November 18, 2014
Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is meeting the demand for luxury resorts in the Middle East with a new property opening in Dubai.
Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach aims for an intimate, water-front feel in a city known for its embrace of architectural modernity. To keep traffic steady while building awareness, the property is highlighting its key attractions to social followers.
"The Middle East is an important market of expansion for Four Seasons, and Dubai is the key hub within the region," Simon Casson, regional vice president and general manager of Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Dubai.
"Four Seasons is always looking for ways to grow with and adapt to the changing needs of the luxury traveller and be in the cities where our guests want to travel," he said. "The property’s proximity to the beach and Dubai International Financial Centre appeals to both leisure and business travelers alike.
"We took special care to find the right location and partners, and are thrilled to now welcome guests to our exciting property."
New pull
The new resort has 237 rooms and suites, 10 dining and lounge options and a signature 7,600-square-foot spa.
Four Seasons Dubai view
The property's dining options will source ingredients primarily from the local area to adhere to the brand-wide push for more sustainable choices.
Each room and suite includes terraces that offer views of the Dubai skyline and the open sea.
Other amenities include three swimming pools, two of which are outdoors with nearby cabanas, a 8,050-square-foot fitness center, an events space and beachfront activities.
Presidential Suite at the property
Guests who booked before Sept. 30 were able to take advantage of special introductory offers between Dec. 1 and Feb. 28 (see story).
For the time being, the property is offering a number of basic offers to drive early-stage guests. These packages include an introductory room rate, bed and breakfast specials and a summer savings offer.
Four Seasons Dubai's Pearl Spa
Rather than crafting experiential packages, the brand is emphasizing the inherent attractions of the property including the many amenities and the culturally resonant location.
Meeting demand
Other hotels have recently broke ground in the Middle East.
For instance, Trump Hotel Collection announced its plans to open a 33-floor hotel in Baku, Azerbaijan, by June 2015.
The Trump International Hotel & Tower Baku will host 189 hotel rooms and 72 residences in the Nasimi District of the city. The sailboat shaped hotel will likely draw Trump Hotel Collection loyalists to this Middle Eastern city (see story).
Luxury hotel brands are also looking to expand outside the Middle East.
Starwood Hotels and Resorts is responding to growing brand affinity in China with additional properties catering to the country’s many affluent consumers. Four properties in its luxury sector will open by the end of 2014, in addition to 16 other properties in its larger portfolio (see story).
For Four Seasons, the new Dubai property will act as a magnet for the brand in the area.
"A grand opening can drive a fair amount of activity for a new property and span well beyond the day the doors open," said Taylor Rains, managing partner of Flugel Consulting, Charleston, SC. "Supplementing that grand opening communication with a few carefully-selected packages for customers to select from is a great way to prolong that attention and activity.
"Launching a new property with too many offers, however, can lead to some brand confusion for the customer," he said.
"As the property is new the customer is still trying to understand what makes it unique and worthwhile. If there are too many and varied offers at the start, it makes it difficult for the customer to gather the true nature of the property."
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, staff writer on Luxury Daily, New York
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