UPFRONT
Rotana’s Morocco debut UAE-BASED HOSPITALITY group
Viennese whirl for Etihad Airways
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UAE FLAG CARRIER ETIHAD AIRWAYS will soon touch down in Vienna with flights from Abu Dhabi International to the Austrian capital launching on May 22. The new service, which will be operated by a two-class Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, will run four times weekly until June 30, daily from July 1 to August 31, five times weekly from September 1 to November 30 and daily from December 1 onwards. Departures have been conveniently timed to arrive early morning in Vienna, and to connect seamlessly in both directions via Abu Dhabi to gateways across the Etihad network including the GCC, Southeast Asia, and Australia. Etihad’s two-class B787-9 Dreamliner features next-generation Business and Economy cabins configured with 290 seats - 28 Business Studios and 262 Economy Smart Seats.
INTERCONTINENTAL’S NEW TAKE ON ICONIC DUBAI INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS & RESORTS has revealed the most iconic
sights, sounds, tastes, smells and sensations that travellers should experience in 2020 if they want to really get to know the city they are visiting. The ‘InterContinental Icons’ range from the smell of fresh bagels at a West Village shop in New York to the unique flavours of Karak Chai tea on Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach Road. The list of top experiences was determined by an online public vote and then ranked by a panel of influencers and leading travel experts and have inspired curated experiences at the group’s hotels in each destination. The ICons representing the true essence of Dubai are: 1. Tasting the unique flavours of Karak Chai along Jumeirah Beach Road 2. The enchanting smell of burning bukhoor, transporting you back in time 3. Sound of water lapping an Abra as it glides along Dubai Creek
4. The crackle of a campfire breaking the silence on a night-time desert escape 5. The fascinating contrast of old and new under the glow of a warm Dubai sunset InterContinental Dubai Festival City and InterContinental Dubai Marina are offering sensory activities that reflect these ICons. They include a bespoke Arabic bukhoor session with an InterContinental expert (pictured) and a unique tea-tasting experience at a masterclass in Dubai Marina.
Rotana will make its debut in Morocco this year with the takeover of the iconic 230-hectare Palmeraie Resort in Marrakech. Following a full refurbishment, the Palmeraie Rotana Resort will feature three hotels – the 315-room five-star Hôtel du Golf Rotana (pictured), the Golf Club Rotana with 11 exclusive suites and the 314-key Palmeraie Palace – plus a Conference Centre that can host up to 3,000 delegates, 13 restaurants, a large fitness centre, Zen the Spa at Rotana and complex highlight, the 18-hole championship golf course spanning 120 acres.
Cloud7 Residence dives into Jordan SPECIALIST MIXEDUSE OPERATOR
Kerten Hospitality will open the doors to its first Cloud7 Residence in Jordan in June. Introducing its contemporary midmarket aparthotel brand to the country for the first time, Cloud7 Residence Ayla Aqaba will be located in the trendy Marina Village area of Aqaba’s new Ayla Oasis waterfront development on the Red Sea coast. The Cloud7 Residence concept is described as a “unique destination for the next generation of travellers, with iconic buildings and boutique surroundings coupled with social spaces and state-ofthe-art technology providing a modern, efficient and well-designed environment for guests”. Cloud7 Residence Ayla Aqaba will feature 75 apartments and offer guests access to dining and shopping experiences, a golf course and a beach club. Ayla is five minutes from Aqaba city and 10 minutes from the King Hussein International Airport.
