Dubai’s premium hospitality offering will receive a boost with the soft opening of Dukes Dubai tomorrow (December 28), delivering an upscale blend of cosmopolitan luxury, twinned with British charm and tradition.

The five-star hotel is located on the west trunk of Palm Jumeirah. It is the first international property for Dukes, which has been popular with GCC visitors in London for decades.

Dukes Dubai, owned and operated by Seven Tides, will bring 273 guestrooms and 227 hotel apartments, together with world-class leisure, conference and entertainment facilities including a stunning private beach, indoor pool, outdoor infinity pool and state-of-the-art gym, along with six food and beverage outlets.

“Once complete, Dukes Dubai will consist of 273 guestrooms including 64 suites, with a ladies-only Liberty Duchess floor featuring 20 rooms, as well as 227 fully furnished hotel apartments and six distinctive dining experiences,” said Abdulla Bin Sulayem, CEO, Seven Tides.  

Initially for the soft opening, bedrooms on the first six floors of the 15-floor property will be in service, as will the hotel’s signature outlet Great British Restaurant (GBR) and Dukes Bar.

Serving modern British brasserie-style cuisine, GBR will operate under the culinary direction of executive chef Martin Cahill, serving quality British produce in a dramatic setting overlooking the Gulf. The meticulously planned menu of much loved dishes includes cod and chips, Lancashire hot pot, Colchester Oysters and Dover sole, with calorific sweets taken straight from the kitchens of the home counties.

For lighter bites and drinks, guests can head to Dukes Bar, which is famed for its signature selection of martinis.

Guests can also opt to dine at the award-winning Manhattan style grill and bar, West 14th, already located within the same development, whose executive chef, Clive Pereira, was named Gastronomic Superstar at the Leaders in Hospitality Awards 2016, said the statement.

The soft opening of Dukes Dubai comes at a time when Dubai’s popularity with British nationals continues to rise. In 2015 Dubai welcomed 1.2 million visitors from the UK, representing the emirate’s third largest source market. That is in addition to approximately 240,000 UK nationals that are estimated to be resident in the UAE, it said.

“Dubai is an increasingly popular destination for travellers from the UK, especially during the Christmas and New Year period and having the opportunity to begin our soft opening period on 28th December, we didn’t hesitate to open our doors,” said Debrah Dhugga, managing director of Dukes Dubai and Dukes London.

The remainder of the property will be completed in early 2017. This will include traditional Northern Indian restaurant Khyber, marking the first international outpost for the Mumbai-based family restaurant group. Visitors can also look forward to the Tea Lounge for afternoon tea and the Cigar Lounge, offering a sophisticated selection of fine cigars and malts. - TradeArabia News Service