EXCLUSIVE: Gloria to open in Abu Dhabi & Jeddah

Gloria Hotels & resorts will expand its operations in the Middle East with Gloria Downtown Hotel Abu Dhabi, set to open in Q4, and a hotel in Jeddah that will open in 2015.

The Abu Dhabi hotel will have 230 units and the Jeddah property will have 300 plus several meeting rooms and a ballroom.

Additionally, area general manager of Gloria Hotels & Resorts Freddy Farid revealed that a signing in Muscat that is in discussions at the moment would open in 2016 if the deal is made.

Farid commented: “Oman hopefully is in the pipeline, whether we sign and seal and deliver that remains to be seen. Abu Dhabi is definite, Jeddah is definite and hopefully Oman will be definite – we will know in September – it would be Muscat.” Farid added that further UAE expansion is being discussed with the company “eyeing hotels in Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah”.

Further Middle East signings are expected to be announced shortly with Gloria currently planning properties across Cairo, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to open over the next two years according to Farid.

The model for the confirmed openings will be mid-scale hotels. This is instead of the two property complex model seen in the existing ME operating Gloria properties in Dubai, which comprises 2029 units across a serviced apartment property, the Yassat Gloria and four-star Gloria Hotel.

In addition to the new openings, extensive renovations over a five year period at Gloria Hotel, Dubai will see 760 units fully refurbished and upgrades to the property’s 44 meeting rooms and 800-capacity ballroom.

The Yassat Gloria, in addition to minor upgrades will see the addition of three food and beverage outlets to its existing two. These will include Urbano, a third party branded Italian restaurant, a Turkish eatery and Outdoor, a new restaurant with a terrace and live cooking stations.

Additionally Farid suggested that a new brand may be introduced in September. He commented: “There’s some other brand that we are planning but I can’t speak about it now – a lot could change.”

Since its formation in 2010, Gloria Hotels & Resorts has opened the Gloria Hotel Apartments and the Yassat Gloria Hotel Apartments, both located on Sheikh Zayed road, Dubai.