Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is expanding its presence in Pakistan after inking a landmark deal with PAK Gulf Construction Company (PVT.) Ltd to manage a new upscale property in Islamabad.
The agreement to operate Mövenpick Hotel Centaurus Islamabad marks the Swiss hospitality company’s first property in Pakistan’s dynamic capital, has been facilitated by Middle East consultancy firm, Equinox Hospitality Group, which played a key role in developing this owner-operator partnership.
The 361-key Mövenpick Hotel Centaurus Islamabad will be the focal point of a new upscale mixed-use development located in the heart of the city’s bustling business district and is set to open in the first quarter of 2018.
Speaking at the property signing ceremony, Andreas Mattmüller, chief operating officer, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Middle East and Asia, said business opportunities in Pakistan were tremendous given its advantageous geographical location at the crossroads of several economic powerhouses including south and central Asia and the Middle East.
“The Mövenpick Hotel Centaurus Islamabad, part of the high-profile Centaurus development located in the commercial and business hub of Islamabad, taps into the growth and development of the country’s thriving capital city,” he said.
“It also firmly cements our presence in Pakistan where our goal is to expand our footprint. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts already operates the 407-room Mövenpick Hotel Karachi and is actively seeking opportunities in Lahore.”
Sardar Mohammad Ilyas Khan, chairman of Pak Gulf Construction Company, said: “We are excited to partner with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts to develop this flagship hotel. The project will set new hospitality standards in Islamabad, a flourishing city in need of more upscale properties operated by world-class brands like Mövenpick.”
The Mövenpick Hotel Centaurus Islamabad will comprise five restaurants, expansive meetings and events facilities including a multi-purpose ballroom, several meeting rooms and a business centre, plus separate male and female wellness facilities and a swimming pool.
It will be the first and only hotel in the new upmarket Centaurus development, adjoined to Pakistan’s largest and most successful shopping centre, The Centaurus Mall – an eye-catching design-led landmark occupying a prime position on one of Islamabad’s main thoroughfares, Jinnah Avenue, where major local, regional and multi-national entities, from banks to oil and gas companies, are headquartered.
“Due to its prime location in the heart of the city, we expect the property to attract a diverse range of guests, from long-term and leisure visitors to those travelling for corporate or government business,” said Mattmüller.
