(MENAFN - Arab News) Representatives of King Abdullah International Foundation and Sofitel, the luxury brand of French Hotel Group Accor, gathered in Jeddah to commemorate the signing of a management contract of a Sofitel hotel in Riyadh, in the presence of Prince Khalid ibn Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz, chairman of the board of directors of the Foundation, and Accor Chairman & CEO Denis Hennequin.
Set in an ideal location in a fast-growing area of the capital city, in close proximity of many key business drivers such as the central business district on King Fahd Road, the King Saud University and the Diplomatic Quarter, the hotel will be the perfect venue for high-end domestic and international business travelers, government officials and diplomats. The 5-star luxury hotel will be the anchor point of a major complex, developed over an area of approximately 100,000 square meters. This mixed-use development will also include the headquarters of the foundation, a mosque and a convention center.
The Sofitel Riyadh, which is currently under construction, is expected to open by the end of 2015. Its guests will enjoy a full range of facilities that include approximately 400 rooms and suites, six food and beverage outlets, various meeting facilities, a swimming pool, a spa and additional recreational amenities.
"Our partnership with Accor will form an important building block to support the lasting success of the Foundation," said Salim Al-Aydh, executive president of the Foundation, who signed the contract on behalf of the Foundation.
This new project is major step for Sofitel, which confirms its enthusiasm for the Gulf region where 4 hotels in the region are already operated, plus a future launch scheduled in Dubai in July 2013. "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," said Denis Hennequin, Accor Chairman & CEO.
