Accor Middle East said on Monday it has signed a franchise management contract to develop the first Suite Novotel hotel in Riyadh.
The French hotel operator’s upper midscale brand will make its debut in the Gulf kingdom following the deal with Al Hokair Group for Tourism and Development.
It is the first franchise agreement between Accor and Al Hokair Group and their second project after the opening of Novotel Dammam Business Park in 2011.
The two companies said in a statement that they are looking at expanding their partnership, and will cooperate for additional Suite Novotel projects in the country.
Suite Novotel Riyadh Olaya is due to open at the beginning of 2013. It will offer 115 suites, several food outlets, banqueting facilities, three meeting rooms, and leisure and recreational facilities including a swimming pool and a fitness and wellness centre.
It will be located in the middle of the central business district of the city.
Christophe Landais, managing director Accor Middle East, said: “We are delighted to join forces again with our partner Al Hokair Group in this exciting venture.
“We share a common vision to grow tourism in the Kingdom and to create an off-beat, avant-garde spirit that invites guests to experience a new form of hotel living in Saudi Arabia through our Suite Novotel brand.”
Sami bin Abdul Mohsen Al Hokair, managing director and CEO of Al Hokair Group, added: “We are glad to continue our business relationship with Accor… we are confident that together we can make Suite Novotel the number one choice for modern guests seeking to experience something different.”
Suite Novotel’s property portfolio is expanding. At present the brand has 29 locations in seven countries including the UAE.
Accor Middle East’s current regional portfolio of 59 hotels representing 14,158 rooms includes 12 operational hotels in the kingdom.
Out of the 22 new hotels under development, seven will open in Saudi Arabia.
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