Situated in the heart of Dubai’s bustling financial district, Fairmont Dubai is currently undergoing Phase I of SAY Studio’s roll-out plan to refurbish all private guest spaces for the hotel brand.
According to CBRE’s Market Review UAE Q3 2021; As travel restrictions continue to be eased globally, we are seeing a marked increase in the number of daily flights through or to Dubai. The average daily number of flights reached highs close to 96,000 as of the 30th September, 2021. Whilst this is still 20.7% below the same period in 2019, due to the fact vaccination rates continue to increase and travel restrictions are made less onerous, we expect that we will continue to see the gap narrow.
STR’s Middle East Q3 2021 hotel performance update notes; Interestingly, in September, Middle East hotel occupancy was 58.6%, which was the region’s highest level since February 2020 and 93.9 % of the 2019 comparable (62.4%). These levels reflect a consistent upward trend as the region’s occupancy was 50.7% in July and 55.9% in August, which represented 83.8% and 88.6% of 2019 comparable, respectively.
Phase I sees the refurbishment of 275 rooms and suites, as part of an initiative to further elevate the hotels’ guest experience. Spanning three categories including the signature rooms, junior suites and one-bedroom suites designed with the modern business traveler in mind, the rooms have been refurbished to add a modern touch while retaining the luxury and standard to which guests have come to expect of Fairmont hotels around the world. Within the rooms, SAY Studio has used a soft palette and natural materials representative of those that could be found within the surrounding landscape. Warm timbers, to represent the soft tones of the dunes, complimented with deep ocean blues found within the carpet and furniture, is a subtle reference to the views of the Arabian Gulf. The occasional use of satin bronze displayed within the bespoke light fixtures pays homage to the early decadence of the Fairmont in San Francisco. Finally, the textured wall coverings add a sense of depth and luxury making the environment warm and inviting.
Rasha Al-Tekreeti, Senior Interior Designer at SAY Studio said: “When we began the project, we took inspiration from two distinct points, the rich history of Fairmont and the innate ambitions of grandeur found in Dubai. It is easy to view Dubai in the form which it holds today, a vibrant cosmopolitan city that pushes boundaries and sets global standards. But if you return to a few decades ago, things were quite different. We felt a symbolic representation of the city’s diversity and development, and inspirational ambition could be found in the dynamism of its location. It perfectly balances the idea of travel, and a destination. The ambition was to create a timeless yet classic ambience that respected the story of both Fairmont and Dubai equally.”
Kosta Kourotsidis, General Manager, at Fairmont Dubai added: “We are very excited that Fairmont Dubai is to undergo such a significant transformation. The refurbishment project has taken careful planning and consideration and we are proud to announce that we have appointed Say Studio design firm, to deliver a design that exudes best-in-class modern, comfort and taste whilst retaining the luxury and standard throughout the hotel.” I can assure that a brand-new Fairmont Dubai experience is coming, that will be well worth the wait.”
Phase II includes the redesign of all public areas, including; the main lobby, the lobby extension and café plus the valet parking entrance. Phase III will see the redesign of the Fairmont’s all day dining facility. In addition to works for Fairmont Dubai, SAY Studio has also been appointed as the design agency to complete refurbishment of the Fairmont Ajman and the Fairmont Fujairah.
Matthew Sexton, Managing Director at SAY Studio concluded: “We are delighted our work on this project has extended so far beyond the initial brief. We are in discussions with multiple hospitality brands concurrently, all with similar briefs to upgrade rooms and public spaces in order to attract the increasing number of visitors due to both Expo and peak tourist seasons.”
Known for its unique exterior inspired by an Arabic wind tower, the 34-story property is home to 394 guest rooms and suites, 12 dining and entertainment venues including The Theater, OPA and Bagatelle, Bistrot Novanta, a unique hotel spa covering 40,000 square feet and two terraced rooftop swimming pools.
