French Accor to open 2 hotels in Dubai

French hotel group Accor will open two hotels under its luxury Sofitel brand in Dubai next year. A spokesperson for Sofitel confirmed to Hotelier Middle East that the Sofitel The Palm would be the first of two hotels to open in the first half of 2013 on the east crescent of the Palm Jumeirah island. The property will feature 361 contemporary guestrooms and suites, its signature So Spa with 28 treatment rooms, including four outdoor cabanas, four meeting rooms and a 600-person ballroom, as well as 10 F&B outlets. The second property to open will be the Sofitel in Dubai’s Downtown area, in the second half of next year. The Downtown hotel, which has not been officially named yet, will include 350 rooms and suites, five restaurants and four lounges. A ‘Magnifique Terrace’ overlooking the Burj Khalifa will offer event facilities for up to 700 people. The Downtown property will also includes a ballroom and 12 meeting rooms. Sofitel already operates one hotel in the Emirate’s marina area, The Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach. Earlier this month, Accor announced plans to open a Sofitel property in Riyadh. The hotel will be part of a joint venture between the King Abdullah International Foundation and Sofitel brand operator Accor and is slated to open in 2015.