Auris invests AED 850 million in Dubai hotels

Hatem Gasmi, managing director, Auris

Dubai-based Auris Hotel Management has invested around AED 850 million in launching a number of new properties in Dubai.

In the past few weeks  Auris has opened its first two properties – a hotel in Deira, closely followed by boutique hotel apartments in Al Barsha. A third property in Dubai Marina will open in October, and in December Auris will launch a five-star hotel in Al Barsha - the 338-room Auris Plaza Hotel.

Hatem Gasmi, managing director of Auris said the hotel apartments will predominantly target the corporate market. In reference to the ‘boutique’ tag he said: “The market perception of the work boutique is that it is synonymous with luxurious but there are three reasons for the word boutique: maybe the design is not so special or unique, but size is there and with just 60 apartments I guarantee the service will be there.”

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Auris has plans for more regional properties as well as international expansion.

“There are two or three more projects under negotiation in the UAE, and we are also interested in India and Africa. By 2015 we aim to have ten hotels.”

Gasmi said he was confident there was enough demand to justify the expansion: “Figures and facts are there to justify what we are doing.

He added the he was establishing the new brand on “transparency especially when it came to rates.”

“We believe it’s bad for business when people are paying different amounts for the same segment. We want to build our name on transparency and trust. We will make sure that our clients get the best available rates and when the rate is adjusted it will be the same everywhere and applicable whatever channel you book through.”