Swiss hotel group Mövenpick is in a major expansion mode in the region with the opening of new hotels in Beirut and Cairo and the takeover of a resort in Saudi Arabia.

In Beirut, the group opened its first property with a colourful ceremony recently. Located on Beirut's Corniche, the new Movenpick Hotel and Resort Beirut offers 293 rooms, eight restaurants serving a wide range of dishes from Lebanese to seafood specialties, three bars, a night club and comprehensive recreational and banqueting facilities.

In Cairo, Mövenpick has opened its new property next to the Media City film studios, boosting its Egypt portfolio to eight hotels and two Nile cruisers.

The new 5-star hotel has 214 rooms, 48 executive rooms, 18 junior suites and one presidential suite, a modern leisure centre, a ballroom and a multi-functional theatre.

It has also expanded the Mövenpick Resort El Quseir in Egypt, adding 72 new rooms, a grill restaurant and three additional swimming pools.

In Jeddah, Mövenpick has signed a management agreement to operate a 5-star resort on the private man-made island of Al Nawras Island.

The resort, 22km from Jeddah, has 60 one bedroom and 33 three bedroom villas.