Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Ardee Developments have announced a strategic partnership to develop a luxury hotel and branded residences on Al Marjan Island, marking the hospitality group’s entry into Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), one of the UAE’s fastest-growing emirates.
The development, scheduled to open by late 2028, will feature Fairmont Al Marjan Island hotel with 250 rooms and Fairmont Residences Al Marjan Island offering 519 luxury residences, the companies said in a statement on Tuesday.
The partnership was formalised during a signing ceremony between Romeo Abdo, Founder of Ardee Developments, and Omer Acar, CEO of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.
“With its natural beauty, ambitious vision for tourism, and growing appeal among global travellers and investors, the emirate is perfectly aligned with Fairmont’s brand values and future-forward growth strategy,” said Acar at the signing event.
The development comes amidst a property boom in RAK, where real estate transactions reached AED15.08 billion in 2024, marking a 118 per cent increase from 2023. Off-plan property prices have risen by 15-20 per cent during the same period, driven by high demand and limited supply.
The project joins a growing list of branded residence developments in RAK, including recently announced projects from Four Seasons, Waldorf Astoria, JW Marriott, and Taj. Branded residences will constitute 40 per cent of RAK’s residential units by 2029.
“Ardee Al Marjan Island is more than just a development – it’s a thoughtfully curated coastal lifestyle destination,” said Abdo, adding that the project aims to set “a new standard for living and leisure in Ras Al Khaimah.”
The development is part of Fairmont’s regional expansion strategy, with the brand currently operating 13 properties across the Middle East and more than 30 hotels under development.
This latest announcement follows other significant hospitality developments in RAK, including Minor Hotels’ planned 156-key NH Collection hotel and Wynn Resorts’ $3.8 billion integrated resort, which received the UAE’s first commercial gaming licence and is expected to open in 2027.
Fairmont, established in 1907, is part of Accor’s luxury portfolio and manages over 92 hotels globally, including iconic properties such as The Plaza in New York, The Savoy in London, and Fairmont The Palm in Dubai.
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