One of the latest hotels on The Walk in Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach is the French hotel brand's latest venture in the UAE.
The hotel, which opened in late 2009, ahead of the recently opened Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach and the upcoming Amwaj Rotana Resort, also represents Sofitel's move into the luxury segment in the UAE. The former Sofitel Deira City Centre, for instance, is being renovated and rebranded by Accor.
Ideally located for the leisure market — with the beach, retail and cafes on its doorstep — the Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach is also convenient for business travellers, being relatively close the Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Jebel Ali Free Zone and Dubai Media City.
Gilles Longuet, general manager of the hotel, says they've had a positive response from all markets. "We are a beachfront business hotel that happens to be in the middle of a leisure destination; we have the best of both worlds and have reached a balanced mix of leisure travellers and corporate clients."
Longuet confirms that the opening, "coincided with the recent re-positioning of Sofitel as a brand into the luxury segment" — a sensible move, given the city's status as an international stopover hub. "Dubai is the ultimate luxury destination, where Sofitel wanted to be present and well represented. Sofitel's location in the heart of The Walk in JBR, places it in the centre of the new lifestyle hub of Dubai — the place to be and be seen."
The property has received a positive response from all market segments, explains the general manager, with occupancy ranging between 80 per cent and 90 per cent and customer feedback already generating repeat business.
The Sofitel has 438 rooms, including 40 suites, all with sea views and WiFi internet access. Superior rooms come with a balcony, and range in rates between Dh750 and Dh1,200.
Facilities include restaurants, bars and lounges, as well as a spa, health club and podium swimming pool with sunset views. Conference facilities include a grand ballroom, five function rooms as well as a business centre.
Located a few minutes walk from the beach, the shops, restaurants and cafes of The Walk are on its doorstep while the Dubai Marina is only a short walk away.
Rather than viewing the other hotels as competitors, Longuet stresses the contribution they all make towards creating an attractive environment for both visitors and the community.
"All the hotels help to create a wonderful mix of clientele along The Walk: you have the perfect harmony not only with tourists and business people, but also between locals and expatriates living here."
The Sofitel differentiates itself from the other hotels in virtue of its unique service standards, says Longuet. "We are delivering a luxury experience by adding the French touch: L'arte de Recevoir [the art of receiving]."
In mid-2008, the height of the property boom, JBR developer Dubai Properties announced that the three international hospitality operators — Accor Sofitel, the Rotana and Mövenpick — would provide more than 1,375 rooms in hotel towers adjacent to the residential development. Two years later, two of these are already open with the Amwaj Rotana Resort scheduled to come online shortly. The economic climate, of course, has changed since then but Accor Sofitel is confident in Dubai's lure for both business travellers and tourists. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, Longuet says the hotel has adapted and re-strategised.
"As the international downturn has undoubtedly affected the market conditions in recent months, we stayed in tune with our customers' needs and budgets... you have to stay flexible and be proactive in these new conditions."
However, Longuet feels that Dubai's lure will endure in the long-term, reinforced by the Indian customer base, which is growing strongly, as are some emerging markets. "Thanks to the growing direct services offered by Emirates and the DTCM marketing campaign, we are now able to attract customers as far as China and Brazil."
Sofitel's regional stable
Aside from the UAE, Sofitel's portfolio in the Middle East region includes the Sofitel Al Khobar The Corniche in Saudi Arabia and the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq in Bahrain, as well as two hotel resorts in Morocco.
