FAIRMONT Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand within the FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI) portfolio, and Mumtalakat, the investment arm of the Kingdom of Bahrain, have announced the development of a new 215-room luxury resort in Bahrain.
Slated to open in 2018, Fairmont Al Jazayer Resort will be the first project of its kind on the island nation, situated within Bahrain’s only integrated destination development. The project is supported by Mumtalakat, the Bahraini sovereign wealth fund, which manages more than $10 billion in investments and assets, including Aluminum Bahrain (Alba), Gulf Air, Bahrain F1 race track and McLaren Automotive. The company’s vision is to grow the country’s already strong economic position with the expansion of its commercial assets within other regions and beyond its central core in Manama.The hotel, which is in the early stages of development in the Al Jazayer area, is a mixed-use project of retail, sports and entertainment facilities. Within close proximity to the capital of Manama, the city’s central business district and just 35 minutes from the Bahrain International Airport, the hotel is expected to be a popular choice option for business, corporate and Mice guests visiting the region. Fairmont Al Jazayer Resort will feature 215 guestrooms, Fairmont Gold – the brand’s signature ‘hotel within a hotel’ concept, and over 2,000 sq m (21,500 sq ft) of meeting and event space, including a ballroom. Appealing to the local market, GCC travellers and international visitors, the resort’s leisure offerings will range from an expansive beachfront area and spa and health club to a wide variety of restaurants and lounges, including an all-day restaurant and lobby café. “Bahrain has one of the fastest growing economies in the Middle East and is a country that continues to diversify with a strong focus on residential, leisure and retail opportunities,” says Jennifer Fox, president, International and president, Fairmont Brand, FRHI Hotels & Resorts. “With the government’s plans to develop the south into a major residential, commercial and entertainment hub, we believe it’s a very opportune time to entering the market and look forward to being a key part of the country’s future growth.”The addition of Fairmont Al Jazayer Resort complements a growing portfolio of other Fairmont hotels currently under development in the region including Fairmont Ajman, Fairmont Riyadh, Fairmont Fujairah, Fairmont Citystars Sharm El Sheikh, Fairmont Amman and Fairmont Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi.