Dubai’s Nakheel Partners With UK’s Premier Inn For Ibn Battuta Hotel

Dubai-based developer Nakheel has signed a management agreement with UK-based Premier Inn for its new, 372-room hotel at Ibn Battuta Mall, the company announced on Sunday.

The hotel is part of Nakheel’s 28,000 sqm expansion of the Ibn Battuta complex and is scheduled to open in 2016.

It will have a restaurant, bar, Costa coffee shop, rooftop swimming pool and gym and will be directly linked by a pedestrian bridge to the Dubai Metro station and to the mall.

Ibn Battuta Mall, spread across 521,000 sqm, currently has 270 shops, 50 restaurants and a 21-screen cinema. The expansion will add another 150 shops to the existing complex.

Dubai developer Nakheel, one of the worst hit during Dubai’s property crash in 2009, has recovered strongly in the last year. As part of its current strategy, it is concentrating on developing cash-generating assets, with a focus on retail and hospitality.

The company recently revealed that it is planning nine hotels across Dubai over the next five years.

Last month, the developer confirmed that Accor will manage its 250-room Dragon Mart Hotel, currently under construction and due to open this year. The hotel is part of Nakheel’s Dhs1 billion, 177,000 square metre Dragon Mart expansion project, which also includes a second mall and a multi-storey car park.

In February, Nakheel launched over 500 luxury serviced apartments at The Palm Tower, its 50-storey, five star hotel and residential complex on Palm Jumeirah.

Nakheel is also planning hotels at Deira Islands and International City.