MAF Properties invests AED 120mn in Pullman Deira

Majid Al Futtaim Properties has invested AED 120 million (US $32.7 million) in a full renovation of the Deira City Centre hotel, which will be relaunched under Accor’s Pullman brand in Q3 this year.

Previously a Sofitel property, the hotel was renamed Deira City Centre Hotel after Accor’s global relaunch of its luxury brand in 2008/9, which resulted in around 100 hotels being thrown out from the Sofitel stable.

“The hotel had come down in its quality, it was operating for 15 years and it was not meeting Sofitel’s new standards,” commented Salman A. Haider, senior vice president, mixed use at owning company Majid Al Futtaim Properties.

“Our hotel was one to be thrown out because it didn’t meet the standards, which we understand,” said Haider. “We went back but we put in approximately AED 120 million (US $32.7 million), the renovation is currently going on.

“The standards were more commensurate with the Pullman brand versus the Sofitel brand and we chose to go with Pullman, somewhat of a new brand but we think that with all the commitments that Accor has made to the Pullman brand that Pullman will do well.

“Deira is a very concentrated market, almost every major brand is already there so I think having a Pullman there should be an added advantage in the market place,” added Haider.

He said the hotel remained open throughout the renovations.

“People have been coming and staying for many years so we determined that it might not be the best thing for us to shut down the hotel and we did a very difficult level of renovation where we did the lobby and certain floors to complete it. Granted it has been a bit problematic for our regular customers but we have provided our regular customers with as much convenience as we could and they can rest assured that when this property is completed it will be a beautiful property,” said Haider.

Pullman Deira City Centre general manager Laurent Noury said the rebranding and refurbishment would “infuse the interiors with classic chic décor”, which is “part of the brand dynamic focus and comprises a refurbishment of all guest rooms and public areas”.

The 317-room property will offer three food and beverage outlets, a rooftop spa and swimming pool, and nine meeting rooms with private breakout areas with the flexibility to host different sized events from board meetings to conferences.