Celebrities to head to Doha for Nikki Beach launch

US luxury beach club brand Nikki Beach is planning a series of celebrity parties in Doha to mark the launch of its first resort in the Middle East, as part of the Pearl-Qatar development.
The Miami-based resort chain, which is famous for its exclusive White parties, will debut in Doha in February 2012, said Darrell Sheaffer, general manager of hotels and resorts at HDC, the hospitality arm of Pearl-Qatar developer UDC.
“Nikki is known for their white parties and there will be a white party most certainly… I would expect [well-known guests to attend]. The celebrity element is a very big part of who they are and it is perfect for us on the Pearl with our fashion brands,” Sheaffer said on the sidelines of the Arabian Business Qatar Forum in Doha.
The fit-out of the Pearl Nikki Beach Resort & Spa began last month on the existing buildings and pool area and QAR250m ($68m) is being spent ahead of the February launch, Sheaffer said.

“The 24 townhouses are already there and are being transformed into the Nikki style as we speak, so the major construction will be the fit-out of the existing building and pool area and beach club,” he said.

The Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts concept was launched in 2008 and the company said in April there were eight projects worth $200m in the pipeline, including one in the UAE.
The hospitality brand said it expected to rollout nearly 1,000 rooms in a number of destinations, including Cyprus, Greece, the UAE and the Cape Verde Islands.