Emirates hands management of Al Maha to Starwood

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide has taken over management of Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa from Emirates Hotels and Resorts, HotelierMiddleEast.com can reveal. 

The Dubai-based hotel will be renamed ‘Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort and Spa, Dubai’, with Emirates retaining ownership of the resort and Starwood Hotels and Resorts overseeing the management of the property.

It will become part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection.

Roeland Vos, president of Starwood, Europe, Africa and Middle East said: “We are delighted to take over the management of the Al Maha Resort, extending our long-standing relationship with the Emirates Group and adding a spectacular hotel to the Luxury Collection portfolio in Dubai.

“The addition of the Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa is symbolic of our continued focus to grow our portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts in the Middle East.”

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline & Group said the property would be “a valuable addtition” to the Luxury Collection.

“As a leading hotel management group, Starwood’s Luxury Collection brand represents some of the finest properties across the world, and with their extensive network, global infrastructure and history of successful brand management, we are confident that they will take Al Maha to even greater heights,” he added.

Al Maha rests within the 225-square kilometre Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) one of the largest formally protected conservation reserves in the Gulf and is internationally recognised.

The DDCR will continue to be sponsored and managed by Emirates.

The Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa is Starwood’s second Luxury Collection hotel in the UAE, joining the Grosvenor House Dubai, and third in the Middle East.