Hotel supply continues to grow in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. In the Middle East and Africa, hotel supply is up 3% over last year, according to CoStar data, and supply in the EU is up about the same amount.
The number of hotels under construction in the EU is up nearly 10% compared to last year, while the number of hotels under construction in EMEA this year is down 3% compared to last year.
Here are several of the largest hotel projects under construction in the EMEA region that are anticipated to open this year:
Ciel Dubai Marina
The 1,209-room Ciel Dubai Marina is scheduled to open this year. When it does so, at 385 meters tall, it will be the world’s tallest hotel, as touted by The First Group, the developer behind the project.
The independent, luxury hotel will have an observation deck on the 81st floor offering panoramic views of the Dubai skyline, the Palm Jumeirah and Arabian Gulf. There is a rooftop infinity pool and bar on the 76th floor. Inside the hotel is a 300-meter-tall atrium with vertically stacked landscaped and ventilated terraces.
The First Group’s April to May 2024 update states the project is nearing completion. The mechanical, engineering and plumbing work throughout the building is 95% complete while installation of its external curtain is 99% complete. In the guestrooms, the doors and shower glass installations are complete. The elevator lobby glass partition and floor finishes are 98% complete while the landscaping, fountain area and swimming pool are 70% done. Other work remains ongoing.
Melia White Sands Hotel & Spa
The 835-room Melia White Sands Hotel & Spa sits on the Santa Monica Beach on Boa Vista in Cape Verde. It will offer multiple stay options for guests, including duplex and penthouse hotel suites as well as private villas, according to owner The Resort Group. The upscale-class hotel project broke ground in December 2015.
There will be six restaurants, a range of bars and the Gabi Club. Guests can also enjoy Melia’s spa offering, the YHI Spa, as well as a fully equipped fitness center and water sports center. There will be six resort swimming pools, swim-up bars and poolside eateries. Amenities for children include a kids club, playground, baby pools as well as tennis and beach ball courts.
The hotel is located on the island of Boa Vista, which is second to Cape Verde’s Sal in terms of visitation. It will be the first of six developments on Santa Monica Beach.
Voco Jeddah Gate, Saudi Arabia
The Voco Jeddah Gate will add 706 rooms to the master-planned Jeddah Gate. The upscale-class project was first signed in 2019 by IHG Hotels & Resorts in partnership with Nouh Mohamad Nouh and Partners Limited.
The hotel will sit in the Fayhaa area in the Jedda Gate, a master-planned community that will include residential housing units, commercial areas and recreational amenities. The property will offer two dining options as well as four meeting rooms, recreational facilities, an outdoor pool and health club, among others.
Jabal Omar The Royal Alana Makkah
The 581-room Jabal Omar The Royal Alana Makkah in Saudi Arabia is the result of a partnership between Saudi real estate developer Jabal Omar Development Company and Archipelago International, one of the largest privately owned and independent hotel management groups in Southeast Asia. The upper-midscale project was first announced in April 2021 alongside the 560-room Jabal Omar The Lana Makkah.
The hotel is part of a larger development project that will have 15 towers that comprise several luxury hotels with 5,000 keys operated by Archipelago, Jumeirah International Hotel Group, H Hotels & Resorts and Emaar Hospitality, according to Middle East Construction News. The project continues forward in phases, and as of late 2022, the fourth phase was expected to be complete by the fourth quarter of this year.
Maritim Hotel Amsterdam
The 579-room Maritim Hotel Amsterdam is expected to open this summer, according to Maritim Hotels. The upscale hotel is attached to a conference and congress center with 18 conference rooms. Union Investment Real Estate GmbH owns the hotel, and the property will be managed by Maritim Hotels.
Among its amenities, the hotel has the Skybar, the highest bar in the city, that offers views of Amsterdam and the IJ River. In total, the hotel will have four restaurants that will serve local and international dishes.