Dubai: Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa, owned by the Emirates Group, is to be managed by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, as the latest addition to its 'Luxury Collection' portfolio.
"The hotel will be renamed 'Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort and Spa, Dubai', with Emirates retaining ownership of the resort and Starwood Hotels and Resorts overseeing the management of the property," Starwood said in a statement on Monday.
"Designed and built, following the principles of environmentally friendly development, Al Maha has been at the forefront of eco tourism in the Middle East, for over 10 years. The resort was designed to recreate a Bedouin encampment, spread across the vast dunes, featuring 42 secluded suites with tented roofs, floor-to-ceiling windows, marbled bathrooms, a private deck and pool."
Al Maha rests within the 225-square kilometre Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) one of the largest formally protected conservation reserves in the Gulf and is internationally recognised. The DDCR will continue to be sponsored and managed by Emirates.
Al Maha was praised for its efforts by the World Travel and Tourism Council earlier this year and was identified as the region's leading sustainable eco-tourism development by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
"A pioneer in the area of luxury conservation-based hospitality in the Middle East, Al Maha will be a valuable addition to The Luxury Collection," said His Highness Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.
"As a leading hotel management group, Starwood's 'Luxury Collection' brand represents some of the finest properties across the world, and with their extensive network, global infrastructure and history of successful brand management, we are confident that they will take Al Maha to even greater heights."
"We are delighted to take over the management of the Al Maha Resort, extending our long-standing relationship with the Emirates Group and adding a spectacular hotel to the 'Luxury Collection' portfolio in Dubai," stated Roeland Vos, President of Starwood, Europe, Africa and Middle East. "The addition of the Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa is symbolic of our continued focus to grow our portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts in the Middle East."
