What's New in Dubai?

May is set to be an exciting month for Dubai, with new hotel and restaurant openings and announcements, such as the first cinema-themed hotel in the UAE region. Always at the forefront of adrenaline-filled experiences, Dubai has just seen a kiteboarder completing a world-first stunt, leaping off the helipad of the Burj Al Arab.

HOTELS

DUBAI TO OPEN FIRST CINEMA-THEMED HOTEL IN 2018

UAE-based shopping mall operator Majid Al Futtaim has announced plans to launch the region's first cinema-themed concept at Aloft Dubai City Centre Deira. The concept, developed with Marriott International, will feature cinematic themed rooms in addition to an Outdoor VOX Cinema. Second phase of project development is due to begin in June leading up to expected opening in the first quarter of 2018. The Aloft Dubai City Centre Deira will feature a cinematic themed floor of 25 standard rooms and four suite rooms. In a first for the region, rooms at the Aloft Dubai City Centre Deira will feature a large collection of movies, TV screens, projectors and enhanced sound systems, so guests can indulge in a world-class cinema experience. In addition, the hotel will feature four themed suites inspired by blockbuster movie themes from comic superheroes to super spies and Bollywood. The hotel will also house an all-season outdoor cinema and multifunctional event space to meet the growing demand for experiential travel and leisure. The hotel will feature a total of 304 rooms, including 29 suites.

DUBAI'S MOST HOTLY ANTICIPATED NEW HOTEL, DUKES, HAS OFFICIALLY OPENED

Sunday 2nd April marked the official opening of DUKES DUBAI, a quintessentially British, five-star offering located on the west trunk of Palm Jumeirah. The property combines luxury with British values and exceptional levels of service, synonymous with the hotel's sister property DUKES LONDON. This also marks the first international property for DUKES under the DUKES COLLECTION umbrella. DUKES DUBAI consists of 279 guestrooms including 64 suites, with a ladies-only Liberty Duchess floor featuring 20 rooms furnished exclusively by Liberty Fabrics, as well as 227 fully furnished hotel apartments and six distinctive dining experiences. The idyllic setting of the hotel allows guests to take advantage of an entire resort, encompassing a golden sandy beach with stunning views over the Dubai Marina skyline; as well as a temperature-controlled infinity pool and lazy river; kids' facilities for the youngsters and a poolside bar for the adults.

For more information, visit www.dukesdubai.com or https://seventides.com

SHANGRI-LA DUBAI'S EXCLUSIVE OFFERINGS

The renovation of 302 rooms and suites will be fully completed in 2018 and will place Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai firmly as one of the most desirable destination hotels in Dubai for both international business travellers and tourists as well as discerning locals alike. Already all the communal areas have been completed plus two full floors of rooms. The guest rooms are being designed with style and comfort front of mind. A touch of classic glamour is conveyed through the warmth of Asian-influenced, wooden fixtures and fittings combined with white, blush and pastel blue soft furnishings. With every guest room situated on the highest floors of the hotel, each visitor will enjoy inspiring and far-reaching views either across the Arabian Sea, or of the architecturally inspiring Dubai city skyline. In the meantime, Shangri-La Dubai keeps updating its exclusive offering - amongst the newest additions:

• In-room meditative postcards - the set features four postcards, a wooden stand, coloured pencils and a sharpener. Guests are invited to colour one of four familiar scenes from around the hotel for relaxation
• Asian High Tea: Afternoon tea served in the Lobby Lounge featuring Asian inspired sweet and savoury items
• Vegan spa treatments - Shangri-La offers a selection of treatments that are 100% vegan, using products that contain no animal byproducts
• Late night spa experience: CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La is staying open until midnight to pamper guests after a long day out in the sunshine

Visit www.shangri-la.com/dubai/shangrila for more information.

AL BANDAR ROTANA AND AL BANDAR ARJAAN BY ROTANA TO OPEN THIS YEAR

Al Bandar Rotana is set in the heart of Dubai's business district, just a short distance from Dubai Creek and high-end shopping malls. This five-star property will feature 190 luxurious rooms and suites, five dining outlets, swimming pool, Bodylines Fitness and Wellness Centre, sauna, steam rooms and massage room. Situated adjacent to Al Bandar Rotana hotel, Al Bandar Arjaan is just a short drive from Dubai Airport. Featuring 90 fully furnished serviced apartments, Al Bandar Arjaan is set to become a sought after property for both business and leisure travellers.

