A render of the Aloft City Centre Deira. A render of the Aloft City Centre Deira.

Majid Al Futtaim and Starwood Hotels & Resorts have signed an agreement to open an Aloft hotel, which will be directly connected to the City Centre Deira.

Scheduled to open in 2018, Aloft Dubai City Centre Deira will feature 304 rooms, including 29 suites, with large walk-in showers and complimentary amenities from Bliss.

The hotel will also feature an outdoor rooftop Vox Cinema and a cinematic themed floor of rooms and suites.

Aloft Dubai City Centre Deira will increase the number of hotels operated by Majid Al Futtaim in the United Arab Emirates to 11.

This deal also strengthens Starwood’s position across the country where the company currently operates 26 hotels with 17 more properties in its pipeline.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide senior vice president, acquisitions and developments, Africa and Middle East Neil George said: “The United Arab Emirates is our strongest growth market in the Middle East with Dubai being an integral part of our expansion strategy in the region. Aloft hotels continue to spearhead Starwood’s growth in the mid-market segment and is expected to quadruple its portfolio in the Middle East by 2020.”

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The property will be home to the brand’s signature W XYZ Bar, a social public space where guests can mix and mingle over good music; a speciality dining restaurant; Re:Fuel by Aloft, the ‘grab and go’ eatery open 24 hours a day; and the Re:Mix Lounge.

Additional amenities include Re:Charge – the brand’s fitness centre along with a spa and swimming pool.

The construction contract at Aloft Dubai City Centre Deira has been awarded to Laing O’Rourke and work commenced at the start of June 2016. The project is expected to be completed in Q1 2018 and will become the fourth hotel partnership between Majid Al Futtaim and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, which already includes Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates, Le Meridien Bahrain City Centre, and Westin Bahrain City Centre.

Aloft made its debut in the Middle East in 2009 with Aloft Abu Dhabi. By 2020, there will be 14 Aloft hotels across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and the UAE.