Kempinski adds two new Mid East properties in biggest global expansion drive ever

Plans include the opening of two new five star properties in the UAE and Jordan scheduled for completion over the next 12 months and the launch of two more Middle East hotels, which are currently on the drawing board.

At ATM, the hospitality group will unveil details of its much talked-about first Dubai property, the Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, which will open for business early next year, and include a ski dome, an indoor snow kids play area, two swimming pools and tennis courts.

"Our first Dubai hotel will position Kempinski Hotels & Resorts as a major hospitality industry player in the UAE, following the opening, earlier this year, of our 400-room Abu Dhabi landmark property Emirates Palace, and the well-established Ajman Kempinski," said Ulrich Eckhardt, Senior Vice President, Kempinski Hotels & Resorts, Middle East & Africa.

Other group plans include the opening this year of a second Jordanian property, the Kempinski Ishtar Resort Hotel & Spa at the Dead Sea. The five-star property will have 90 rooms, 42 suites and two royal VIP villas and feature a host of food and beverage outlets, private dining rooms and two outdoor garden bars. The hotel will also have a designer wellness spa and sport facilities, outdoor whirlpools, fresh Dead-Sea water floating pools and treated mud pools as well as a medical clinic.

"The opening of the new Middle East hotels is part of the biggest expansion drive in the long history of the group, which is on target to operate a total of 70 properties throughout the world by 2007," said Eckhardt.

The German hospitality major will open a total of 16 hotels during 2005 which will bring its property portfolio up to 56 hotels across five continents. A further 14 projects are currently under development and scheduled for completion in the near future.

"New hotels will open this year in Greece, Russia, Bulgaria, Chad and Brazil, Turkey and Tanzania will each see the opening of two properties and China is slated for three new Kempinski," said Eckhardt. "By 2007, China will be home to a total of ten Kempinski hotels."

Kempinski Hotel & Resorts' current Middle East property portfolio includes hotels in Jordan, the UAE, and Kuwait.