Visit www.rotana.com for more information.

R HOTELS PRESENTED NEWEST DUBAI PROPERTIES

R Hotels introduced the latest addition to its growing portfolio at the latest Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in collaboration with Accor Hotels. The four-star resort The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel is scheduled to open this summer, and will feature 255 rooms and suites with sea views.  This will be one of the first MGallery hotels in the Middle East. 

For more information, visit https://rhotels.ae/en

MADINAT JUMEIRAH UNVEILS REVOLUTIONARY VIRTUAL PLANNER FOR EVENTS AND CONFERENCES

Madinat Jumeirah is delighted to unveil a new cutting-edge virtual online planning tool which is set to revolutionise event and conference planning at the Arabian Resort of Dubai. The user-friendly booking tool takes event planners through five simple stages of venue selection and layout customisation. Taking over a year to be completed, each piece of furniture has been meticulously photographed to provide an accurate representation of the event spaces. This latest technological development demonstrates Jumeirah's commitment to providing the highest quality, seamless booking experience for event planners. This virtual planner can also be used on tablets and mobile devices, and can even be downloaded as an app to maximize ease.

For more information, visit http://jumeirah.virtualplanner.com/MadinatJumeirah-v044

HILTON'S CURIO COLLECTION SIGNS NEW HOTEL IN DUBAI

Hilton has signed a management agreement with Khamas Group of Investments to open a hotel under the Curio Collection by Hilton brand in Dubai, set to open in 2019. The 252-room hotel will be located in Business Bay on the Dubai Water Canal, a 3.2 km waterway that winds through the city and connects to the Arabian Gulf.  It will be near a 12 km circular waterfront promenade which will include 16 parks, five marinas, 'floating' retail and dining outlets on the water and a yacht club when complete. The property will also offer easy access to Sheikh Zayed Road and major attractions such as the Dubai Opera, the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Fountains and the Burj Khalifa. The upscale hotel will feature four dining outlets including a lobby lounge, an outdoor lounge offering shisha and an all-day dining restaurant with stunning views of downtown Dubai, Business Bay and the Dubai Water Canal. All guests will have access to spa, salon and fitness facilities along with an outdoor pool. The hotel will also offer a business centre, five meeting rooms and two boardrooms. With its Arabesque design concept borrowing influences from the region's rich heritage, the hotel will have its own unique character and personality, appealing to curious travellers seeking authentic Middle Eastern experiences.

ACCOR HOTELS BRINGS MAMA SHELTER HOTEL BRAND TO DUBAI

Dubai has been selected to be the location for the first Mama Shelter hotel in the Middle East, set to open before 2020. Accorhotels MEA announced the brand's regional arrival during a panel at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. Mama Shelter is positioned as a trendy, casual boutique brand from Cyril Aouizerate and the Trigano family (ClubMed) with designs by Philippe Starck. “The idea is to create something new and different, about welcoming people around an F&B experience,” said Olivier Granet, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Accorhotels MEA. “It's something which is simple but at the same time authentic. You'll find different generations and social categories – it's really about the experience.” Accor opened ibis Styles Makkah this week, the first international economy-branded hotel in the city, and recently announced it will manage the largest Mercure globally in Dubai from May.

ATTRACTIONS

DUBAI LAYS FOUNDATIONS OF 'THE TOWER', THE WORLD'S TALLEST BUILDING 

The foundations have been laid for The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour, which is set to become an iconic landmark in Dubai's skyline. The tower, set to open in 2020 and located at the heart of the six-square-kilometre Dubai Creek Harbour, just 10 minutes from Dubai International Airport, is being developed by Emaar Properties in a joint-venture with Dubai Holding. Now that the pile foundations have been completed, the first structural facets will soon become visible. The foundation work on The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour sets a new world first - the pile was tested to a load of more than 36,000 tonnes – the maximum carried by a single foundation pile to date. The Tower will include The Pinnacle Room and VIP Observation Garden Decks that aim to recreate the splendour of the 'Hanging Gardens of Babylon,' one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

