Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi 15 Oct opening pushed back

The Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island is expected to open by the year-end, with hopes to launch before the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix from November 11-13.

“Opening is imminent, the hotel’s very close to being completed and we’re going through the final parts of trimming the operation,” Hyatt International - South West Asia managing director Peter Fulton told Hotelier Middle East on Wednesday.

“The aim was to be open for the grand prix and it still is – it’s a great event on the Abu Dhabi calendar – we’re 95% there and very hopeful we’ll get there, but we’ll believe it when those doors open.

Hotel owner Abu Dhabi National Hotels CEO Richard Riley told Hotelier Middle East last month that the hotel “will open on October 15 for sure”.

“I will give the operator their notification on the 14th as per the contract that we will open on October 15,” Riley said.

However, Fulton confirmed the hotel “won’t be opening on October 15” [tomorrow].

The resort, which is located on a nine-kilometre stretch of environmentally protected, natural sand beach will be the largest Park Hyatt property in the world with 306 keys.

Designed by Perkins Eastmen with interiors by Wilson Associates, it is also expected to be the first hotel to open on Saadiyat Island, the new destination in Abu Dhabi being created by Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC).