AccorHotels is bringing the first Swissôtel to the UAE in Al Ghurair rebranding exercise

AccorHotels has signed an agreement to rebrand two properties at the Al Ghurair Centre Complex into a Swissôtel & Swissôtel.

The site consists of 428 rooms and 192 apartments located at, and will be the first Swissôtel & Swissôtel in the United Arab Emirates. Located within Deira, the hotel and residences offer access to the Al Ghurair Centre – one of Dubai’s original upscale shopping centres, which recently completed an AED 1.8bn expansion.

The hotel and apartments will be managed by AccorHotels before transitioning to Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living by end of 2017 when the first phase of soft refurbishment is completed.

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Sami Nasser, Chief Operating Officer, Luxury Brands, AccorHotels Middle East said: “The Al Ghurair family plays a leading role in driving Dubai’s growth as a global destination, and as such, the iconic Al Ghurair Centre is the best location to debut the city’s first Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living. Through this rebrand, we are bringing a new travel experience that is full of energy, passion and vitality - all part of the Swissôtel brand DNA – to the revitalisation of Old Dubai.”

“Along with two notable Swissôtel properties welcoming guests in Makkah, in addition to our flagship Swissôtel the Bosphorus, Istanbul, Al Ghurair Hotel and Al Ghurair Living provide an excellent base and springboard for the future development of the brand in the Middle East.”

The hotel also offers more than 800 m2 of meeting space, including six fully equipped meeting rooms and two ballrooms, offering visitors an array of venues for events and gatherings of all sizes. The Al Ghurair Centre comprises of over 350 retail, dining and entertainment outlets, attracting more than 21 million visitors a year.

This agreement reflects AccorHotels’ plan to double its Middle East network in the coming years. The company operates 40 properties in the UAE in addition to 23 under development, with 97 hotels and 30,000 rooms currently making up the region-wide portfolio.