Source: Mövenpick

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has signed a management and operating agreement with El Housein Limited for a new hotel apartment tower curerntly under construction in Downtown Dubai.

Expected to open in 2017, the 246-key property, which will be within walking distance of Dubai Mall, will become the operator's seventh property in the emirate.

Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai's rooms will range from 36 square metre studio apartments to 104 square metre two-bedroom apartments. It will also have a speciality restaurant and lobby café, as well as a swimming pool, gymnasium, spa and beauty salon. Several shops and two meeting rooms will complete the property.

"As Dubai continues to develop and Expo 2020 nears, multiple districts with their own feel, geographic importance and accessibility emerge," said Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts COO Middle East and Asia Andreas Mattmüller.

"Downtown Dubai is an area we've eyed for a while and I'm delighted that we will be able to add this vibrant and central location to our portfolio."

He added that the hotel's main focus will be on providing medium and long-term accommodation and that it would be well-placed to accommodate GCC families on leisure visits.

Mövenpick's existing Dubai properties are at Ibn Battuta Mall near Jebel Ali, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Jumeirah Beach on The Walk, Bur Dubai, Deira and in Mamzar near Sharjah.

The operator is already working with owner El Housein Limited on Mövenpick Hotel Les Berges Du Lac Tunis, which is also currently under construction.

Fethi Neifer, the owner of El Housein Limited, said: "We like the fact that Mövenpick has a clear strategy for expansion, which builds confidence and clarity. I am certain our two projects will benefit greatly by being managed with a focus on quality, high standards and consistent service."

About Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international

upscale hotel management company with over 16"000 staff members, is represented in 24 countries with 83 hotels, resorts and Nile cruisers currently in operation. Around 20 properties are planned or under construction, including Chiang Mai (Thailand), Bali (Indonesia) and Nairobi (Kenia). Focusing on expansion in its core markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts specialises in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all reflecting a sense of place and respect for their local communities.

Of Swiss heritage and headquartered in central Switzerland (Baar), Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is

passionate about delivering premium service and culinary enjoyment – all with a personal touch. Committed to sustainable environments, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has become the most Green Globe certified hotel company in the world. The hotel company is owned by the Mövenpick Holding (66.7%) and the Kingdom Group (33.3%). For more information please visit www.movenpick.com.