Abu Dhabi’s first boutique hotel sees 90% occupancy levels during the past month as Al Raha Beach Hotel’s private villas fill with weekend visitors from Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
In addition to 110 spacious rooms and suites, the Al Raha Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi is offering waterfront villas, aimed at meeting the demand for exclusive accommodation for families and small groups.
According to director of sales and marketing, Christian Dangel, guests enjoy the added privacy of the two-, three- or four-bedroom villas overlooking the Arabian Sea.
Dangel said: “Five of our villas are already occupied on a yearly basis and the remaining 19 are available for weekday or weekend getaways. Most guests stay one or two nights and with the privacy of their own pool and beach area, the villas are proving to be very popular with families.”
Each bedroom has its own bathroom and there is a living and dining room, kitchen, maid’s room, private terrace, garden and garage. The resort’s 24 villas offer options to cater for parties of up to four or more.
Dangel said: “Many of the resort’s amenities have been geared to suit the needs of those travelling with family or friends. For instance, our Sevilla restaurant serves breakfast until noon, a facility that is appreciated by those who are looking to make the most of a relaxing break.
Al Raha Beach has some of the biggest hotel rooms in the UAE, at a minimum of 55 sq metres, and all come complete with the international standard of a five star boutique resort.
He pointed out that Al Raha Beach Hotel also has a ballroom that can hold up to 500 guests and is equipped to cater for weddings and other special events, and he envisaged a demand for this type of private villa accommodation for bridal parties or honeymooners.
Operated by Danat Hotels & Resorts, the umbrella brand for the hotel division of National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels (NCT&H), the resort has a wealth of facilities including health club and spa, indoor and outdoor pools, gym, squash courts, water sports, kids playground, plus its own marina and shopping arcade (opening in July 2005).
Danat Hotels & Resorts, a division of the Abu Dhabi-based National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels (NCT&H) manages two new five-star resorts, the Danat Resort Jebel Dhanna and the Al Raha Beach Hotel, as well as a cluster of four-star properties in the emirate. The hotels are either owned and/or managed by the group, or where the group is the owner-representative.
The National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels (NCT&H) was formed in 1996 in response to the need to develop both tourism and commerce in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), especially Abu Dhabi.
The Corporation was formed as a semi-government organisation. NCT&H’s primary objective is to promote Abu Dhabi as an international destination, manage hotels and provide transportation and industrial catering services.