DUBAI PARKS AND RESORTS LAUNCHES ADVANCE TICKET OPTIONS EXCLUSIVELY BOOKABLE VIA UK TRAVEL AND TICKET AGENTS

Dubai Parks and Resorts' UK partners can now book 'Early Booker Tickets' for guests up to 30 days in advance of their visit, offering discounts of up to 50% on gate prices. 'Early Booker' adult tickets range from £70 (AED 320) for a 1-Day, 2-Park Ticket until January 2018 to £102 (AED 465) for an unlimited 7-Day Ticket with access to all four parks. The tickets are designed to offer something for everyone, whether they want to maximise their time at Dubai Parks and Resorts by visiting multiple parks in one day, or if they require the flexibility to return to visit multiple parks across a week's holiday in Dubai. Both the 'Early Booker Single Park' and 'Early Booker Multi-Park' tickets are available for purchase from the Dubai Parks and Resorts b2b portal with immediate effect.

For more information, please visit www.dubaiparksandresorts.com/en

'HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON' LAND OPENS AT MOTIONGATE DUBAI

The Hollywood-inspired theme park Motiongate Dubai has just announced the opening of How to Train Your Dragon Land, an attraction based on the award-winning animated franchise. Immersive experiences include Viking adventure, a ship-based attraction where guests can train to be the ultimate viking; and Dragon Gliders, where they can learn to fly dragons. How to Train Your Dragon is one of four lands included in the DreamWorks Zone based on the studio's popular blockbuster animation hits including: Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar. Each land brings the storytelling and richness of the franchises to life in an all-indoor environment. Motiongate Dubai is part of Dubai Parks and Resorts which also features Bollywood Parks Dubai, Legoland and Legoland Water Park. Single-day tickets for Motiongate starting at £35 (AED 165).

For more information, visit www.motiongatedubai.com/EN

EXPERIENCES

LAMBORGHINI DRIVING EXPERIENCES AT WALDORF ASTORIA DUBAI PALM JUMEIRAH

The new Waldorf Astoria Driving Experiences offer hotel guests an exclusive opportunity to test drive and view some of Lamborghini's latest models at participating Waldorf Astoria properties around the world, including Dubai. Each property will host 30 minute sessions over a three-day event which will be led by Lamborghini's professional driving instructors and within each destination, customised driving routes will be created to allow guests to accelerate down the most notable roadways while zipping by favourite sights and places. In 2017, the Dubai-based experience will be taking place at Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah November 16-18 during the iconic Dubai Motor Festival.

Visit Waldorf Astoria's Driving Experiences and Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah for more information.

JUMEIRAH AL NASEEM UNVEILS 'ULTIMATE PRO-CYCLING EXPERIENCE'

Jumeirah Al Naseem, the newest addition to Madinat Jumeirah, has teamed up with one of Britain's most successful cyclists, David Millar, to bring the much-acclaimed 'Ultimate Pro-Cycling Experience' to Dubai. The experience, originated at Jumeirah Port Soller in Mallorca, has now expanded to Dubai due to its incredible success. To ride alongside David Millar (the former GB captain) is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This luxurious experience includes a personalised Castelli kit and professional expertise at hand throughout. Riders can unwind at the end of the day at Madinat Jumeirah's 2km pristine private beach, or in the luxurious Talise Spa; before settling down for dinner hosted by David Millar in one of the resorts 60+ restaurants. The 'Ultimate Pro-Cycling Experience' will return to Dubai between 10-14 October 2017 and is priced at £3,158 (AED 15,000) for a four-night stay for two people at Jumeirah Al Naseem inclusive of full board.

Visit www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/madinat-jumeirah/jumeirah-al-naseem for more information.

SPORTS STUNTS

KITEBOARDER COMPLETES WORLD-FIRST BY JUMPING OFF HELIPAD AT BURJ AL ARAB JUMEIRAH

A professional kiteboarder has completed a world-first stunt, leaping off the helipad of the Burj Al Arab. Nick Jacobsen – a five-time Danish kiteboarding champion, 2017 Red Bull King of the Air and XDubai athlete – performed the jaw-dropping feat as part of a Mercedes-Benz Middle East video, which has just launched online. The video shows the athlete surveying the city from the top of the iconic sail-shaped building, before launching himself from the helipad – an incredible 210 metres above the water. In doing so, he completed the highest kiteboarding jump on record, smashing his own previous world record of 90m.

