MUSCAT -- ibis Muscat Hotel, Accor Group's first hotel in Oman, hosted a site tour for local journalists and media representatives at the hotel's premises in Al Khuwair yesterday. The journalists toured some of the 171 well-designed bedrooms, which have large, cozy beds and duvets, free high speed WIFI access and LCD flat screen TVs. Well thought out facilities for individuals with special needs and non-smoking rooms are part of the ibis Muscat's commitment to service. In addition to this, the hotel also features four fully functional meeting rooms for business functions.
"We are delighted to host Oman's media correspondents for them to get a feel of the ibis brand and what we offer and to experience firsthand the level of service at ibis hotels. We are proud to be one of the few internationally branded economy lodging hotels in the Sultanate offering the best value for money and this distinction sets ibis apart from the rest," said Ricardo Rofail, General Manager of ibis Muscat.
The GM has well over 22 years of international experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to coming to Oman, in May 2009, he served at the three ibis hotels located near Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports, in the UK, for a stint of 16 years and for several years in France and Spain.
He told the Observer, in his previous postings he was able to experience a variety of different managerial tasks and projects and that now he is taking over the management of the ibis Muscat, they hope to deliver good value for money, high quality service. He added, since his arrival here he has found Muscat to be a lovely city with very hospitable people. He said, as an international chain of hotels under the Accor umbrella, they will be maintaining the international levels of standards that is expected of them by their guests.
Commenting on the hotel, he noted, even though it is in its early stages they have managed to obtain a good response, showing that there is a clear demand for it. He pointed out, as a budget hotel aimed at the business market segment, their prices are lower, but without compromise on service.
After the hotel tour, the journalists enjoyed a sumptuous Italian lunch served in the Open Pasta and Grill Restaurant, one of ibis Muscat's dining options. The guests at the hotel can also select to enjoy the 24-hour snack menu at Terrazzo. The hotel's easily accessible location, at the centre of the Al Khuwair district of Muscat and close to the Sultan Al Qaboos Highway, makes it convenient for guests to travel to the main business hubs, ministries and embassies of the Sultanate.
ibis Muscat was launched in October 2009 and is at the forefront of Accor's expansion in the region, with three new ibis hotels in Dubai, Manama and Kuwait committed to open in 2010, bringing the ibis regional network to a total of 10 hotels in the Middle East. Further information is available on website: www.ibishotel.com The organisers of the event were ActionBahrain, represented by their Account Manager, Rohan Shanker.
By Ali Ahmed al Riyami
© Oman Daily Observer 2010
