HMH-run Dubai hotel to be reflagged by owner

EXCLUSIVE: The owner of Coral Boutique Hotel Apartments in Dubai will reflag the property, currently managed by Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH), by the end of the month.

The 78-key property on Sheikh Zayed Road, in the Al Barsha area, will be rebranded Donatello Hotel Apartments — a brand established by the owner.

According to a HMH representative, the management contract ended after the owner said they wanted to serve alcohol at the dry property.

“The hotel owners wish to have alcohol. However, as HMH — and all its brands including Coral Hotels & Resorts — is an alcohol-free chain it could not continue to operate Coral Boutique Hotel Apartments Al Barsha. We wish Donatello Hotel Apartments the very best,” the spokesperson told Hotelier Middle East.

The rebranding will include upgrades to the six-storey property, including an extension to increase the number of keys to 130, as well as the addition of two restaurants and three meeting rooms, according to CRM and marketing manager Madge Walas.

General manager Salim Touma told Hotelier Middle East: “The owning company decided to manage the property independently, therefore Donatello Hotel Apartments will be their first property in the UAE.”

He added that the owner – whose name has yet to be confirmed – planned to “have more” Donatello-branded properties in the future.

Touma also confirmed that “most” of the hotel’s existing employees would remain employed following the conversion.

“However, the team leaders will be new, adding experience and value to the brand,” he said.