The video can be found online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5xGnI0bUao

RESTAURANTS

ARMANI/LOUNGE AT ARMANI HOTEL DUBAI UNVEILS 'SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC' AFTERNOON TEA

To celebrate the new Mary Poppins Musical, showing at the Dubai Opera till 25th May, Armani Hotel Dubai is launching a supercalifragilistic afternoon tea, a fun experience for all the family. Armani/Lounge has created a bespoke movie-themed menu, practically perfect in every way. Guests can discover a magical selection of English-accented savoury and sweet treats including a shrimp Mary Rose choux bun and deviled egg and cucumber sandwich; and iconic desserts such as quirky chocolate hat dolce and umbrella-adorned white chocolate berry cupcake. The 'Mary Poppins Tea' menu is available 3-6pm, throughout May 2017, from £32 (AED 150) per person, based on two sharing.

Visit www.armanihoteldubai.com/en/dine/lounge for more information.

GREG MALOUF TO OPEN ZAHIRA RESTAURANT IN DUBAI

Australian-Lebanese chef Greg Malouf will open his latest venture, Zahira, at Dubai's H Hotel this month. The chef, who has led Michelin star restaurants, is promising to show diners "an elevated take on traditional Levantine dishes". The menu is expected to feature dishes through different courses outlined as the Art of Mezza, Art of Sharing, Art of the Garden and finishing the meal with a trip through the Art of Sweet Design and Tradition. The Art of Feasting option is a nine-course tasting menu which will change regularly. "I've spent years working on the evolution of Lebanese cuisine and while the dishes need to remain faithful to the essence of the region they can still be presented with creative flair," says Malouf of his latest venture. "I want to be part of the next chapter in Middle Eastern food and Zahira will be the platform I've been looking for to present this next chapter in Dubai.

SHOPPING

THIRD APPLE STORE OPENS IN DUBAI

The US tech giant has officially opened its third retail store in the UAE, and the second in Dubai. It already operates outlets in Mall of the Emirates in Dubai and Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi. The new store is located at the Dubai Mall and it will be the company's 495th. The two malls have already attracted four million visitors in just 18 months. The new Dubai Mall outlet, facing the Dubai Fountain, features more than 150 products including Apple Watches, iPhones, MacBooks, Beats headphones, iPads, iMacs, Apple TVs and select third-party accessories.

CULTURE

ART JAMEEL ANNOUNCES A NEW ARTS CENTRE IN DUBAI TO OPEN IN 2018 AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW YORK'S METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Art Jameel, a non-profit organisation that supports arts, education and heritage in the Middle East, announced a number of initiatives designed to enrich the thriving cultural scene in the region and beyond. Building upon its strong history of exhibitions, educational initiatives, institutional partnerships and community outreach, Art Jameel is entering a new phase of development with the announcement of a new Arts Centre in Dubai, due to open in winter 2018 and a long-term partnership with New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, which will enable the Museum to acquire works by modern and contemporary artists from the Middle East. One of the first non-profit contemporary arts institutions in Dubai, the Jameel Arts Centre Dubai will present curated exhibitions that draw from the Jameel Art Collection, as well as regional and international solo and group shows. The Jameel Arts Centre - a 10,000 square metre, three-storey multi-disciplinary space designed by UK-based firm Serie Architects - is designed as a hub for educational and research initiatives, while its wider programming embraces collaboration and partnerships with local, regional and international artists, curators and organisations. Art Jameel is developing a Curatorial Council to advise on its exhibitions and collections programming, which at this stage includes Jessica Morgan, director, Dia Art Foundation, New York, and the curator and writer Murtaza Vali, based between Sharjah and New York.

For further information on Dubai please visit www.visitdubai.com

Media Information:

For media enquiries, please contact The Brighter Group on dubai@brightergroup.com or telephone 020 7326 9880.

Notes to Editors:

About Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM)

With the ultimate vision of positioning Dubai as the world's leading tourism destination and commercial hub, Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing's (DTCM) mission is to increase the awareness of Dubai to global audiences and to attract tourists and inward investment into the Emirate.  DTCM is the principal authority for the planning, supervision, development and marketing of Dubai's tourism sector; markets and promotes the Emirate's commerce sector; and is responsible for the licensing and classification of all tourism services, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. Brands and departments within the DTCM portfolio include Dubai Convention and Events Bureau, Dubai Calendar, and Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (formerly known as Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment). In addition to its headquarters in Dubai, DTCM operates 20 offices worldwide.