New opening: Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa

The opening of the Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa in Kuwait marks Jumeirah Group’s first GCC property outside the UAE

In May 2013, Jumeirah Group soft-opened the 408-key Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa in Kuwait, a market less used to luxury hotels than the operator’s Dubai stronghold.

Looking back on the hotel’s opening period, general manager Mark Griffiths recalls how market interest was so high that people were queuing around the block to come and see the hotel and try its various restaurants.

“The opening was an exceptionally busy period. We expected around 11,000 visitors to our restaurants during the first three weeks and we actually welcomed double that,” says Griffiths.

“We were of course very grateful about the level of attention we received, but we just weren’t able to accommodate everyone that wanted to come. So we had teams of people stationed outside thanking people for coming but asking them to please make a reservation and come back another time.”

The level of excitement in the local market can partly be attributed to the fact that the hotel was Jumeirah’s first GCC property outside the UAE, and also, as Griffiths explains, because the local Kuwaiti market is familiar with the region’s luxury hotels through extensive business and leisure travel.

“The Jumeirah name is very well known and respected across the Gulf, and it is a great benefit for us to be able to leverage that. I also believe that local Kuwaitis were very proud to see another five-star hotel open in the country, and that helped our first few months be very successful for us.

Although it has been the summer season, which is traditionally quieter, we have done very well with the local market with about 80% of our business being Kuwaiti driven,” he explains.
Kuwaiti Culture Clash
Another reason for the levels of interest in the local market could be simple curiosity to see what Jumeirah had done to one of the city’s hospitality icons. Dating back to the mid-1970s, the original hotel was one of the first resorts in the Gulf and, with the owning family the same, the new hotel had a lot to live up to.

However, as Griffiths explains, Jumeirah came onboard the project “a little late into the development process, with the owners having already done a lot of the design and construction work”.

He adds: “So we weren’t as involved as you normally would be with the designers of the hotel, and were just tweaking little areas and adjusting them where we could”.

Arriving at the hotel in December 2011, having joined Jumeirah to be a part of the opening team, Griffiths found that his biggest focus was to work alongside the hotel owner’s project team and Jumeirah technical services (JTS), who were flying in from Dubai to ensure that the hotel opening went smoothly.

“I would say that it was a learning process for all of us,” admits Griffiths. “Kuwait is not as structured as Dubai, where Jumeirah has most of its experience, so the biggest challenge was finding out how things work in Kuwait, and we found that this information wasn’t always readily available.

“The other learning curve for me was that things tend to take a little more time here, and I had to learn to have a little more patience. For example, we were used to working with suppliers in Dubai and knowing how to bring things into that market, so this was a whole new area that we had to develop, and where we had to find suppliers that we were able to work with,’ he says.

When it came to the overall hospitality market the hotel was facing, Griffiths admits that there was also a surprise in store.

“Our market is predominantly made up with business guests, particularly with the government groups and conventions taking place here, but we’ve been very pleasantly surprised by the Kuwaiti leisure business,” says Griffiths.

“This has kept us very busy, particularly over the weekends and the summer holiday period, in addition to a sizeable leisure market coming in from the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia.”

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Keeping Up with the Competition
Griffiths says the Kuwaiti hospitality market remains stable, not having grown significantly over the last few years, with occupancy remaining around the 50% mark.

“The market remains at quite a high rate, and that rate is able to remain stable around the KD 75-80 (US $265-280) mark,” he says.

“It’s probably a little early to talk about figures, but we’re a little bit behind what the competition is setting for occupancy. However, we believe that by the end of our first full year we’ll be around what the market is doing; and in terms of rate, we were number one in the market for August, so we expect to continue to lead the market in that area,” he adds.

“Our strategy for this property is to go after occupancy initially, however, while still charging a premium rate because that’s what we feel the product deserves. The thing about rate is that someone can always go lower. If your selling strategy is based solely on rate then you’re always going to lose, as someone will always be able to undercut you,” explains Griffiths.

One of the features that is a part of this premium offering is its inventory of 80 one-, two- and three-bedroom long stay apartments. These, according to Griffiths, are perfect for the executives of big companies operating in the country, who may only have a short-term visa or need a base when visiting the country on business.

Other facilities for the business market are two 400m² meeting rooms, which also divide into three separate spaces, with five adjoining breakout and pre-function rooms.

However, it is Kuwait’s largest pillar-less ballroom, measuring almost 2000m², which according to the hotel is perfect for big meetings, conferences, social events and especially weddings.

“We had our first event for around 1000 people only two weeks after we opened,” says Griffiths. ‘And the success of that event led to that company bringing five or six of their executives to stay here as long-stay guests, so our rooms feed off our conference facilities and vice versa.”

