Bangkok, 02 April 2009:  Nakheel, Dubai's master developer, has joined Thailand's Amburaya Hotels & Resorts to transform Thailand's idyllic Koh Samui Island with the launch of a stunning integrated resort development comprising 17 luxurious private residences and a 75-key all-villa hotel.

The joint-venture project is positioned on an exclusive 27-acre headland site with 900 metres of private beachfront, approximately 15-minutes drive from Samui International Airport.

The W Koh Samui Retreat & Residences will be the among the first W-branded residential projects in Asia when the 17 residential villas are completed in 2010 and will boast some of the most prestigious real estate in Thailand right on the shores of the Gulf of Siam.

Joe Sita, CEO of Nakheel Hotels said:

"The W Koh Samui Retreat & Residences will surely be a star property in our global development portfolio. In selecting hotel assets to invest in we look for assets with high real estate value in exceptional locations.  The project, located on the north-shore site in Maenam, is one of the most spectacular headland sites in Thailand and will be a significant boost to the ongoing development of Koh Samui into one of the world's most exclusive tropical resort locations."

Sunny Bajaj, Managing Director Amburaya Hotels & Resorts said:

"In an upmarket resort destination such as Koh Samui, quality is a big driving factor in smaller boutique developments where thoughtful, indulgent facilities and services take the place of overcrowded beaches and tourist traps."

"W Koh Samui Residences is moving away from the mass market and catering to an elite group of luxury real estate owners who want to be wowed by the finer things in life - particularly those inspired by W's unique mix of innovative design, comfort, fashion and art."

The W Koh Samui Residences, will comprise of three-, four- and five-bedroom villas with owners able to take advantage of all hotel facilities and services at the adjacent 75-villa Retreat, also managed by the W hotel group, and associated spa. The Retreat is due for completion and opening in 2010.

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About Nakheel
Nakheel is one of the world's largest privately held real estate developers, and a key player in realising the vision of Dubai for the 21st century: creating a world class destination for living, business and tourism.

Nakheel is developing an iconic portfolio of innovative landmark projects in Dubai, and now in key markets around the globe, across a range of sectors - residential, commercial, hotels, retail, and leisure. Nakheel's projects are conservatively estimated to be worth US$80 billion. Upon completion Nakheel's waterfront projects will have added more than 1,000km of shoreline to Dubai's coastline.

Nakheel's Dubai portfolio currently includes Nakheel Harbour & Tower, Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Deira, The World, Waterfront, The Universe, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Village, Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Heights, The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Ibn Battuta Mall, Al Furjan, International City, and Dragon Mart.

Nakheel is a key entity within Dubai World. Dubai World is one of the world's largest holding companies and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Dubai government across five continents and more than 100 countries.

About Nakheel Hotels
Within two years Nakheel Hotels has accumulated an impressive global hotel property portfolio valued at over USD$4 billion which includes; the W Hotel Union Square and the Mandarin Oriental hotels in New York City; W Hotel Washington in Washington DC; the One & Only Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico; the Fontainebleau, Miami Beach; Corinthia Metropole, London; and significant equity stakes in Kerzner International Holdings Limited, operator of the Atlantis and One&Only brands; and International Hotel Investments plc, the owner and operator of the five-star Corinthia Hotel brand including hotels in Malta, St Petersburg, Lisbon, Tripoli, Budapest and Prague; and the franchise for easyHotels in the Middle East, Levant, North Africa.

Additional investments of Nakheel Hotels include the development of W Bangkok and W Retreat and Residences Koh Samui, Thailand; investment in a fund that will be rolling out 30 Tune Hotels in South East Asia; a 33% stake in the London Metropole Building which will be converted to a Corinthia Hotel in partnership with IGI; QE2 Enterprises including the QE2; and a 9.4% stake in Singapore listed CDL Hospitality Trusts which owns six hotels in Singapore and New Zealand operated under the Copthorne and Millennium brands.

Further information can be found at www.nakheelmediacentre.com

For more information please contact:
Four Communications
Margaret Flanagan or Mustafa Al Sheikhly at Four Communications
Nakheel@fourcommunications.com or tel: +971 55 985 3378/70 

Nakheel
Lashley Pulsipher,
Senior PR & Communications Executive
+971 4 375 3797 / +971 (0)50 658 2052
lashley.pulsipher@nakheel.com

© Press Release 2009