
Royal M Hotel & Resort by Gewan Al Aqah Beach Resort wins ‘Best Beach Resort'
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Royal M Hotel & Resort by Gewan Al Aqah Beach Resort bagged the title of 'Best Beach Resort' at the seventh edition of the Arabian Travel Awards 2024. 'Winning the Arabian Travel Award is an incredible honour and a proud moment for everyone at Gewan Hotels & Resorts. It is a testament to our team's hard work, passion, and commitment to creating unforgettable experiences for our guests. This recognition fuels our confidence and inspires us to aim even higher, constantly innovating to delight those who choose us.'-Ahmed Hassib, CEO, Gewan Hotels & Resorts
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Zawya
3 days ago
- Zawya
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Prior to this role, Ansen worked at several Hilton properties, most recently serving as HR Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences, where he oversaw over 200 team members, introduced a performance management system that boosted engagement and productivity, and modernised onboarding processes. In addition to this, Ansen is a certified Hilton and DoubleTree Brand Trainer and a recent recipient of the 2024 HRME Award for HR Department of the Year. Combining his proven track record with his deep understanding of the brand, Ansen is set to shape a workplace culture that empowers its team and reflects the brand's evolving vision. Also familiar with the brand, Mohamed Hegab will ensure the property's infrastructure continues to meet world-class standards as the new Director of Engineering. Always leading by example and maintaining open communication with his team members, Mohamed has spent the past 13 years in hospitality engineering and facility management across the UAE, Oman, and Egypt. Most recently, Mohamed's role as Chief Engineer at Hilton Garden Inn Dubai saw him recognised as Hilton EMEA's Engineering Leader of the Year 2023, while overseeing a range of high-impact projects, including integrating smart room controls, and leading major refurbishments. Now, Mohamed's forward-thinking approach and natural leadership skills will help shape the next chapter of DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island, enhancing operational efficiency, elevating sustainability efforts, and ensuring a seamless experience for every guest. Stepping into the role of Quality Manager, the property welcomes seasoned hotelier Erica Quintero. 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About Hilton Honors Hilton Honors is the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton's world-class brands comprising more than 8,600 properties in 139 countries and territories. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount and free standard Wi-Fi. Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app, where members can check in, choose and access their room using Digital Key. Hilton Honors offers more than 218 million members hundreds of ways to earn and redeem Points, including with select co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem Points for free nights, purchases on Amazon, exclusive experiences, charitable contributions and more. 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Arabian Business
5 days ago
- Arabian Business
EXCLUSIVE: Inside Wynn Resorts' Las Vegas-style UAE expansion
The much-anticipated Wynn Al Marjan resort is well on its way to becoming the UAE's first integrated gaming resort, extending the experience to the Middle East and beyond. With construction currently 60 per cent complete, the resort is scheduled to open its doors to the public in early 2027. Arabian Business was among the first publications granted access to insights into Wynn's operations in Las Vegas, to understand how this vast enterprise will be translated 8,000 miles away in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. Walking into the Wynn Las Vegas, the opulence and sheer scale is unmistakable – in fact, it is record-breaking, with the hotel being one of the biggest globally. The 50,000 sq. ft. property – encompassing both the Wynn and Encore resort, although different, seamlessly operates as one with a total of 4,500 rooms. The floral (Wynn) or butterfly (Encore) detailed floors hear the steps of thousands of people during the course of the day, from hotel guests to casino players to restaurant visitors and the general public – the grounds are always busy. With a resort of this scale housing thousands of rooms, several restaurants, bars, clubs, a golf course, casinos, swimming pools, luxury stores and more – operations needs to run with the precision of a well-oiled machine – undoubtedly, this takes a big and well-trained team across several departments. A similar operation is expected to translate to Ras Al Khaimah to run the first-of-its-kind concept in the Middle East, also mirroring a scale that is uncommon in the region. Wynn Al Marjan will house 1,500 rooms and the property will span over 60 hectares. 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Certain suites will be designed in a way where a husband and wife can enjoy their stay without the woman ever being seen, even during room service delivery – a detail crafted to offer ultimate discretion. As seen in the first looks revealed by Wynn last month, the resort's King rooms are designed with distinctive entry vestibules which separate the sleeping quarters from the corridor – a contrast as compared to contemporary resort layouts. The interiors are heavily inspired by regional elements including the artistic and cultural heritage featuring arched forms, layered textures and reflective surfaces. Wynn Al Marjan will also debut a completely separate spa experience for men and women, with no interaction between the spaces, while still offering the same holistic wellness philosophy. The design ethos continues outdoors, with 12 pools including adult-only, family, and children's zones — but no gaming areas by the water, unlike in Las Vegas. 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The resort also houses 10,000 flowers refreshed every four weeks, and 800 orchids, all contributing to its immersive floral identity. Each resort features a signature scent, in similar fashion the Al Marjan signature scent will be created. While Wynn is globally known for motifs like flowers (Wynn) and butterflies (Encore), Al Marjan is set to have a dedicated motif reflecting culture and heritage that will be featured in various elements across the resort. The resort will feature several pieces of art, similar to its Las Vegas counterpart – carefully sourced by Lenahan and the team from around the world. During its opening, Wynn Al Marjan could potentially feature artwork loaned from other global Wynn locations. 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Zawya
6 days ago
- Zawya
Baheej introduces a boutique wellness resort inspired by Saudi traditions to Yanbu's coastline
YANBU, Saudi Arabia — Baheej, Saudi Arabia's emerging destination developer and a joint venture between ASFAR, the Saudi Tourism Investment Company and a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company with the Tamimi-AWN Alliance, is proud to announce the fourth component of its transformative Yanbu Waterfront Project: a 34-room boutique Wellness resort that brings together ancestral wellness wisdom and contemporary design inspired by the region's seafaring heritage. Nestled on the tranquil shores of Yanbu, this intimate sanctuary will feature private sea-view cabanas, immersive wellness programming, and a signature spa designed as an architectural homage to the pearl, once a precious treasure of Yanbu and a symbol of renewal and serenity. Norah Al Tamimi, CEO of Baheej, added: 'This project is a reflection of Baheej's vision to enrich Saudi destinations with meaning, not just infrastructure. Our wellness resort is more than a place to stay — it's an experience crafted around the values of balance, beauty, and belonging. We believe it will become a new symbol of Yanbu's evolving identity as a serene coastal escape.' Envisioned as a journey and offering guests opportunities to reconnect with self and place, Baheej is developing the resort with curated experiences that include meditation at sunrise, movement rituals inspired by coastal rhythms, and wellness treatments rooted in Arabic healing traditions and native ingredients. "The design, developed by Spectrum Architecture, draws deeply from the soul of Yanbu," said Stefano Lopez, Senior Director at Baheej. 'It reinterprets the poetry of seafaring traditions and the calm resilience of the sea into a space of reflection, comfort, and transformation.' Lopez also noted that the official brand of the resort will be revealed later this year, hinting at its distinctive Saudi character: 'We want to create a brand that resonates with our domestic travelers. One that brings generations of Saudi heritage and wellness practices to the forefront of contemporary hospitality.' This launch marks a further step in Baheej's mission to transform Yanbu into the gateway to the Red Sea Riviera; a new destination narrative that fuses nature, culture, and community. The wellness resort joins a growing collection of destination-defining assets developed by Baheej in Yanbu, including Cloud 7 Lifestyle hotel by Kerten Hospitality, Kaynuna Beach Escape and the upcoming Jaba Tour Center and Diving Club.