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Luxury Thai hotel chain Dusit International is coming to the kingdom with the announcement of a new property for Bahrain Health Island.
Boasting a total of seven hotels and residences in the Middle East, either fully operational or under construction, Dusit has unveiled an additional property - Dusit Dilmunia.
"Our regional strategic plan is beginning to unfold," said Octavio Gamarra, senior vice-president of Dusit International. "Thai culture in general is increasingly popular throughout the Middle East."
Dusit signed a memorandum of understanding during Arabian Travel Market with Bahrain-based Ithmaar Development Company (IDC) which outlines Dusit's role for the operation and management of Dusit Dilmunia a five-star resort and spa located on the health island development which will be constructed on reclaimed land to the north of Muharraq.
The property will feature up to 250 guest rooms, restaurants and meeting space as well as a number of Thai-style beach-front villas situated on 30,000sq/m of pristine coastline. In keeping with the Dusit brand, the hotel will also offer Thai health and spa services.
Reclamation work on the 125 hectare man-made island, which will also accommodate residential, commercial and retail space, is on schedule.
Construction of the hotel is expected to begin in 2011 with a significant part of the resort operational by 2012 and the entire island fully completed by 2014.
The timeline for the development of Dilmunia is a factor that IDC believes gives a competitive advantage.
"According to analysts, core construction costs in parts of the Gulf are now over 60 per cent cheaper than they were last year, so we will benefit from these lower costs. In addition even the most pessimistic financial experts agree that the global downturn will be well on the road to recovery by 2012, providing an ideal timeframe for our project," said Mohammed Khalil Al Sayed, CEO and board member of IDC.
