The One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai, triumphed at the Depa Hotel Awards last night beating 26 participants to be named Middle East North Africa Hotel of the Year.
The awards, attributed by live ‘Interactive Voting System’, were presented during a glittering ceremony at Dubai’s Grand Hyatt and attended by more than 750 people from the international hotel and tourism sector.
The Grand Rotana Resort and Spa, Sharm El Sheik scooped the Middle East Resort Property of the Year while The Fairmont Dubai was named Business Hotel of the Year. The trophy for New Hotel went to Qasr Al Sharq, Jeddah KSA and One and Only Royal Mirage, Dubai won their second award of the night in the Hotel Spa Facility of the Year category
A clearly delighted Patrick Antaki from Le Meridien Al Aqah was crowned Hotel Manager of the Year.
He was joined by an equally thrilled Claudia Nazzal from Courtyard by Marriott Dubai Green Community as Young Hotelier of the Year.
The F&B Award of the year was scooped by Beach Rotana Hotel and Towers, Abu Dhabi while the Standard Hotel Room of the Year and Commitment to Quality Award was attributed to Le Royal Hotel Beirut and Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai respectively.
Now in their sixth year, the Depa Middle East Hotel Awards are designed to recognize and reward outstanding service, performance and creativity by the region’s hotels and hospitality professionals.
Depa Chief Executive Officer, Mohannad Sweid said: “Depa has been working with the region’s hotels for a long time and although we are not involved in the judging we knew that the ‘live voting system’ would be the key for this year event success. We are absolutely delighted for the winners although it must be stressed that each and every entry exemplified excellence in all the categories.”
Mrs. Noor El-Solh, Managing Director of Strategy at Depa United Group, added: “The Hoteliers were faced with a truly daunting task, voting for each other and recognizing each other’s excellence. The standard of entries was outstanding in all areas and I am sure that deciding the winners was certainly not easy. I’d like to extend my congratulations to every hotel that entered. All were worthy contenders.”
Depa also thanked the support sponsors of the awards which included: HSBC; Arab Bank; Al Aqariya TV; City 7 TV; S. Pellegrino; Acqua Panna; WSI Internet Consulting; Satellite; The Hotel Show; Mediaone FZ LLC; Ninawa Tours; Arte Casa; Decolight; Sara General Trading; Villeroy & Boch; Carrara, and Specialized Metal Systems (SMS).
“The commitment from our co-sponsors, the team and the hotels which prepared such superb entries have all helped to set a benchmark for best practice within the region’s hospitality sector,” added Sweid.
“The Depa Awards are now well and truly established as the pinnacle of excellence to which all Middle East hotels aspire. We are already looking forward to next year’s event and genuinely hope that those who were not so lucky this time will try again. They owe it to themselves.”
Depa United Group:
Depa United Group was established in the year 2006, combining over 12 diversified companies as subsidiaries, specializing in the full scope fit-out and furnishing of five star luxury hotels, yachts and facilities. Depa’s main office is in Dubai with branches in Abu Dhabi, Doha, Cairo, Casablanca, Khartoum, Jeddah, Milan and Shanghai, and site offices in various cities in the Middle East & North Africa.
This network allows Depa’s clients to benefit from the knowledge, organizational ability, purchasing power and facilities it provides. Some of its subsidiaries’ references in UAE are: Burj al Arab, Conference Palace Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Ritz Carlton, Grand Hyatt, Al Bustan Rotana, Fairmont and Hilton. Additionally, projects in Egypt include: Four Seasons Sharm El-Sheikh, Four Seasons Nile Plaza, J.W Mariott Cairo, Sheraton Alexandria, Hilton Luxor and Crown Plaza Sharm El Sheikh. In other areas, some of the works completed are: Four Seasons Doha, Sheraton Bahrain, Grand Hyatt Muscat, Sheraton Amman, Le Royal Amman, Radisson SAS Cannes, Ledra Mariott Athens, Radisson Parkway Orlando, Hilton Osaka.
After three decades of prestigious hotel interiors accomplishments, Depa United Group continues to present magnificent achievements in turnkey interiors of five star luxury hotels and yachts, and has developed professional customized services for financing and products leasing, allowing clients to benefit for extended financial facilities.
Depa Dubai LLC is part of a recently set up regional interior giant that taps a thriving industry, home and abroad. Depa United Group has joined hands with selected investment houses and high-net-worth individual investors that include Al Futtaim Capital, Emaar Industrial and Investment Co., International Investment House and many other blue-chip investors form UAE, Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries.
The companies initially consolidated under Depa United Group are of the most well known in the region; they include and are limited to:
• Depa Interiors LLC – Dubai
• Depa Abu Dhabi for Decoration, Contracting and General Maintenance LLC
• MIVAN Depa for Decoration LLC
• Pino Meroni Yacht Interiors LLC
• Deco Emirates LLC
• El Diar LLC
