Anantara in Dubai debut with Palm resort

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas has unveiled its first hotel in Dubai on the crescent of The Palm Jumeirah, slated to open in September 2013.

The Anantara Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort & Spa, owned by Dubai-based Seven Tides, was formerly signed by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts and was known as the Royal Amwaj Resort.

However, in October 2012, Seven Tides said it was in talks with a new potential operator for the heavily delayed Asian-style resort, which had originally been scheduled to open in 2010.

“Anantara was chosen after a lengthy selection process involving a number of international management companies. We found that Anantara’s brand DNA was a perfect match with our aspirations for this luxurious property, not just through its Asian design-led proposition, but beyond to encompass the complete guest experience,” Seven Tides CEO Abdulla Bin Sulayem said.

The resort comprises 293 guest rooms and suites clustered in units of four to eight, with 130 rooms featuring direct access to 11,000 square metres of lagoon pools, 12 beach villas, 18 over-water villas and three Royal Beach Villas.

Facilities include a private beach, three natural lagoons, water sports, a shoreline infinity pool, an Anantara Spa sanctuary with 12 treatment rooms, a fitness studio and two tennis courts. An entertainment area will be accompanied by meeting rooms, and a ballroom accommodating 300 people next to the private beach.

Six themed restaurants and bars include an all-day dining restaurant serving classic Middle Eastern and international cuisine, an Australian-inspired grill, an Asian-themed specialty restaurant, a beachfront Mediterranean restaurant, a lobby lounge with a dedicated shisha deck, and poolside refreshments.