Abu Dhabi, May 6, 2007 (WAM) -- Emirates Palace showed why it isone of the region's leading luxury properties when it won three platinumawards, the most by any hotel in its category, at the recently concludedMENA Travel Awards, one the prestigious regional awards that recogniseexcellence in hospitality industry.

Abu Dhabi's premiere luxury hotel won platinum citations in the followingcategories: Best Conference/Convention Center, Best 5-Star Leisure Hotel,Best 5-Star Business/Corporate Hotel.

Noel Massoud, general manager, received the awards on behalf of EmiratesPalace and thanked the organisers and jury panel for their vote of confidencein the iconic property. He said: "Once again, we have proven that we arethe market leader in the region in providing superior and distinctivelyArabian hospitality services that are delivered at world-class standards.

These awards inspire us to do better next year, not only for the sakeof receiving prestigious honours such as these, but also to provide themost memorable leisure and hospitality experiences to our guests, so thatthey will keep coming back to Emirates Palace and in the process boostregional tourism in general."The MENA Travel Awards 2007 recognises top hospitality properties in theMiddle East & North Africa's growing travel industry. Last year, EmiratesPalace was voted the Best New Hotel, winning the prestigious award alongwith the Best in Convention and Conference Facilities, and Best TourismProject awards.

Built in the style of a majestic Arabian Castle rising from the desertsands, Emirates Palace is situated on a 1.3 km stretch of private beachand surrounded by hectares of manicured lawns. Emirates Palace is operatedby Kempinski as part of their prestigious portfolio, which comprises distinctivelyindividual properties in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Americaand Asia.

Emirates Palace comprises 394 luxury rooms and suites and a variety offine dining options. The resort's leisure facilities include two intricatelylandscaped swimming pools and two state of the art fitness centres. EmiratesPalace houses the most luxurious and technologically advanced meetingfacilities in the region which include an auditorium with 1,100 seats,a main ballroom that can accommodate up to 2500 guests, over 40 meetingrooms, a Media Centre and a Business Centre.

The Emirates Palace, since its inception, has quickly established an enviablereputation in the industry, capping its inaugural year with three prestigiousawards -- Best New Hotel of the Year, Best Tourism Project, and Best inConvention / Conference Hotel - at the MENA Travel Awards 2006, consideredthe most prestigious and highly coveted industry recognition programmein the region.