IHG adds two more Abu Dhabi hotels

InterContinental Hotels Group has signed two new hotels in Abu Dhabi, introducing a second InterContinental and second Holiday Inn property in the city.

A 20-year management agreement was signed with the National Corporation of Tourism and Hotels for InterContinental Abu Dhabi – Grand Marina, which will feature 184 rooms and serviced apartments, a range of F&B outlets and entertainment facilities, including a Michelin star signature restaurant, a rooftop bar, a lounge and bar with a terrace and private dining rooms, a destination bar, as well as a spa and pool.

The hotel is due to open in 2016, and will also cater to the capital’s growing MICE market.

The 257-key Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi – a conversion of the Sands Hotel in downtown Abu Dhabi – will feature a restaurant, pool, bar, fitness centre, and dedicated meeting space. The hotel is owned by Pearl Azure Hotel Management LLC, and will open by the end of the year.

IHG chief operating officer India, Middle East & Africa Pascal Gauvin commented: “As the capital of the UAE and one of the fastest growing cities in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi is a key market for IHG and we see strong potential for all our brands here.

“We have had a long and successful partnership with the National Corporation of Tourism and Hotels and Pearl Azure Hotel Management LLC for nearly two decades now. The signing of the new InterContinental and Holiday Inn is a fantastic step in for both our Owners and IHG and we look forward to continuing our partnership to develop more industry-leading hotels for the growing travel market in Abu Dhabi.”

National Corporation of Tourism and Hotels and Pearl Azure Hotel Management LLC group chief executive officer Mohamed Mounib added: “We have been working with IHG for about 20 years now and the three properties we have under their management have seen steady growth and healthy returns over the years.

“With the growth in demand for midscale hotels in the UAE it is also a good time for us to add the Holiday Inn brand into our portfolio. We are very pleased to be extending our partnership with IHG to add two new hotels to Abu Dhabi, which puts us in a good position to cater to the growing number of business and leisure travellers in the city.”

IHG currently operated 18 hotels in the UAE across five brands, with another seven in the pipeline. Operating properties in Abu Dhabi include: an InterContinental hotel, two Crowne Plaza hotels, a Holiday Inn and a Staybridge Suites. This latest announcement brings the total number of properties in IHG's development pipeline for Abu Dhabi to three, including a new Staybridge Suites which will open in the next three to five years.