Dubai isn’t old enough to have a renaissance, but “Old Dubai” – the area surrounding the historic Creek area – will soon enjoy a new lease of life thanks to Jewel of the Creek, a US$130 million mixed-use development by Roda Hotels that's due to begin opening in August 2017 and be fully complete by 2020. Some of the new neighbourhood’s highlights will include a 400-metre town-centre lagoon, due to open late 2017, 20 international restaurants as well as a five-star hotel, a fashion-inspired four-star hotel, 787 furnished apartments and the Dubai Dome, which will have a multi-purpose hall capable of holding 3,000 people.
How would you describe your hospitality offering in Dubai?
Jewel of the Creek is going to be a new gourmet village that will revive Deira – the “Old Dubai” – and the accommodation will offer a new level of luxury and a new level of hospitality.
Where else will you take this “gourmet village” concept?
We’re going to have a Roda Hotel in Jumeirah, where the canal is under construction, and another one by the Garhoud area, which will be the same concept. Madinat Jumeirah was a good example but we are taking it to a new plateau, to a new theme and to a new trend. It will be followed for sure in the other GCC countries once it’s opened.
Well us more about the fashion-inspired hotel. Are you partnering with any big brands?
This will be a big surprise. It’s about lifestyle and energy and it’s a new brand that speaks about fashion, throughout the restaurants, bars, outlets and roof. It’s something that will actually be revealed at the Arabian Travel Market in April this year.
Roda Hotels' new Jewel of the Creek project is located on the banks of the Al Maktoum Bridge near Floating Bridge, spanning 123,955 square metres of land
What are your plans for opening new hotels in Iran?
We’ve been approached by UAE businessmen who are developing some [hospitality] projects in Tehran and Mashhad. So far we’ve given technical services, but we think Dubai is going to play a great role [now that sanctions are being lifted] in the rebuilding and construction of Iran. Iran needs 350 new hotels. That’s what the Minister of Tourism told me. So really we’re only scratching the potential there. We’re only investing in the knowhow, technical services and management services only.
What other predictions and announcements do you have?
I think all of our Roda projects will be ready for Dubai’s Expo 2020 and then we will branch out within the GCC and we definitely hope to go to Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. We are the new, we are the future and we are the new blood. And you can quote me; international hotel chains will diminish in the next 5-10 years. Owners will want to operate their own hotels themselves because international chains have become supermarkets. There is no more personalised attention to the owner; it has become a supermarket.
So Roda is focusing on a unique and personalised service?
Yes. Average rates are going down, occupancy and quality of food and beverage is going down – there’s no more creativity. The best restaurants are now operated by private institutions, they’re not in hotels. Roda will make the difference when open. Our restaurants are all new concepts and new ideas that we are bringing to this part of the world – from Las Vegas, San Francisco, London and the Far East – all totally new concepts and new cuisines. Affordable prices is our motto.
