Australian hotel group targets 2010 Mideast entry

Australian hotel group StayWell is to make its Middle East debut later this year with a property in Dubai.

Further properties are in the pipeline for the Middle East region.

StayWell Hospitality Group, which has 22 properties operating or under development within the midscale Leisure Inn and upscale Park Regis brands, is eyeing Dubai and Singapore for an overseas foray.

The Dubai hotel, which is under construction, is the 392-room Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel - due to open in October.

The company is also developing the Leisure Inn Casablanca in Morocco while the company is close to announcing two more properties in the Middle East.

According to reports, the five-year plan for the privately held company is to have 50 to 100 properties under management or ownership, absent any major acquisition opportunities.

Coinvestors in StayWell are Asok Kumar Naraindas, owner of Royal Brothers Group, and Balbinder Sohal.