Jabal Omar Development Company (JODC), the region's leading real estate development company, announced Wednesday that Emaar Hospitality Group's premium luxury hotel brand Address Hotels + Resorts has been selected to manage its flagship hospitality project in the Holy City of Makkah. This also marks the first expansion of Address Hotels + Resorts to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Jabal Omar Address Makkah, scheduled to open in 2019, is located just steps away from the Grand Mosque. With two elegantly designed identical towers, Jabal Omar Address Makkah is centrally located and forms the tallest towers within the master development. An interconnecting bridge linking the two towers serves as a visual landmark of the project. With a built-up area of about 2 million sq m, Jabal Omar features residences, hotels, malls, retail amenities, prayer areas and other support facilities. Jabal Omar Address Makkah will meet the growing need for luxury accommodation in Makkah with Address Hotels + Resorts to manage 1,490 hotel rooms and suites including units available for freehold sale. Yasser Faisal Al-Sharif, Chief Executive Officer of Jabal Omar Development Company, said: "As our single-largest development and located in the heart of the Holy City of Makkah, Jabal Omar development is our prestigious project that complements our goals to promote a robust infrastructure that supports Haj and Umrah pilgrims. We wanted to ensure that the Jabal Omar Address Makkah stands out for its unique brand identity and exceptional service standards. Address Hotels + Resorts has proven expertise in managing world-class luxury mixed-use projects, and by choosing a brand that has its roots in the region, we are confident of delivering a hospitality choice that will support the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to promote religious and cultural experiences." Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties, said: "We are honored to mark the expansion of Address Hotels + Resorts, the premium luxury hotel brand under Emaar Hospitality Group, to Saudi Arabia with the signing of this important management contract with Jabal Omar Development Company. As an iconic development situated near the Grand Mosque, Jabal Omar Address Makkah will appeal to visitors from across the world by offering distinctive value propositions including its central location, attentive service and extensive amenities that meet the needs of visitors." Olivier Harnisch, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, added: "Saudi Arabia is one of our focal destinations to expand the footprint of our hotel brands. Jabal Omar development stands out for its unique design features and amenities, and will appeal to religious visitors as well as investors. We are thankful to Jabal Omar Development Company for the opportunity to manage this iconic project through our luxury brand, Address Hotels + Resorts. This underlines the confidence of Jabal Omar Development Company in the competencies of the Address team to meet and exceed their expectations by delivering exceptional customer service and bespoke amenities." Every aspect of the hotel is thoughtfully created; while a guest room is 40 sq m in size, the suites are at 59 sq m and the presidential suites span almost 390 square meters. Over 3,000 sq m within the hotel will be set aside for two lounges featuring cafes and retail outlets. There will also be two signature restaurants, lobby cafes, six meeting rooms, two business centers and two fitness clubs. Jabal Omar Address Makkah will also have easy connectivity for visitors with the opening of the Haramain High Speed Rail that links the Holy City with Madinah via Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City. — SG
