STANDING OUT
At the helm of The St. Regis Abu Dhabi since May 2011 is general manager Oliver Key, no stranger to pre-openings having launched The Address Dubai Marina and Armani Dubai.
At St. Regis, while he has the powerful backing of Starwood’s corporate team, not to mention distribution and sales, to support him, Key faces the challenge of establishing yet another luxury hotel in a crowded market, not to mention following in the footsteps of The St. Regis Saadiyat Island and The St. Regis Doha.
Key says that while the design encapsulates the Art Deco luxury of St. Regis past, with elements harking back to the 1930s/40s, there are many distinguishing features that set the hotel apart.
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Designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates together with local designers, the interiors were inspired by the colours of the desert sands, traditional cuisine and souks.
Bespoke murals and paintings commissioned by Al Arjun Gallery in the public areas depict desert scapes and scenes, with artwork reflecting the local heritage being a St. Regis standard says Key.
“This is the second St. Regis to open in Abu Dhabi, the third given we have Doha as well in the region, and the focus on this hotel was to make it different from the other two but also encapsulate everything that St. Regis is about — from the grand staircases that we have [in the lobby] to the signature elements, the diamond patterns in the interiors that you see, the use of marble and rich materials I think really comes through here,” he says, describing the hotel as a “throwback to New York, London class”.
“The owners have spent serious money in areas that will make a difference,” continues Key.
Owner International Capital Trading has developed The St. Regis as part of the Nation Towers complex on Abu Dhabi Corniche, two skyscrapers comprising loft apartments, office space, a 60-unit boutique retail area and recreational facilities, and built with sustainability at the core.
Tower 1 comprises 360 residential units, while Tower 2 features offices between floors three and 33, with the 283-room hotel on the lower levels and the top 17 floors. The highlight of the development, visible from the Corniche, is the Abu Dhabi Suite — a 1085m² presidential bridge suite linking the two towers, in the centre of which is a grand majlis with a soaring ceiling suspended 200 metres above ground.
If, like me, you’re not a fan of heights, it’s a very strange feeling to overlook Abu Dhabi from such a lofty position knowing there is nothing underneath the floor you are standing on!
“The Abu Dhabi Suite is going to be a real talking point for the property given it is the highest suspended suite anywhere in the world,” says Key. “It will take some head of state business, royals [business] from Emirates Palace — I think we will get rack rate.”
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