Frankfurt am Main, 24 January 2018
The IntercityHotel brand is continuing its course of expansion on the Arabian Peninsula. The IntercityHotel Riyadh Malaz, which will open for business before the end of the year, represents the company’s first move into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. IntercityHotel’s contractual partner is East Consulting Engineering Center, one of the country’s leading consultancy firms.
The IntercityHotel Riyadh Malaz will be a new build project that will accommodate a total of 86 rooms including four suites. The hotel is located in the Al Malaz district, which is a well-known business area. The Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, Riyadh Zoo and King Abdullah Park are all less than two kilometres away. The hotel’s gastronomic offerings will comprise a restaurant and lounge, and several conference rooms will also be available. Sporting facilities will include a gym and a roof-top pool. Interior design will be by the Italian architect Matteo Thun and will feature the style that characterises the latest generation of IntercityHotels.
Riyadh is the capital and administrative centre of the Kingdom of Saudi-Arabia. An increase in business and economic activity has turned the city into one of the major commercial hubs in the region. Riyadh is also home to a multitude of educational, financial and cultural organisations and technical and social institutions and has seen rises in tourist numbers for several years.
Against this background, Ahmed M Alabdulkarim, owner and founder of the East Consulting Engineering Center, is delighted to be entering into cooperation with Deutsche Hospitality. “This move reflects the distinct growth in hotel investments that is taking place in Saudi Arabia and aims to tap into the overall tourism potential offered by the Kingdom in general and by Riyadh in particular. It also aligns with the country’s “Vision 2030″ plan to diversify into various economic sectors including tourism and hospitality. This is expected to drive a new era of national growth.”
Thomas Willms, COO of Steigenberger Hotels AG, commented, “The IntercityHotel Riyadh Malaz will enable us to add a further country to our portfolio. This enhances international awareness of our brand and fosters our hotel company’s growth in the Middle East.” Deutsche Hospitality already boasts a presence in the region in the form of the Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay in Dubai and the IntercityHotel Salalah in Oman. This latest contractual agreement brings the number of IntercityHotels being developed on the Arabian Peninsula to four. Alongside Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, there is a project in Dubai and two further locations in Muscat and Nizwa in Oman.
