Luxury resort and hotel apartments to add quintessentially British flavour to Dubai – best of British service is the foundation of DUKES’ brand proposition

Dubai, UAE, November 1, 2016:  The first international property for the DUKES Collection, whose flagship hotel DUKES London is a popular destination for GCC travellers, will add a quintessentially British flavour to Dubai’s current premium hospitality offering, when it opens later this year.

Owned and operated by leading UAE based luxury hospitality developer, Seven Tides, DUKES Dubai, which is situated on the trunk of the Palm Jumeirah, once fully operational will employ over 400 staff, from around the world who will need to be fully immersed in all things British. 

“Dubai is now the fourth most popular destination in the world, it is a cosmopolitan city, a playground for the rich and famous. These international travellers recognise, expect and demand quality service and we have to deliver, not only to realise the DUKES stringent brand values and to secure guest loyalty but to compete successfully in Dubai’s highly competitive luxury hospitality market,” Said Abdulla Bin Sulayem, CEO, Seven Tides International.       

“Our intensive training programme will focus on the essence of great British service. With new staff arriving from countries near and far, it is important that we explain the concept of great British service, establish DUKES’ standards and stress the value of consistency, both in theory and practice,” added Debrah Dhugga, Managing Director, DUKES Collection. 

DUKES’s philosophy is certainly in tune with the latest customer research. A recent Walker study found that by 2020 customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator and a UK 2015 Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) also revealed that 60% of UK consumers prefer a balance of price and service, and will not accept low service levels in exchange for a lower price.

“Good service never goes out of fashion,” added Dhugga, “and I can’t recall any guest being happy about paying, albeit a reduced amount, for poorer service,” she added.

Dubai welcomed 1.2 million visitors from the UK in 2015, representing the emirate’s third largest source market, due to its inimitable blend of year-round sunshine, beach, luxury retail brands and leisure attractions, in addition to its ‘tax-free’ commercial hub status and easy access with Emirates alone offering ten daily flights between London and Dubai. 
“Dubai is an increasingly popular destination for travellers from the UK, and our experience of welcoming loyal guests from the emirates and wider Gulf to DUKES London has helped us identify an opportunity to export our brand,” said Dhugga. 

Spread over 15 floors, DUKES Dubai will offer 279 bedrooms including 64 suites with a women-only Duchess floor featuring 20 rooms plus 227 fully furnished hotel apartments, along with six distinctive dining experiences and extensive landscaped leisure facilities including a private beach and health club.

Guests can enjoy unique dining experiences at six distinctive dining venues including the hotel’s signature outlet, the Great British Restaurant (GBR), which, under the culinary direction of executive chef Martin Cahill, will offer modern British casual-style cuisine. 

DUKES Dubai will also add a flavour of India to its restaurant repertoire with the launch of the first international outpost for Mumbai-based family restaurant group, Khyber, which will specialise in traditional Northern Indian cuisine.

Other dining locations include The Tea Lounge offering Traditional British Afternoon Tea and the award-winning Manhattan style grill and bar, West 14th, whose executive chef, Clive Pereira, was named Gastronomic Superstar at the Leaders in Hospitality Awards 2016.

For lighter bites and drinks, there’s DUKES Bar serving a signature drinks, and the Cigar Lounge offering a sophisticated selection of fine cigars and malts plus signature cheese boards.

Landscaped leisure activities include a choice of three indoor and outdoor pools including an infinity pool and lazy river, fitness centre, private stretch of white sandy beach and kids club. 

The 227 studio and one-bedroom apartments are targeted at families and long staying guests. Fully furnished, the apartments are made up of 185 studios and 42 one-bedroom units.