IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced three franchise projects in the UAE in the space of a week. In a partnership with Aldar, IHG will upgrade the existing Yas Plaza hotels and Aldar’s desert resort in the Al Dhafra region under the Vignette Collection brand in Abu Dhabi. It will also be flagging the world’s tallest all-hotel tower in Dubai under the Vignette Collection banner.
IHG has a significant number of franchised hotels globally, with 80 per cent of its 6,000 plus hotels being franchised, Amith Khanna, Head of Franchise, India, Middle East & Africa at IHG Hotels & Resorts, tells TTN in an interview.
Khanna also expressed optimism about continuing to grow their franchised portfolio in the region, stating: “I am quite optimistic that by 2028, we will double our portfolio, which is get to 100 hotels in the India, Middle East and Africa region.
“We have already seen a 40 per cent jump in one year.”
STRAYLIGHT YAS
IHG’s strategic partnership with Aldar, the country’s leading real estate developer, investor and manager, will undertake a major repositioning project on Yas Island to transform six hotels within the Yas Plaza complex into a single integrated Vignette Collection resort. The franchise agreement involves the refurbishment and conversion of the current hotels into distinct properties within the newly named Straylight Yas, Vignette Collection. A key element of the project is to open private beach access to the complex for the first time.
The ultimate transformation will add 1,389 keys to IHG’s expanding UAE portfolio. The single operator model is designed to streamline and consolidate the property’s reputation as a premier integrated resort destination that provides diverse experiences under one unified identity.
Inaugurated in 2009, Yas Island is a premier leisure and entertainment hub that is key to Abu Dhabi’s global tourism appeal. Spanning 25 sq. km, the island is renowned for its world-class attractions and hosting major sporting and entertainment events, including the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Set to open during Q4 2025, the new resort will feature an underground tunnel to facilitate direct beach access, a retail and food and beverage strip, and connections to the prestigious Yas Links Abu Dhabi golf course. Additionally, the project will introduce a range of new facilities, including golf and beach villas, a beach club, an open-air theatre, standalone F&B venues, and various other new leisure amenities.
AL DHAFRA HOTEL
Vignette Collection, as part of IHG’s Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, offers the next generation of travellers one-of-a-kind stays in memorable destinations, enriched with authentic experiences. The brand has achieved significant growth since its launch in 2021 and has plans to expand globally to more than 100 properties within the next decade.
The partnership with Aldar will also see the conversion of Aldar’s Al Dhafra region hotel, formerly known as Tilal Liwa, into a world-class Vignette Collection resort. Scheduled for soft opening later this year, followed by full opening in Q2 2025, the upcoming Vignette Collection hotel will be a unique luxury retreat experience in the Abu Dhabi desert, adding 110 keys to IHG’s portfolio.
With its design inspired by local heritage, the Vignette Collection hotel in the Al Dhafra region will feature tented villas with private pools alongside rooms and suites, three restaurants, a world-class spa, swimming pool, four meeting rooms, children’s play area and a gift shop.
CIEL, VIGNETTE COLLECTION
IHG also announced a franchise deal of a new Vignette Collection property set to be the tallest all-hotel tower in the world when it opens in Dubai next year. The agreement will see the launch of Ciel, Vignette Collection, offering an unsurpassed lifestyle experience in Dubai Marina.
The landmark Ciel, under the ownership of The First Group and the management of The First Group Hospitality, is a multistorey high-rise hotel with 80-plus floors based in Dubai Marina. With construction rapidly advancing and the building already topped out, the award-winning property will have 1,000 rooms and suites, three restaurants, Dubai’s highest infinity pool, fitness centre, spa, club lounge, and observation bar and lounge, with uninterrupted views of Palm Jumeirah, the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai skyline.