EXCLUSIVE: Four Seasons eyes second Dubai property

Four Seasons regional vice president & general manager of Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach Simon Casson has confirmed that the luxury operator is eyeing a second Dubai property.

Casson said the Toronto-based firm is “actively looking at another bespoke business hotel in Dubai”, although the exact location and time of opening cannot be unveiled yet.

Construction of Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island is also underway, and will similarly come under Casson’s remit when it opens next year.

---MEET THE TEAM AT FOUR SEASONS RESORT DUBAI AT JUMEIRAH BEACH---

Additionally, the pre-opening team at Four Seasons Bahrain Bay moved into the property at the end of September, with a soft-opening scheduled for December.

Further afield Casson will oversee two new Four Seasons developments in Europe, with no further details available as of yet.

The company’s long-awaited debut Dubai property is set to open in the North end of Jumeirah Beach on November 14. A Four Seasons property was under construction in Festival City, Dubai in 2009 but plans were abandoned due to the global economic downturn.

The upcoming 237-room hotel, owned by Dubai’s ruling family and developed by Bright Start, occupies 11-acres of land and features 10 food and beverage outlets, five of which are third-party managed and housed in a separate ‘restaurant village’ next to the property.

With interiors by BAMO, the Islamic-Spanish architecture externally was created by WATG and the restaurants were designed by New York’s Adam Tihany. Facilities include a spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a gym with a private training room.

The property also features tennis courts, a private beach club and a 600 square metre ballroom with event lawn and beach access.

“It’s a diamond,” commented Casson, referring to the property’s standing as part of Four Season’s portfolio of 95 hotels globally.

“This isn’t another hotel opening on the Palm and it is different and much anticipated because of that. If we are just good that will be nothing because everyone is expecting us to be great.”

Casson moved from the Doha Four Seasons to take the helm at the Middle East flagship Four Seasons last year after nine years in Qatar.

The British national oversees more than 7000 staff in at Four Seasons properties across Damascus, Beirut, Amman, Riyadh and St. Petersburg, as well as Dubai and the rest of the UAE.

Look out for a full sneak peek of the property in the November print edition of Hotelier Middle East.