A heavyweight in the competitive UK capital with Dukes London, Seven Tides CEO Abdulla Bin Sulayem tells Hotelier Middle East why he is ready to come out of his corner and take on the Dubai market with the firm’s first internationally-operated property, Dukes Oceana, Dubai
“Shaken, not stirred” is the line that made Dukes London famous. The signature outlet of the 90-room boutique hotel in London’s Mayfair was frequented by Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond novels. Fleming was reportedly so inspired by the Dukes Bar Martini, that it became the drink of choice of his iconic protagonist.
The hotel was acquired by Emirati property developer and holding company Seven Tides in 2006, and in 2010 the firm withdrew from its management agreement with CampbellGray Hotels, to begin operating the hotel independently.
While Seven Tides owns Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa, Mövenpick Hotel Deira and Mövenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel Dubai, Dukes London was up until now the only property both owned and managed by the company.
Today, CEO of the family business, Abdulla Bin Sulayem is ready to bring the ‘quintessentially British’ Dukes Collection brand to the Middle East with Dukes Oceana, Dubai, located on Palm Jumeirah. The five-star hotel is three times the size of the London property with 273 rooms, and another 227 keys are housed in the adjacent serviced apartment building.
Despite this, Bin Sulayem is adamant the hotel will preserve the boutique feel of Dukes London. “People walk into Dukes London and they think it’s a 30-room hotel when it’s actually 90 rooms and that’s exactly what we want people to feel in Dukes Oceana, so there are going to be lots of cosy areas.”
The hotel will feature a private beach, indoor pool, outdoor infinity pool, a gym, and a number of British-themed restaurants.
These will comprise the Great British Restaurant (GBR) serving modern British brasserie-style cuisine, a traditional fish and chips café located on the promenade with views across the ocean to Dubai Marina and JBR Walk, and an Asian restaurant on the top floor of the hotel, with the concept yet to be confirmed.
| Advertisement |
Additionally, the hotel will have its signature F&B outlets from Dukes London. These include Dukes Bar, the Champagne Lounge for afternoon tea or light dining, and the al fresco Cigar and Coffee Lounge.
The hotel’s four meeting rooms will also be London-themed; The St. James Suite, The Victoria, The Piccadilly, and The Chelsea. “We want to create the feeling when people come in that they’re not just walking into any hotel.
They will recognise that quintessentially British welcome and service detail,” says Bin Sulayem. Standing out amongst peers is, according to the young CEO, crucial when starting up in such a sought-after location as the trunk of Palm Jumeirah, next to Fairmont The Palm, and near other tough competitors.
“Being on The Palm means nothing if you don’t stand out,” he says.
“Today is a challenging market in hospitality or property. You need to be different, and we, in all of our projects need to ensure we stand out from our competitors in terms of design, in terms of service offering.”
Having already been successful in the cutthroat market of London, Bin Sulayem is confident Dukes will work in Dubai.
Article continues on next page ...
Search our database of more than 2,700 industry companies
