Abu Dhabi Ritz-Carlton to open by end of year

Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) has announced that its Ritz Carlton Grand Canal hotel will finally open its doors by the end of the year.

The company awarded the contract to build the 220,000m2 complex consisting of a series of ten-storey buildings arranged around a crescent shape to Habtoor Leighton back in 2007, but only signed a deal with Ritz Carlton as the operator last year.

At the time, the firm said that it hoped to open the project by the end of 2011.

In an update to the stockmarket yesterday, the company said: "Following ADNH's success with the recently-opened Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotels and Villas on Saadiyat Island, ADNH will open the Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal during the fourth quarter of this year.

"Comprised of 395 rooms, 52 suites and 85 villas, the hotel is situated in one of the most magnificent waterfront locations in the city on the Grand Canal in the Al Maqta area directly adjacent to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

The company said that in the nine months to September 30 it made a net profit of $31.3m on revenues of $358m, which were slightly lower than last year.