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An F&B Focus
Talking of feeding, setting new standards in food and beverage was a clear focus for the hotel. Executive assistant F&B manager Albert Ettinger admits there was some concern about the level of competition in the market.

“Kuwaitis have a known history of fine dining, and a fondness for F&B, and we knew that whatever we did here, we had to make sure that we had a portfolio of restaurants and lounges that offers a certain variety and quality,” says Ettinger.

“When it came to price we had a clear strategy to not be overpriced. We wanted to be number one in the market and become the premier F&B operation in the market, but through the service and quality that we offer rather than the price. We therefore went with the market in our first year, price-wise,” he admits.

So far since opening, it is clear that the hotel’s F&B strategy seems to have worked, with the hotel’s revenue breaking down to 50:50 between rooms and F&B. This is also attributable to the high levels of interest from the local market, with 60% of F&B business coming from outside of the hotel and not just from guests.

“We have done very well since pre-opening, and while some may say this is luck, I believe that we are enjoying the fruits of our hard work during the pre-opening period,” says Ettinger.

“For example, when I went about recruiting the F&B team, I wanted to get a team of managers on board who see F&B the same way I do, which is to see ourselves as hosts rather than businessmen.

What I mean by that is that over the last 10 years the F&B industry has gotten very good at producing managers who have a sound understanding of financials, average cheques and return on investment. However, I feel that this has caused us to lose focus on our guests, and I believe that if you look after your guests, then the financials will look after themselves”.

“So far by operating this way we have had a huge market response and great market feedback since day one. There have been great comments in our guest feedback system, and also we have had a very strong financial performance in our first four months,” he says.

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A Special Spa
Another feature of the hotel that Jumeirah is hoping will become a big draw to the property is the opening of the country’s first Talise Spa, the group’s signature spa brand.

“While the Talise spa brand is so well known, its concept is different in every location, and while each one has been built to create a healthy lifestyle, each of our venues throughout the Middle East has a different focus. At the Zabeel Saray in Dubai there is a fantastic Hammam experience; over here the focus is on our guest’s sensory journey,” says director of spa Ayman Alamat.

“So when our guests first arrive they see the way the spa looks, and the relaxing ambience we’ve created. Then they notice the music playing and the sound of running water in the background. Finally, there is the smell of the relaxing oils in the air and when you arrive you are given a cooling towel and a welcome drink for touch and taste, so all your five senses are working together,” he says.

One of the facilities is the spa’s signature treatment, which is the Middle East’s first Himalayan salt room. Built with pure crystal salt bricks that have been compressed for more than 250 million years, Alamat claims that lying on one of the room’s water beds can rebalance the body’s minerals and strengthen the immune system.

However, there are plans for the hotel’s spa to copy some of the facilities at its better known cousins, with the medical facilities available at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah hopefully coming to Kuwait to perform medical tests and advise guests on healthy lifestyle choices.

“Talise is such a respected name already, with some amazing signature spas in Dubai, and that is what we want to bring to Kuwait. We want guests to know that if they enjoy the Talise experience, then they can come to the hotel and have the same quality experience here as well alongside our signature treatments,” he concludes.

Stat Attack
- 316 Luxury Rooms and Suites
- 22,000 visitors to the hotel’s restaurant in its first three weeks
- 80% of business at the hotel comes from the local Kuwaiti market
- 8 Restaurants and lounges
- 80 serviced apartments for long stay guests
- 60% of the F&B business comes from outside the hotel.
- 2000m2 Size of the hotel’s large pillar-less ballroom

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F&B Focus:
Having only joined the hotel a few months before opening, Australian executive chef Christopher Curtis found himself in the unusual position of having all of his F&B concepts already decided, designed and ready to go.

“We reviewed them before opening obviously, but I found that they were pretty much rock solid, with only a few small things that needed changing,” he says.

In total, the hotel has eight F&B outlets, each with their own dedicated kitchen, and a total of more than 100 kitchen staff.

Listening to Curtis break down his F&B operation, it seems clear that the hotel’s all day dining Garden Cafe is a focal point.

“This restaurant has been very successful since the beginning,” he explains, “with a mix of international, Asian and local Middle Eastern dishes available. Most of our business here is buffet, but we have a surprisingly good breakfast trade, with around 60-70 walk-ins for breakfast on a busy weekend.”

Asked why the all-day dining is so popular, Curtis explains that: “Kuwait is a little bit different F&B wise, as guests here seem to enjoy seeing a lot of food available, and with a lot of variety on offer. They can also be a little bit particular at times and know what they want. A lot of our customers are also retained guests, who come back every weekend or every lunchtime, so you really need to keep the variety up and not do the same thing every day.”

