Five hotels set to open on Palm Jumeirah by 2011

Nakheel is committed to opening at least five hotels on the Palm Jumeirah by 2011, Emirates Business can reveal. Globally, many major hotel chains have suffered a delay in their projects, but none of the 30 hotels due to open on Palm Jumeirah have been cancelled.

Confirming the development of these projects, Nakheel's spokesperson told this newspaper: "Palm Jumeirah will become one of the world's premier resorts, offering more than 30 beachfront hotels, located on the island's trunk and crescent."

The spokesperson further added: "A number of hotels on Palm Jumeirah's crescent and trunk are currently under construction, including Fairmont Hotel & Residences, Royal Amwaj and Oceana's Movenpick Hotel. Ottoman Place on the crescent, is due to open in the coming months with a number of hotels expected to open throughout the course of 2010."

So far, Palm Jumeirah has seen the opening of just one hotel – Atlantis, The Palm, in September last year.

As per earlier reports, the three Palms from the Nakheel stable – Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira – were originally intended to house 210 hotels as when they are completed, with Palm Jumeirah comprising 30 hotels, and Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira another 180 hotels.

Some of the hotels, including Jumeirah, Trump International, Fairmont, IFA Hotels & Resorts, Moevenpick, Kempinski and ETA Star, have altered their timelines for Palm Jumeirah.

Trump International

Trump International was the first company to announce a delay on its project Trump International Hotel and Tower, saying the project is "on hold". Donald Trump Jr, Vice-President of Trump Organisation, said recently the construction on Trump tower could restart in "two to three years" when the real estate market in Dubai stabilises. The Palm Trump International Hotel and Tower, a joint venture between Trump Organisation and Nakheel, was originally scheduled to open in 2009, after the project was launched in 2005.

In December 2008, the company announced an indefinite delay of the project. The original proposal of the project was for a 62-storey, stainless steel and glass Tower with 300 rooms at an estimated cost of $600 million (Dh2.2 billion).

IFA Hotels & Resorts

IFA Hotels & Resorts' two projects on Palm Jumeirah – Kingdom of Sheba and the Fairmont Palm Jumeirah – are now scheduled for a 2011 opening, said Patrick Smith, Vice-President, Development, IFA Hotels & Resorts. While the first phase of Kingdom of Sheba was originally scheduled to open for business in 2010, and Fairmont was to open in 2009/2010, the former would now open sometime in 2011 and the latter in the first quarter of 2011.

"We are proceeding with all our projects in Dubai and elsewhere. The Fairmont Palm Jumeirah hotel is under construction as planned with the hotel opening during the first quarter of 2011, including the new products within the property.

"The Kingdom of Sheba is still going ahead and is under construction. However, there are two phases to the project. The first phase comprises the Balqis Residence – freehold residential part of the resort – and Fairmont Heritage Place. The second phase is the hotel and vacation club, which is currently undergoing design improvements," said Smith.

He said: "It's very exciting to see our properties becoming a reality. We're also finishing all our other residential projects on Palm Jumeirah and continue to hand over our Golden Mile, Palm Jumeirah residences. We will shortly start handing over our Fairmont Residences that flank the Fairmont Palm Jumeirah hotel."

Kempinski

Kempinski Hotel Emerald Palace's opening is now scheduled for 2010. "The Kempinski Hotel Emerald Palace Residences will open in March 2010 and the hotel will open in the fourth quarter of 2010. While the residences were supposed to open earlier in 2009, the hotel is scheduled for opening in 2010. Both projects have been delayed due to the downturn," said Doaa Amin, Kempinski's Regional Director of PR Area Middle East and Africa.

He said the residences and villas are in final development stages while the hotel is still under construction.

Moevenpick

Moevenpick's Oceana Hotel and Spa has also been delayed from its original opening in 2009, with the hotel now targeting to open in the second quarter of 2010, according to Guy Epsom, Business Development Director, Moevenpick Hotel Deira.

"Yes, Oceana Hotel and Spa has been delayed from its original opening in 2009 as have many other projects in Dubai. We have great confidence, though, that the revised project completion dates are achievable," he said.

Attributing the delay to the economic slump, Epsom said: "Well before the credit crisis, it was not uncommon for construction of hotels to overshoot their planned opening dates due to the speed of construction and delays in the delivery of materials. Oceana Hotel & Spa and other hotels are still recovering from these difficulties."

He said the project building is moving on well and that Moevenpick expects to open West 14th, the speciality steak house, before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the five-star Asian themed Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa, the second Moevenpick property – a 239-room resort situated on the crescent of Palm Jumeirah – is set to open in 2010, said Epsom.

The project was originally scheduled for completion by the end of the first quarter of 2009 but was delayed due to design changes.

Grandeur Residences

ETA Star Properties' Grandeur Residences, originally estimated to be complete sometime between late 2008 and early 2009, will now be ready to open during the first half of 2010.

"There is no significant delay in our project as of now," said Mohammed Ali, General Manager, ETA Star Properties.

Jumeirah

The Jumeirah Al Fattan project is due for opening in end 2010 or early 2011, according to the company spokesperson.

Keep up with the latest business news from the region with the Emirates Business 24|7 daily newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, please click here.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.