Growing Accor Hospitality economy hotels network in the Middle East

Dubai, UAE, 7th June 2009 - ibis Mall of the Emirates has opened which adds 204 modern rooms to Dubai's economy hotel market.

Strategically situated in close proximity to the ultimate leisure, entertainment and shopping mall in Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, the new ibis provides guests easy access to attractions such as the biggest indoor ski dome in the world. For business travellers, the hotel is also accessible to Sheikh Zayed Road and near the business hubs of Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City.

The hotel will serve both business and leisure travellers; offering year-round value pricing as well as the superior facilities and services expected by visitors to Dubai.

With initial room rates starting from Dh299, the hotel expects to cover all economy markets with appeal to business travellers saving on costs as well as families travelling to Dubai for shopping or a city break.

ibis MoE has 153 double rooms, 49 twin-bed rooms and 2 special needs rooms. Many of the rooms are interconnected and suitable for families, while all will feature IDD telephones, satellite flat screen TV, high speed Internet and WiFi connections, as well as 24-hour laundry service.

Other facilities include WiFi in lobby and public areas, underground car park, free safety deposit boxes at reception, complimentary scheduled airport shuttle service, plus a variety of dining options including the "Amici" all-day dining Italian restaurant; the 24-hour Snack Service and the "Ezaz" bar.

ibis is committed to the '15 minutes satisfaction contract' which is the illustration of ibis' concrete commitment to quality. If a customer reports a problem which is the hotel's responsibility, the teams are committed to finding a solution within 15 minutes maximum, 24 hours a day, every day of the week. If no solution is found, the client is invited.

Now that ibis Mall of the Emirates has opened, it will expand ibis' network to five operational hotels in the region.

Christophe Landais, Managing Director, Accor Hospitality Middle East comments: "ibis Mall of the Emirates hotel is a major component of our well planned expansion in the Middle East. This 5th hotel is one of the planned network of 10 ibis hotels for the short term in the Middle East: five ibis hotels with 1,434 rooms are currently in operation (four in UAE, one in Kuwait) and 5 ibis hotels with 1,069 rooms are under development in UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Oman to be opened by 2011.

ibis is our leading and resilient worldwide economy brand. We plan to maintain our number one position in this segment in the region, acquired since the opening of ibis Dubai World Trade Centre in 2003. Simplicity, standardization and a full food and beverage (F&B) offering are the marks of success of ibis. These qualities strongly contribute to guest satisfaction and translate to higher profitability," he added.

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ibis, the worldwide economy hotels brand of the Accor group, offers consistent quality accommodation and services in all its hotels, for the best local value: a well-designed and fully-equipped en-suite bedroom, major hotel services available 24/7 and a wide choice of on-site food and beverage options. The quality of the ibis standard has been recognised by the International Organization for Standardization certification ISO 9001 since 1997. ibis is also the world's first hotel chain to demonstrate its environmental commitment through securing the ISO 14001 certification, which has already been awarded to nearly one third of its hotels.

Established in 1974, ibis is the European leader and one of the first economy hotel chains in the world, with more than 94,000 rooms and 810 hotels in 40 countries, including 4 in United Arab Emirates and 1 in Kuwait .

For additional information, please visit www.ibishotel.com

Accor Hospitality ME is one of the fastest growing hospitality groups in the region.

Currently, the company's portfolio includes a total of 27 operational hotels in seven countries in the Middle East. Among the existing global brands ranging from Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis, new brands such as Pullman and Suitehotel are emerging as strong players in the region.

With over 25 years regional experience, Accor Hospitality ME is the first to establish a training academy, Tamheed - Accor Academie Middle East, which is dedicated to train all staff levels ensuring career development.

Accor, a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000 employees. It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in two core businesses:

Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such as Lenôtre;

Services, with 30 million people in 40 countries benefiting from Accor Services products in employee and public benefits, rewards and loyalty, and expense management.

© Press Release 2009