Cristal building third Iraq hotel in wake of bomb

Construction has commenced for Cristal Grand Erbil Hotel, the second hotel to be operated by Abu Dhabi-based Cristal Hotels & Resorts in the Kurdistan city, and its third in Iraq.

A contractor has been appointed for the US $49mn project and the company has all government approvals to proceed.

Earlier this month, Isis claimed responsibility for a car bomb that went off in the carpark of Cristal Grand Ishtar in Baghdad, reportedly killing four and injuring 13.

A spokesperson from Cristal Hotels & Resorts told Hotelier that nobody was injured or killed in the blast and that operations would continue as normal and the company’s expansion plans for Iraq would not be impacted.

The five-star flagship property, Cristal Grand Erbil Hotel, will feature 160 rooms and suites when it opens in 2017, as well as several restaurants, a gym, spa and business centre.

“There is a tremendous influx of interest in Erbil from the major international hotel groups, but we were among the first global names to launch in the city,” said Peter Blackburn, president and CEO of the Cristal Group.

“The market is subject to fluctuation due to the security situation, but more than 20 airlines are registered to fly in to the international airport, which saw a 31% increase in passenger numbers in 2014, reaching 1.56 million.”

With two- and three-star hotels dominating the Kurdistan market, demand for quality accommodation that meets international standards is high.

While domestic and local demand underpins business, Blackburn asserted there is scope to boost international leisure traffic to Kurdistan.

“As hoteliers, we have to take the long view, and with our experience in operating the five-star, 100-room Cristal Erbil Hotel, we know the market and its potential – and look forward to growing with the city when the new Cristal Grand Erbil Hotel opens in two years’ time,” concluded Blackburn.

Cristal Hotels & Resorts operates the Cristal Grand Ishtar and the Cristal Erbil Hotel and the launch of Cristal Grand Erbil Hotel will bring its Iraq portfolio to three hotels.

The company is also set to launch its three-star brand Emerald in Erbil in the near future.

In addition to its Iraq hotels, Cristal Hotels & Resorts has three other operating hotels in the region; Cristal Itsandra Beach Hotel in Comoros, Cristal Grand Kadri Hotel in Zahle, Lebanon, and Cristal Hotel Abu Dhabi.