15 May 2016
Signature marks entry of lifestyle economy brand into Bahrain

AccorHotels, the world's leading hotel operator, has signed a management agreement with Action Hotels to develop an ibis Styles in the Diplomatic Area of Manama, Bahrain. The new lifestyle economy hotel, located in the Bahraini capital's central business district, marks the eighth collaboration between AccorHotels and Action Hotels in the Middle East. Globally, Action Hotels has eleven properties under management with AccorHotels, including three in Australia.

Olivier Granet, Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels Middle East, said: "It is a pleasure to be collaborating with our strategic partner Action Hotels for our first ibis Styles in Bahrain. We are confident that the modern design and ideal location of ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area will attract and serve the city's emerging corporate and leisure clientele. The new hotel also represents AccorHotels' fifth property in the Kingdom, bringing the number of rooms that we operate in the country close to 1,000."

Alain Debare, Chief Executive Officer at Action Hotels, said: "We are very pleased to announce the development of our eleventh property with AccorHotels. The ibis Styles in Bahrain will be a great addition to our portfolio and will benefit from synergies and economies of scale with the ibis Seef which opened in 2015. We look forward to opening this new hotel by Q4 2016 and growing the portfolio towards our objective of 5,000 rooms by 2020."

Situated in the heart of Manama's main government, diplomatic and financial district, the ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area will be able to accommodate visitors wishing to stay in proximity to embassies, ministries, banks and other corporate institutions. 

The ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area will essentially constitute a unique offering in Bahrain's underdeveloped economy segment, providing visitors with a modern, lifestyle hotel experience at an affordable price. 

Each ibis Styles hotel carries its own individual design while adhering to the standards of the ibis brand, which is known for its simple yet welcoming nature, guaranteeing the highest level of comfort in its economy category. The ibis Styles brand is also distinctive for its all-inclusive package, which includes the room, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and Internet connection as part of the rate. 

"There continues to be a shortage of affordable accommodation in Manama. The majority of existing economy hotels are independently operated and not up to par with international standards. We are keen to utilize AccorHotels' worldwide leadership in the economy and midscale segments to help fill that void in the Bahraini market, and meet the expectations of the growing number of visitors looking for the ideal stay on a budget," Granet added.

AccorHotels has four existing properties in Bahrain, forming a wide-ranging network with a luxury Sofitel, midscale Novotel and Mercure, and an economy ibis. The Group currently operates 75 hotels in the Middle East, encompassing close to 20,000 rooms across the luxury and economy segments. Another 55 hotels are under development in the region, bringing more than 14,000 additional rooms to the Middle East.

ABOUT IBIS STYLES 
ibis Styles, AccorHotels' economy brand, offers design experiences in a myriad of styles at an all-inclusive rate. Creativity and good humor are the hallmarks of these comfortable, designer hotels which each have their own individual charm.  Located in city centers or close to activity centers, each establishment offers an upbeat, stylish, happy mood atmosphere. The brand's distinctive all-inclusive package includes the room, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and broadband Internet connection, plus a host of little extras. At the end of December 2015, the network comprised 310 hotels in 30 countries. AccorHotels, the world's leading hotel operator, has nearly 3,900 hotels and over 190,000 employees in 92 countries.

ABOUT ACTION HOTELS
Action Hotels is a leading owner, developer and asset manager of branded three and four star hotels in the Middle East and Australia. Established in 2005, Action Hotels currently operates ten hotels with 1,928 rooms in aggregate across the Middle East and Australia, with further properties in development in both regions.

ABOUT ACCORHOTELS MIDDLE EAST
AccorHotels Middle East is one of the fastest growing hospitality groups in the Middle East. Currently, the Group's regional portfolio includes 75 operational hotels representing close to 20,000 rooms in ten countries. Among the existing global brands ranging from Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure and ibis, new brands such as Adagio and ibis Styles are emerging as strong players in the region. With over 25 years of regional experience, AccorHotels Middle East was the first to establish a training academy. Dubbed as Tamheed - AccorHotels Académie Middle East, the training facility is dedicated to educating and preparing associates at all levels and ensuring optimal career development.

ABOUT ACCORHOTELS
AccorHotels is a Group united by a shared passion for hospitality and driven by a shared promise to make everyone Feel Welcome. Over 190,000 women and men in 3,900 AccorHotels establishments look after thousands of guests every day in 92 countries.

AccorHotels is the world's leading hotel operator and offers its customers, partners and employees:

-       Its dual expertise as a hotel operator and franchisor (HotelServices) and a hotel owner and investor (HotelInvest);

-       A large portfolio of internationally renowned brands covering the full spectrum, with luxury (Sofitel, Pullman,

MGallery by Sofitel, Grand Mercure, The Sebel), midscale (Novotel, Mercure, Mama Shelter, Adagio) economy (ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget, adagio access and hotelF1) establishments; - A powerful marketplace and loyalty program: Le Club AccorHotels 

-       Almost half a century of commitment to corporate citizenship and solidarity with the PLANET 21 program. Accor SA shares are listed on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and traded in the USA on the OTC marketplace (Code: ACRFY)

Press contact:
Grace Chaoui
Finsbury +971 55 632 9593
grace.chaoui@finsbury.com 

© Press Release 2016