RAK's Waldorf Astoria 'hired' for Apprentice show

BBC1’s The Apprentice which aired in the UK last night, Tuesday 28 May, showed 12 contestants battling it out in Dubai in a task where two groups had to find eight items, apparently required by the Waldorf Astoria hotel, which is under construction in Ras Al Khaimah.

The show, where contestants take part in tasks in a bid to become mogul Lord Alan Sugar’s next business partner, showed the two Endeavour and Evolve teams running around Dubai, where they had to decide whether to shop in the local markets or source items from The Dubai Mall as they searched for oddities including an Arabic coffee pot, a falcon hood and an UAE flag on the programme.

The TV show offered a sneak preview of the hotel, which takes its design inspiration from the palaces of the Arabian Peninsula, when the teams, led by Karren Brady and Nick Hewter, arrived at the property to be set their task.

Andre Herrenschmidt, general manager, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, who appeared in the show to cast his judgement on the candidate’s performance said: “It was a pleasure to welcome The Apprentice candidates to our luxury hotel. Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah will provide an unforgettable experience to our guests when we open later this year and the candidates have contributed to this by helping us source items key to that experience.

"We are excited to bring one of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands to Ras Al Khaimah and look forward to welcoming guests through the doors later this year for a truly memorable stay. I wish the remaining contestants the best of luck in their tasks ahead." 

Hilton Worldwide signed a management agreement with the Al Hamra Group for the first Waldorf Astoria hotel in the UAE in 28 February 2011 as reported by Hotelier. The hotel is scheduled to open this summer and will accept reservations from 1 November, 2013.