Muscat Grand Millennium Hotel is scheduled to open in 2014 and will be
Oman 's
first booze-free luxury hotel. This is M&C's second hotel in Oman . The first
was Millennium Resort Mussanah which opened in February 2011.
This comes at an opportune time with the recent call for Singapore
companies to look at business opportunities in the Sultanate of Oman. Oman with its
pristine sand dunes and abundant marine life is located in the southeastern
coast of the Arabian peninsular.
Mr Kwek Leng Beng, Chairman of M&C said, "There is great
potential in Oman .
With increasing interest in the region, Muscat
has seen strong growth in their tourism numbers. The Muscat Grand Millennium
Hotel will cater to this growing industry and further strengthened M&C's
foothold in the Middle East ."
At the press conference to announce the agreement, Mr. Ali Hamad
Lakhraim Alzaabi - President & CEO of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Middle
East & Africa said, "The Millennium Resort Mussanah has seen
increasing popularity owing to the standards of service and the widespread
amenities available to clients, within a short drive from the capital city. It
is our area of expertise to create premier hospitality segments and with the
signing of this agreement we are certain to create a similar atmosphere for
those looking for a five star experience in the heart of Muscat ."
M&C's signing to manage and operate its second hotel in Oman comes as Singapore companies are being
encouraged to look at business openings in the Sultanate of Oman.
Eng. Khamis Mubarak Al Kiyumi, Chairman of Shaza Muscat Company noted,
"Muscat continues to grow as an attractive tourist destination in the
region, and the way forward is to cater to this burgeoning market by offering a
full lifestyle and retail experience that meets not only regional, but also
global expectations."
Describing the significance of this agreement, Eng. Mohammed Abu-Baker
Al-Ghassani, Board Member of Shaza Muscat Company added, "This partnership
with Millennium & Copthorne Hotels will define a one-of-its-kind
hospitality destination in the heart of Muscat .
The sheer investment of OMR 28 Million in the project is testament to the
quality standards that it will reflect."
With a planned footprint of 56,162 sqm, the family and business hotel
will include 324 rooms and suites set in an Arabic and global design. The hotel
will also comprise a ballroom with capacity for up to 1,000 guests in addition
to a large pre-function room, VIP rooms and Majlis. In addition, it will have
eight dedicated board rooms and meeting rooms for corporate events and two full
sized swimming pools. Located 16
km from both the Muscat International
Airport and the Central
Business District, the hotel is connected to the Muscat Grand Mall by a sky
bridge.
On being a Sharia-compliant hotel where alcohol will not be served,
Abdul Rahman Awadh Barham, a board member of SMC, said, "This is not
downgrading the hotel by any means, rather it is upgrading it to a better
lifestyle."
Listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1996, M&C is a dynamic,
global hotel company, which owns, asset manages and/or operates a worldwide
portfolio of over 100 hotels with distinct global brands - Grand Millennium,
Millennium, Grand Copthorne, Copthorne, M Hotel, Studio M and Kingsgate -
throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & North Africa, and North
America. It is a subsidiary of City Developments Limited (CDL). Both M&C
and CDL are members of the Hong Leong Group Singapore.
To date, M&C has a total of 14 properties in the Middle
East region.