The hotel’s next big hitter is Pepper steak house, which Curtis describes as an “upmarket steakhouse concept, focusing on imported meats, mainly from Australia”.

“From day one the restaurant has been a hit, and we were fortunate to have a great opening period. It’s not fine dining, but it is a little bit more than a simple steakhouse.”

Then there is Mint, the poolside restaurant, which Curtis says is “very popular at the weekends and with guests with families. It fits a perfect need for the hotel and offers simple food done well, with some healthier options on the menu”.

Located above Mint is the hotel’s upcoming Olio restaurant. Curtis admits that there are “already plenty of Italian restaurants in town, but we were interested in doing real authentic Italian food, such as simple pizzas done the right way, and fresh pastas, with a relaxed menu in the afternoon and more refined dishes in the evening”.

Another soon to open restaurant is Aqua, which has been designed to be an accompanying venue to the hotel’s Talise Spa.

“Aqua is interesting,” says Curtis, “because we’re going to offer a specially designed well being menu. The menu is being cleverly balanced, with food that helps digestion, and that can assist in healthy skin, and we will offer these alongside the treatments that are available at the Spa.”

The hotel’s final outlet is the soon to be unveiled Salt fine-dining sea food restaurant. Curtis describes this as a “true fine-dining experience”.

“I’m afraid that I can’t tell you too much because we are preparing for our grand opening soon. However, one thing I can tell you is how excited I am to use the kitchen facilities in there, as we’ve collected some really interesting pieces of equipment that are going to allow us to try some cooking methods and styles that we wouldn’t normally be able to do.”

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Restaurants at a glance
Garden Cafe: The hotel’s all day dining restaurant offering a range of international, Asian and local dishes on a buffet and à la carte menu.
Mint Café: Mint is the hotel’s poolside restaurant offering a simple menu of healthy sandwiches, wraps and salads, alongside the more regular burger and fries.
Pepper: A fine dining steak house located on the lower lobby level, the restaurant offers two floors of seating with a private dining room on each level.
Arabesque: An authentic taste of Middle Eastern food, Arabesque also offers an outside terrace with a dedicated shisha menu.
Aqua: The sister venue to the hotel’s Talise spa, Aqua offers a healthy eating menu with ingredients that complement the spa’s range of treatments.
Tea Lounge: This lobby outlet offers a selection of afternoon teas to the sound of accompanying soothing piano music.
Olio (Coming Soon): The hotel’s Italian restaurant is to offer simply made pizza and pasta, with a casual lunch menu making way for a more formal dining experience in the evening.
Salt (Coming Soon): The hotel’s upcoming fine dining seafood restaurant.

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Favourite Features
Mark Griffiths general manager
1. One of my favourite things is the view when you first walk into the hotel lobby, where you can see straight through to the hotel gardens and the ocean. It’s a vista that I think is unmatched in Kuwait.
2. I love Pepper restaurant, which has a great ambience, and I think we’ve created a great menu for that outlet.
3. The Himalayan salt room in the spa is another favourite. The room is made of 250 million-year-old salt, and it’s very therapeutic to lie in there and relax for 20 mins.

Albert Ettinger
Executive Assistant F&B Manager
1. One of my favourite aspects of the hotel is the team that we’ve been able to pull together from all over the world, and while some may have very little experience, you can see how keen and ambitious everyone is to succeed.
2. We have a wonderful pool and beach area, which is going to become one of the most exciting event areas in Kuwait. It is going to have a big impact with local weddings and corporate events.
3. Finally, there is our upcoming restaurant Salt, which has a very high expectation from me. This is going to become Kuwait’s finest seafood restaurant, and will finish off our F&B offerings with a bang.

Christopher Curtis
Executive Chef
1. My favourite thing is when you first enter the lobby, and look down into the Garden cafe restaurant and straight through to the gardens. It also means that when guests first enter the hotel they are led to our main F&B venue.
2. There is a little corner in the grounds, called our secret garden, which we use for small meeting events. I have my eye on planting a little herb garden in there and I’m just waiting for my moment to move in.
3. The area in front of our Mint and Olio, on the beach side, is going to be a great area for venues and functions. Banqueting and events are going to be a big thing for us and this space will play a big part in that.

Ayman Alamat
Director of Spa
1. My first is a little obvious but I love the design of the spa, and the way it creates such a positive flow of energy through the venue.
2. One of my favourite places is the jetty out by the beach, this is such a wonderfully peaceful area and I go there when I feel I need to take a break, as it is so peaceful.
3. My last is the statue that the hotel commissioned for our main pool area. It’s called ‘freedom’ and was designed by a local Kuwaiti artist to encapsulate the feelings of liberation felt here after the first Gulf war.