Three-star hotels in the region are rarely synonymous with lifestyle, design and attention to detail but these points are the cornerstones on which Rove Hotels have built its brand and this approach seems to be striking a chord with their guests also known as ‘Rovers’.
Six days after Rove Healthcare City opened on February 2, 2017, it was already operating at capacity. For hotel manager Naveen Advani, the high occupancy less than a week after opening to the public came as a surprise: “It’s been great. Since opening, the hotel has had tremendous numbers of people who want to stay with us. Far more than what I initially expected but it makes me a very happy man. And the feedback has been great too.”
Advani attributes the hotel’s early success to its experiential offering: “There isn’t another product like Rove in the market. People are always looking for something that’s a bit different but also has great value and great service. That’s a big part of why people are staying with us. We’re for the young and the young at heart. Whether you’re a 20-year-old looking for somewhere different to stay in Dubai or whether you’re a 60-year-old traveller who’s on their way to another part of the world, we’re happy to have you.”
BY DESIGN
Visually, the Rove brand has struck a chord with its customers, most of whom share quirky signs and accessories on social media. Talking about the features specific to this property, Advani said: “As you walk through the hotel, I can point out several things that link us to the neighbourhood we’re in. The same happens in Port Saeed which is where Rove City Centre is located and in Za’abeel at Rove Downtown. Each hotel is unique in its design characteristic and that creates a character amongst the hotels that somebody who’s visiting Rove would say ‘Ok I’ve stayed in Rove Za’abeel. I’ve seen Rove City Centre. Let me see what Rove Healthcare city is about.’ It’s recognisably the same brand but the details are different.”
The brand has achieved this individual yet cohesive look by working with local artists and designers. Emaar Hospitality Group senior manager corporate communications Vida Rizq shed light on the design process saying: “There are several Emirati and Dubai-based artists who consistently provide us with art and the interiors are done with heart and passion. Our interior designer’s biggest source of joy was when she walked into the first hotel and saw people sitting with their feet up on the sofas. She felt that she’d achieved the feel she needed to achieve.”
STAY LOCAL
Positioned within a 10 minute drive of Dubai International Airport and in close proximity to Dubai Healthcare City, the hotel offers access to the neighbourhoods of Karama, Satwa and Deira and is near schools and businesses. “What we want to do is to create an environment where in every Rove that you visit, there’s something that’s different. We work with artists to create a unique experience in each hotel so Rove Healthcare City is based in Oud Metha so the artists have worked with us to create a link back to the heritage of Dubai but also to the heritage of Oud Metha. It creates an environment that’s very unique to this property but also allows us to tell a story,” he says The hotel’s interior designer uses nostalgia to create a ‘lived-in’ feel and create a sense of time and place.
“We have a cabinet of curiosity made up of picture frames and each picture frame has a little story of its own. I walk around residents from the surrounding area to show them the little design aspects and explain why we’ve done things a certain way because as much as we’re a hotel, it’s really important that we link to the people around us as well. Neighbourhood is important to me. It’s important to work with businesses around us but also to welcome our neighbours. I want them to feel at home here as much as I do,” he adds.
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