Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa joins Starwood Hotels’ Middle East portfolio

Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa in Dubai joined Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc. as the latest addition to its Luxury Collection portfolio.

The hotel will be renamed Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort and Spa, Dubai, with Emirates retaining ownership of the resort and Starwood Hotels and Resorts overseeing the management of the property. Designed and built following the principles of environmentally friendly development, Al Maha has been at the forefront of eco tourism in the Middle East for over 10 years.

The resort was designed to recreate a Bedouin encampment spread across the vast dunes, featuring 42 secluded suites with tented roofs, floor-to-ceiling windows, marbled bathrooms, private deck and pool. “A pioneer in the area of luxury conservation-based hospitality in the Middle East, Al Maha will be a valuable addition to The Luxury Collection,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and chief executive officer, Emirates Airline & Group.

“As a leading hotel management group, Starwood’s Luxury Collection brand represents some of the finest properties across the world and, with their extensive network, global infrastructure and history of successful brand management, we are confident that they will take Al Maha to even greater heights.”

“We are delighted to take over the management of the Al Maha Resort, extending our long-standing relationship with the Emirates Group and adding a spectacular hotel to the Luxury Collection portfolio in Dubai,” stated Roeland Vos, President of Starwood, Europe, Africa and Middle East. Al Maha rests within the 225-square kilometre Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, one of the largest formally protected conservation reserves in the Gulf, and is internationally recognised.