R Hotels plans new Dhs 150m hotel in Ajman Corniche

Ajman-based hotel operator R Hotels has announced plans for a new 182-key property in the emirate to be built with a total investment of Dhs 150m ($40.9m).

The new hotel will be located at the Ajman Corniche beside Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman, which is also owned and managed by R Hotels.

Targeting the leisure and corporate segments, the property will feature rooms with sea views, a restaurant, spa and fitness centre and an indoor swimming pool, the company said in a statement.

Vice-President for Acquisition and Development for R Hotels Iftikhar Hamdani said: “The emirate has a lot to offer; Ajman Corniche, in particular, has a wide range of hotels and beach attractions which lure both tourists and UAE residents.

“It also boasts close proximity to Ajman Port and major international airports and business hubs, making it suitable for business trips.”

Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2015 with the opening slated for Q1 2017.

Managing director of R Hotels Sumair Tariq said: “Ajman is a very attractive market for us. In line with our expansion plan, this project comes in at a suitable time to accommodate the demands of the growing market in the emirate.”

The number of visitors in hotels and hotel apartments in Ajman last year reached 850,000, up from 600,000 in 2013, according to official figures. Average hotel occupancy rates stood at 65 per cent with average room rates reaching Dhs 275.

The number of hotel establishments last year reached 31, with total number of rooms hitting 2992, up from 29 and 2610 respectively in 2013.

“The Ajman Tourism Development Department has been actively tapping different markets like China and our hotels are also beefing up our nationality mix with arrivals from Turkey, Germany, Oman, and Eastern Europe. We are expecting higher room demands in the next couple of years,” said Tariq.

The group’s portfolio presently includes four operational hotels, including two properties in Ajman – Ramada Hotel and Suites Ajman and Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman.

A fifth one is set to open in Q3 2015 in Jumeirah while its sixth property will be a four-star resort and spa at The Palm, scheduled to open in Q4 2016.