RAS AL KHAIMAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Hilton Worldwide has signed a deal with Al Hamra Real Estate Development to take over management of the 249-key Al Hamra Fort Hotel in Ras Al Khaimah.
The hotel and adjoining convention center, independently operated by the owners since 1999, will open under the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand in early 2013.
“By handing over the reins to Hilton Hotels & Resorts, we hope to benefit from the brand’s extensive experience in operating hotels around the world, and we will work closely with them to develop the hotel into an international leisure hotspot,” says Sheikh Mohamed Bin Saud Al Qasimi, chairman of Al Hamra Group.
Located in Al Hamra area of Ras Al Khaimah, the hotel has access to world-class golfing facilities, upscale residential and commercial areas and will be in close proximity to Hilton Worldwide’s upcoming Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah.
“The Al Hamra Fort Hotel is one of the icons of Ras Al Khaimah and has been a mainstay of Ras Al Khaimah’s hospitality scene for over 10 years,” says Dave Horton, global head of the Hilton brand. “As Hilton Al Hamra Resort & Spa, the hotel will maintain its unique identity but incorporate the style, standards and world-class service that guests around the world expect from Hilton Hotels & Resorts.”
The hotel will keep its Arabian-fort-style villas but will undergo extensive renovation to enhance and update facilities. Hilton Al Hamra will feature an all-day dining restaurant and three specialty restaurants, in addition to a lobby lounge and three bars. Other amenities will include an executive lounge, private beach, water sports facilities, swimming pools, kids club, mini-golf facilities, tennis courts and a health club and spa. The adjoining convention center offers a multipurpose ballroom and six meeting rooms.
“As one of the first international hotel companies in Ras Al Khaimah, we have a long-term commitment to the emirate,” says Rudi Jagersbacher, area president for Hilton Worldwide in the Middle East and Africa. “With the Hilton Al Hamra Resort & Spa, we aim to cement the emirate’s growing reputation for regional short-breaks and give international guests another reason to choose Ras Al Khaimah as a destination offering culture, adventure and high-quality hospitality facilities.”
The hotel will become the fifth Hilton Worldwide property in Ras Al Khaimah, joining Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa, Hilton Ras Al Khaimah, DoubleTree by Hilton Ras Al Khaimah and the upcoming Waldorf Astoria. Hilton Worldwide now has 10 hotels operating in the UAE and 52 properties total across the Middle East and Africa, seven of which have opened this year.
