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260 guests rooms and suites renovated
Hotel lobby revamped as 'Le Méridien Hub' featuring Longitude 50º café
Local culture and heritage manifested through two new concepts at the Art Link corridor and Baharat restaurant
#BAHRAINUNLOCKED, a dedicated social media campaign launched
Manama, BAHRAIN - November 25, 2015
Majid Al Futtaim and Starwood Hotels & Resorts
have unveiled the new Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre following an extensive transformation of all its guest rooms and public areas and the introduction of new concepts and outlets. The renovation project, which started in July 2014, aims to re-position the hotel as a key hub for driving tourism in Bahrain in line with the Le Méridien brand's core value of connecting the curious and creative-minded traveller to unexpected and engaging experiences within their destination.
Simon Barlow, Chief Executive Officer of Hotels at Majid Al Futtaim Properties, commented: "We are proud to announce the re-launch of the new Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre following another successful collaboration with our partners at Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Keeping our hotel properties fresh and relevant through ongoing investment and innovative renovation projects is extremely important to Majid Al Futtaim as it ensures we are always strengthening our offer to both our partners and customers."
Following the renovation, Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre's 260 modern guest rooms and suites now feature the signature Le Méridien Bed, a spacious work area and functional technology with modern design elements.
The hotel has also introduced Longitude 50, a reinterpreted lobby café concept by the brand. The name is derived from the destination's unique coordinates. Longitude 50 features within the hotels Le Méridien Hub, the brand's innovative reinterpretation of the traditional hotel lobby into an experiential space for creative and curious minded guests to converse, socialize and exchange. New compelling Arrival Art has also been installed, including a luxurious map of the world made up of hundreds of pearls and an outstanding 2.5 tonne steel dhow, both homage to the island's heritage.
The hotel also inaugurated Art Link - a dedicated corridor between the hotel and the entrance of City Centre Bahrain showcasing a series of lightboxes displaying time lapse photographs of Bahrain over a period of 24 hours, creating a gallery ambience for guests to gain insight into the destination. Guests can also find curated art at Baharat restaurant, in partnership with locally renowned art gallery, Al Bareh.
"The aim of the revamp is to showcase the Le Méridien brand's aesthetics and
values from engaging perspectives," said Daniel van Der Heijden, Hotel Manager,
Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre. "Our main goal is to ensure that this hotel is the ultimate hub for culture seekers and curious travellers. We want all our guests to have an inspiring stay while visiting the island."
In line with the hotels new look and feel, Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre recently launched #BahrainUnlocked, a social media awareness campaign inviting instagrammers and photographers from across the island to capture and share what inspires them about Bahrain as a destination of discovery. The on-going campaign gives people an opportunity to share with travellers' hidden gems and curious corners of the island.
"Le Méridien is all about stimulating the curiosity of its guests. It positions each of its properties as the hub to unlock the destination through the discovery of local culture, art scene, and inspired cuisine. This initiative encompasses all of those elements, and it is the most authentic way to show visitors what the island has to offer from the perspectives of locals and residents," said Haitham Assem - Complex Director of Marketing, Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre and Westin Bahrain City Centre.
In April 2014, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide signed an agreement with
Majid Al Futtaim to launch its Westin and Le Méridien brands in Bahrain. The debut of the two hotel brands in July 2014 added a significant value towards empowering hospitality industry in Bahrain and attracting visitors from around the world to its capital, Manama.
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About Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre
Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre offers 260 contemporary guest rooms and suites, all outfitted with the signature Le Méridien Bed. The presidential suite, Pearl Suite, offers a spacious master bedroom, separate living room with a dining area and a fully equipped kitchenette.
The hotel serves signature Le Méridien breakfast at Baharat where diners can experience classic dishes and local delights. The trendy Bizarre Lounge presents an element of discovery as it transforms from a lounge in the day to a vibrant night-time venue. For those who prefer a more exclusive setting, Le Méridien Club Lounge offers hearty breakfasts, evening hors d'oeuvres and a selection of beverages.
Le Méridien Hub™ re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate and exchange in a creative atmosphere and while discovering curated local artwork from Bahrain. As part of the Hub, Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre has introduced the Longitude 50º cafe, where guests can enjoy expertly crafted Illy coffee, paired with delicious éclairs during the day, and sparkling mocktails with light fare in the evening.
Le Méridien City Centre features over 5,000 square feet of modern event and meeting space, Bahrain including a business centre, ballroom and five meeting rooms.
Guests of Le Méridien City Centre Bahrain are invited to access the Heavenly® Spa, outdoor pool, and WestinWORKOUT® fitness studio at its adjacent sister property, the Westin, as well as the various food and beverage outlets.
Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre also offer the award-winning loyalty programme, Starwood Preferred Guest, which gives guests a chance to earn Starpoints to avail more choices, flexibility and benefits including exclusive redemption options, free nights and upgrades at Starwood hotels.
For more information, leMéridienbahraincitycentre.com.
About Majid Al Futtaim
Founded in 1992, Majid Al Futtaim is the leading shopping mall, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
A remarkable business success story, Majid Al Futtaim started from one man's vision to transform the face of shopping, entertainment and leisure to 'create great moments for everyone, every day'. It has since grown into one of the United Arab Emirates' most respected and successful businesses spanning 13 international markets, employing over 27,000 people, and achieving the highest credit rating (BBB) among privately-held corporates in the Middle East.
Majid Al Futtaim owns and operates 18 shopping malls, 11 hotels and three mixed-use communities in MENA, with further developments underway in the region. The shopping malls portfolio includes Mall of the Emirates, City Centre malls, and also four community malls which are in joint venture with the Government of Sharjah. The Company holds exclusive rights to the Carrefour franchise in 38 markets across Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, operating a portfolio of 65 hypermarkets and 85 supermarkets in 12 countries.
Majid Al Futtaim operates 175 VOX Cinema screens and 19 Magic Planet family entertainment centres across the region, in addition to iconic leisure and entertainment facilities such as Ski Dubai and iFly Dubai, among others. The Company launched the first LEGO-certified store in the Middle East and is parent to the consumer finance company issuing 'Najm' and "Voyager" credit cards, a fashion retail business representing international brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, AllSaints and lululemon athletica, and a healthcare business that operates a network of City Centre Clinics. In addition, Majid Al Futtaim operates Enova, a facility management company, through a joint venture operation with Veolia, a global leader in optimised environment resource management. The Company also operates in the food and beverage industry through a partnership with Gourmet Gulf.
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Press Contact:
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Noora Faraj
Complex Communications Executive
Email: noora.faraj@starwoodhotels.com
Mobile: +973 3888 5923
Majid Al Futtaim
Zeina Kourki
Account Manager, Edelman UAE
Email: zeina.kourki@edelman.com
Mobile: +971 56 520 5791
Haitham Assem
Complex Director of Marketing
Email: haitham.assem@starwoodhotels.com
Mobile: +973 3888 5898
© Press Release 2015
