Sofitel, the luxury brand of French Hotel Group Accor, and the King Abdullah International Foundation, recently signed a management contract, finalising the development of a Sofitel hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in the presence of HRH Prince Khalid ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Board of Directors, King Abdullah International Foundation; Denis Hennequin, Chairman and CEO, Accor; and Robert Gaymer-Jones,
CEO, Sofitel Worldwide.
The upcoming property is aimed at high-end domestic and international business travellers, government officials and diplomats. The five-star luxury hotel, set to open at the end of 2015, will be the anchor point of a major complex, developed over an area of approximately 100,000 square metres. This mixed-used development will also comprise the headquarters of the King Abdullah International Foundation, a mosque and a convention centre. The hotel will include around 400 rooms and suites, six food and beverage outlets, meeting facilities, a swimming pool, a spa and additional recreational amenities.
“We believe that the combination of the Sofitel brand with its contemporary and unique style will be a perfect match with the iconic and modern architectural design of the Foundation’s hotel building. In years to come, we hope that the Foundation will be acknowledged as an important venue and a platform for globally significant philanthropic events. Our partnership with Accor, whose reputation for high providing outstanding levels of hospitality will form an important building block to support the lasting success of the Foundation,” stated Prince Abdullah.
“We believe there is a great potential for Sofitel in the Middle East and we are delighted to sign a new agreement for this exceptional project in the Kingdom, with the King Abdullah International Foundation. We believe that the Foundation’s humanitarian values and objectives are very well aligned with Accor’s strong commitment towards the environment, local employment opportunities, talent development and the blend between different cultures,” said Hennequin.