As Sofitel prepares to open the new 438-room Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach this September, the French-based company proudly announces five additional properties that will strengthen the brand's worldwide portfolio. In the United Arab Emirates, the brand is developing the Sofitel Dubai Sheikh Zayed Road and the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Capital Plaza. In China, three new contracts have been signed in the country's eastern and southeastern regions. These five new Sofitel properties are already under construction and scheduled to begin opening at the end of 2010. These openings will bring a total of 2,000 additional rooms to the hotel's prestigious presence in these regions. “The signing of these five contracts is a significant stage in Sofitel's development across these two regions of the world,” said Robert Gaymer-Jones, COO Sofitel Worldwide. “It is evidence of our dynamic growth despite the current economic situation and of the appeal of the brand's new positioning to investors.” In the United Arab Emirates, Sofitel Dubai Sheikh Zayed Road is located on the city's main thoroughfare with a view of the Burj Dubai Tower, just a short walk from the Dubai Mall shopping center. The hotel boasts 435 guestrooms and suites, 147 apartments with services and various facilities including restaurants, bars, a fitness club and large sauna, two pools, a ballroom and several meeting rooms. Comprehensive facilities for business meetings and close proximity to the Dubai International Financial Center and the Dubai World Trade Center will position the hotel as a prime option for the MICE market (meetings, incentives, conferences, events). The hotel is scheduled to open by 2012. Sofitel Abu Dhabi Capital Plaza is currently under construction and will welcome guests in 2010 to a beautifully refurbished building. It will feature 233 guestrooms and 47 suites, a fitness club and sauna, a pool, restaurants, bars, several meeting rooms and the “Millesime Club” executive lounge on the top two floors with sea views. The hotel is located at the tip of the main island of Abu Dhabi, on the Corniche - one of the oldest districts and a major attraction in the city. The hotel will appeal to leisure travelers for its sea views and exceptional character, and business executives for the neighboring central business district. Sofitel is continuing development in the region, with five other hotels currently under construction: the Sofitel Karachi Clifton in Pakistan, the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Beach Resort in Bahrain and the Sofitel Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia. In September 2009, the Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach and the future Sofitel Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort & Spa will open in Dubai. In China, 3 new properties will join the 22 existing hotels. Sofitel Qingdao in Eastern China, Sofitel Dongguan and Sofitel Guangzhou in Southern China.
