AccorHotels signed nine hotels in the first quarter 2018 to drive its expansion across the Middle East, according to Construction Week Online. The new signings allowed the group’s portfolio to reach more than 300 hotels with 80,000 guestrooms across 30 countries in the MENA region.
Through this new set of deals, Accor will bring the SO/ brand to Dubai with the SO/ Uptown Dubai, expand its MGallery brand in the UAE with the MGallery Old Town and currently owns South Africa's Mantis Group.
The new signings follow up Accor's 30 new hotel signings with seven acquisition deals last year. More than 8,700 guestrooms joined the hotel group's portfolio.
In 2017, Accor also rebranded and renovated regional hotels, including the Le Grand Amman, which will be rebranded as the Sofitel Amman, and the Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights Hotel Suites & Apartments, the largest Mercure hotel in the world.
Accor also introduced several of its brands into new markets. These include the first Swissôtel properties in the UAE at the Al Ghurair Center Complex in Deira, the Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech—the first Fairmont in Morocco—and the ibis Styles Nairobi—the first ibis Styles in Kenya.
The group partnered with Khamas Group of Investment last year to sign a new Mama Shelter hotel in Dubai’s downtown Business Bay. The Mama Shelter Dubai tower designed by Franklin Azzi Architecture will have 201 guestrooms and 80 residences designed by interior designer Thierry Gaugain.
Within Accor’s pipeline in the Middle East, construction on the 25hours One Central hotel in Dubai—began in February 2018. The 434-room hotel in Dubai World Trade Centre’s One Central mixed-use development will be the first 25hours property to operate in the Middle East and the first outside of Europe. The hotel opening in 2020 is set to be the largest 25hours property in the world.