Big news for the hotel scene in the Middle East and Africa: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced what it is calling "a comprehensive renovation strategy" for its Le Méridien hotels in the Middle East and Africa region. Le Méridien and its ownership groups will invest more than $200 million in the renovations of 13 hotels and resorts in the MEA region over the next three years. A significant factor to this development will be 10 new hotels opening in the region over the next year—an unprecedented number for the brand.
The 13 Le Méridien hotels and resorts completing or currently undergoing renovations include:
- Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort (Fujairah, United Arab Emirates)
- Le Méridien Al Khobar (Saudi Arabia)
- Le Méridien Dubai
- Le Méridien Heliopolis (Cairo, Egypt)
- Le MéridienIle Maurice (Pointe Aux Piments, Mauritius)
- Le Méridien Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)
- Le Méridien Makkah (Saudi Arabia)
- Le MéridienMandji (Port Gentil, Gabon)
- Le Méridien Mina Seyahi (Dubai)
- Le Méridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa(Cairo, Egypt)
- Le MéridienRe-Ndama (Libreville, Gabon)
- Le Royal Méridien Abu Dhabi
- Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa (Dubai)
Additionally, Le Méridien will add a new hotel in Egypt, where the brand currently operates four properties. Le Méridien Cairo Airport will open in September 2013. Located at Terminal 3, it will be the only hotel with direct access to Cairo International Airport terminals. Le Méridien Cairo Airport will feature 350 guestrooms, a 24-hour restaurant, specialty restaurant, coffee bar, lobby bar, lounge, fitness center, and swimming pool. The hotel will have approximately 750 square meters of meeting space, including a business center, ballroom, and six meeting rooms, for a variety of business functions.
Many of these renovated hotels along with Le Méridien Cairo Airport will integrate the Le Méridien Hub experience into existing public spaces, re-interpreting the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for guests.