Focusing on the business travel sector, hospitality major, Marriott InternationalMarriott International's BD43 million upscale Marriott Executive Apartments will open its doors in the Kingdom on October 1.

Bahrain's Gulf Touristic Projects is the owning company while the upscale serviced apartment arm of Marriott InternationalMarriott International, Marriott Executive Apartments will manage the property.

This is the maiden entry of the Marriott brand in Bahrain. The Kingdom would be the third destination in the Middle East region for Marriott Executive Apartments after two projects in Dubai - the 172-unit Dubai Marriott Executive Apartments and 43-unit Marriott Executive Apartments Dubai Green Community.

Currently the upscale serviced apartment arm of Marriott InternationalMarriott International operates 16 properties in Europe and Asia besides the two in the Middle East.

The high-end 20-floor twin tower service apartments are strategically located in the Al Fateh/Juffair area near the Diplomatic area and the city's financial district, only 10 minutes from the Bahrain International Airport and 5 minutes from Bahrain International Investment Park. It consists of 188 spacious and beautifully appointed 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments overlooking the Kingdom's skyline and the Arabian Gulf. Of this, 61 were single bedroom apartments, 96 double bedroom apartments and 36 three-bedroom apartments.

"Ours is a trusted name with a worldwide presence. We deliver the comfort of home-style living combined with the indulgences of quality hotel services. This is bound to set new luxury standards in upscale service apartments in the Kingdom, something that hasn't been seen here so far," affirmed Hossein K. Garan, General Manager, Marriott Executive Apartments, Bahrain.

"The new Marriott Executive Apartments will have an upper hand in the business travel sector among serviced apartments and raise the bar in anticipating the needs of its extended stay guests."

Saying the demand for the property was 'very good,' he said the booming business environment of the Kingdom had created a whole new enterprise in service apartments with the current occupancy rates in the range of 80 per cent to 85 per cent. The finance and banking, technology, manufacturing, construction, telecom and oil and gas sectors were fueling the demand for the upscale fully furnished executive apartments, said Marwan Haddad, Director of Sales.

The US Navy, Saudi AramcoSaudi Aramco and a string of corporate banks had evinced interest.

They said Marriott Executive Apartments were targeted towards travellers who need a place to stay for an extended trip, and offer serviced apartments with a 30-night minimum stay. "Our guests tend to be high-level business executives who average 100-170 days per year away from home and appreciate spacious accommodations and extra services." Plans were afoot to nearly double the number of properties in the portfolio within the next three years. New properties were underway in neighbouring Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates as well.

These include a 119-unit property in Doha scheduled for commissioning in the first quarter of 2009, two 100-unit properties in Jeddah to be commissioned in 2009 and 2010 respectively besides a 50-unit property in Dammam in 2011, a 125-unit Marriott Executive Apartments, Sharjah and a 171-unit Marriott Executive Apartments Cairo Nile Dolphin, Egypt, both to be opened next year.

In addition, Dubai would have two more units - a 46-unit Marriott Executive Apartments Dubai Lifestyle City and a 126-unit Dubai Health Care City Marriott Executive Apartments scheduled for opening in 2010. Marriott InternationalMarriott International has more than 3,000 lodging properties in the United States and 66 other countries. It operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names.

By K.V.S. Madhav Senior Business Reporter

© Bahrain Tribune 2008

 

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