya), The Lofts Yannakart (Bangkok) and The River (Bangkok). (www.raimonland.com)
Investment and Hospitality products:
IFA Hotels & Resorts' programme of brand acquisition and developer partnerships will continue into the future, illustrated by the ever growing strength of its product range:
• IFA - Hotels & Resorts
• IFA - Lifestyle Membership Clubs
• IFA - Vacation Ownership
• IFA - Fractional Ownership
• IFA - Hotel Ownership
• IFA Residences
• IFA Properties
• IFA Yacht Ownership
• IFA Jet Ownership
• IFA - Travel & Tourism
This unique product range enables IFA Hotels & Resorts to continuously anticipate and deliver to the varying property investment and leisure requirements across the globe.
For further information, please contact:
Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications
P.O. Box 23345, Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971 4 3988901
Fax: +971 4 3988941
Posted by Lara Lynn Golden, News EditorTuesday, November 27 - 2007 at 15:14 UAE local time (GMT+4)
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