Swissotel Partners with MASIC for New 180-Room Swissotel Al Khobar in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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. January 14, 2016

DUBAI, UAE. January 14, 2016 - Swissotel Hotels & Resorts today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Mohammed Ibrahim Al Subeaei & Sons Investment Company (MASIC) to manage the 180-room Swissotel Al Khobar in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

With a planned opening in 2019, Swissotel Al Khobar will be situated within the MASIC Business Park development, occupying an enviable location within the urban area's commercial and residential district. Encompassing around 55,000 square metres (approximately 592,000 square feet) of retail and prime office space, this development will become a landmark in the Eastern Province.

In addition to 180 guestrooms, Swissotel Al Khobar will feature over 1,300 square metres (approximately 14,000 square feet) of meeting and conference space and a variety of food and beverage offerings from Cafe Swiss and Swiss Gourmet to a pool and grill restaurant. With an emphasis on vitality and fitness, the hotel will also feature the brand's signature Pürovel Spa & Sport along with an outdoor rooftop pool. This mixed use property will also present 20 exclusive and contemporary luxury residential apartments, branded under the Swissotel Living concept offering high-end amenities and round-the-clock service to residents.

The announcement marks Swissotel's, and parent company FRHI Hotels & Resorts', first venture into the heart of Saudi Arabia's oil industry in the eastern part of the country. With the city of Al Khobar as its commercial centre, the property is close to Dhahran city, home to the world's largest energy company - Saudi Aramco, as well as the US Consulate and King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals. Overall, the province is just a short distance away from the Arabian Gulf, and is linked to neighbouring Bahrain by a 25 kilometre causeway.

"Continuing our pipeline growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a key focus for our world-leading luxury hotel brands," said Sami Nasser, senior vice president, operations, Middle East, Africa and India for FRHI. "Since our debut in the region over five years ago with our multi-branded hotel complex in Makkah, our brands have been well positioned to appeal to both business and religious tourism in this increasing sophisticated travel market."

The project is being developed by MASIC, one of the largest investment companies in Saudi Arabia with an extensive portfolio of investments locally and globally featuring financial services, real estate, agriculture, manufacturing, industrial and retail. MASIC has contributed lately to many real estate projects such as the London's South Bank Tower, a retail shopping centre on King Fahd road in Riyadh as well as the development of a luxury residential tower and state-of-the-art office space in Jeddah and Thakher, a mega mixed-use project in Makkah which is currently under development.

"MASIC is proud to join forces with FRHI to develop the first Swissotel in the Eastern Province" said Ihsan Bafakih, CEO of MASIC. "We believe that MASIC Business Park and the addition of Swissotel will form an impressive environment for living, working and leisure and will hopefully be a landmark that our clients and tenants will enjoy."

The addition of Swissotel Al Khobar complements a growing portfolio of FRHI-managed hotels currently under development in Saudi Arabia, including Swissotel, Raffles and Fairmont hotels in Jeddah all slated to open before 2020, in addition to Fairmont Riyadh, Business Gate which will open in 2016. Swissotel flags will also be raised throughout the Middle East within the next five years with Swissotel Jadaf in the United Arab Emirates, Swissotel Citystars Sharm El Sheikh and a property in 'New Cairo' - Swissotel Katameyah in Egypt.

In total, FRHI has 19 hotels and more than 7,000 guestrooms open and operating in the Middle East, Africa and India with another 18 hotels in varying stages of development representing 5,000 rooms. Swissotel Al Khobar becomes FRHI's eighth hotel in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with three hotels representing more than 3,000 guestrooms open, and another five with a total room of 1,200 guestrooms currently in the pipeline.

About Swissotel Hotels & Resorts

Conveniently located where travellers want to be, Swissotel Hotels & Resorts provides guests with the opportunity to stay in the heart of more than 30 top locations worldwide, where they can confidently explore the very best each destination has to offer. Synonymous with all there is to love about Switzerland, the brand remains true to its roots, successfully combining genuine Swiss hospitality with intelligent design and local flair. With social responsibility at the forefront and a genuine commitment to positively impact the destinations it calls home, every Swissotel upholds industry-leading sustainability standards and is committed to treating guests, colleagues, and the environment with equal respect. This all comes together to provide guests with peace of mind that is authentically Swiss. Part of FRHI Hotels & Resorts, a leading global hotel company that also operates the Fairmont and Raffles brands, the Swissotel portfolio offers business and leisure guests an authentic and local travel experience that is full of energy, passion and vitality. For more information or reservations, please visit swissotel.com.

Contact:
Mike Taylor
[email protected]
416-874-2457

Alka Winter
[email protected]
+971 50 652 8204