Accor to open 215-room Novotel in Riyadh with UYC

Accor Hotelservices Middle East has signed a management agreement with United Youth Company (UYC) to develop a new Novotel property in Riyadh.

Located on Olaya Street in the northern part of the Saudi capital, the hotel will have approximately 215 rooms and is expected to be completed in 2017. It is currently at the planning stage.

Once open, Novotel Riyadh Olaya will have dedicated meeting spaces, a fitness centre, wellness facilities and a swimming pool with deck. Guests will enjoy all-day dining and a lobby lounge with a cafe corner in addition to 24/7 room service.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important market for Accor, with significant demand for hotels to meet the growing needs of business travellers,” said Accor Hotelservices Middle East COO Christophe Landais.

“We are pleased to develop this new Novotel with United Youth Company, our second Novotel in Riyadh, and expand our midscale brand in the capital.”

The new hotel will be the second Novotel property in Riyadh, joining the 166-key Novotel Al Anoud. It will bring the total number of Novotel-branded properties in the region in operation or under development to 21, representing more than 4,500 rooms.

It also brings the total number of Accor hotels in operation or in development in Saudi Arabia to 29, with eight in Riyadh, representing nearly 6800 rooms. The company will add nearly 3000 keys to the Kingdom over the next three years, including nearly 600 hotels rooms in the upscale and luxury segments.

Accor aims to have 50 properties in Saudi Arabia by 2020 and expand its regional network to 100 hotels in the next three years.

UYC president Mutaz Hassanain said: “I am proud to be associated with the Accor Novotel brand and I look forward to working closely with the Accor management team through the design, construction and operation of the Novotel Riyadh Olaya.

“Our vision at UYC is ‘Sauniah fi Saudia’ (made in Saudi) and I firmly believe that our inward investment in this hotel, serving the financial district, will demonstrate the UYC commitment to the Saudi economy through sourcing requirements locally and providing employment opportunities for Saudi nationals.”