Jumeirah eyes Mall of the World hotel opportunity

Jumeirah Group has revealed to Hotelier Middle East that it is set to explore possibilities for hotel developments at the Mall of World in Dubai.

Announced at the end of last week, Mall of the World is being developed by Dubai Holding and will cover 48 million square feet on a plot off Sheikh Zayed Road

As well as extensive retail, entertainment and wellness offerings, the project will involve the construction of 100 hotels and serviced apartment buildings.

Jumeirah Group president and group CEO Gerald Lawless told Hotelier Middle East: “Jumeirah, as the major hotel brand of Dubai and a member of Dubai Holding, will of course work closely with its parent company to understand future opportunities and developments within Mall of the World.”

Speaking to Hotelier Middle East earlier this year, Lawless expanded on the close ties between Jumeirah Group and its parent company.

“We’re fortunate to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dubai Holding,” he explained. “Dubai Holding, through its verticals of Tecom and Dubai Property Group, has a lot of ambitions to develop hotels in Dubai and we know that we’ll be working very closely with the parent company to deliver on the expectation as far as that’s concerned.”

Mall of the World is set to feature 80 hotels and 20 serviced apartment buildings, adding a total of 20,000 hotel rooms. These will cater to “all types of tourists”, according to Dubai Holding.

The development will also feature the UAE’s largest “high-end” conference hall and will have “7-star” wedding halls and services.

In addition to the world’s largest mall and indoor theme park, it will also have a Wellness District, offering services to medical tourists and their families.

Meanwhile, a dedicated theatre district will have a host of venues similar to London’s West End and New York’s Broadway, while The Celebration Walk, similar to the Ramblas Street in Barcelona, will connect the cultural district to the rest of the Mall.

Dubai Cultural District will also include a range of conference, wedding and celebration halls with a capacity to host thousands of revellers.