IHG and Al-Futtain, one of the region’s most progressive business houses, signed a management deal for the U.A.E.’s largest Holiday Inn hotel at Dubai’s iconic Festival City.

The 520-room Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City will be the first branded mid-market hotel in the region, meeting a broad range of guest needs with premium offerings at a value rate. The hotel’s prime location in the well-established mixed-use waterfront community provides guests with direct access to Dubai Festival City Mall, which boasts a wide variety of dining and premier shopping and convenient road access to Dubai’s iconic landmarks. The hotel is located only two kilometres from Dubai International Airport.

“This signing is pivotal to IHG’s growth plans in the region as there is growing demand for mid-market hotels in the U.A.E., especially in Dubai. With the Holiday Inn brand’s universal appeal and ability to consistently offer a reliable welcoming experience in over 70 countries around the world, it’s the perfect brand to meet this need,” said Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, IMEA, IHG.

Guests will enjoy the customary IHG offerings, including high-quality in-room amenities, free high-speed wireless internet and IHG’s industry-leading loyalty program. The hotel will feature an adjoining café and restaurant, a rooftop grill, state-of-the-art health club, four meeting rooms and a conference center, making the hotel a great option for both business and leisure travellers.

“Following the major redevelopment and expansion of the Dubai Festival City Mall and the development of the Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City, we will be providing visitors and residents with a complete range of retail, business and leisure activities and wide-ranging accommodation to guests and residents alike,” said Chris O’Donnell, group director, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate.

The hotel will be completed toward the end of 2017.