The H Dubai is a 5-star hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on the perimeter of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Dubai World Trade Centre at Number One Sheikh Zayed Road.[1]
The building
editThe building is composed of two towers and has the shape of the letter H. One tower is a 34-floor hotel and the other is a 40-floor office tower, linked on the 29th floor by a Sky Suite.
The hotel is 142,6 m (467,8 ft.) high[2] and has 236 rooms, suites, and apartments. The Royal Penthouse Suite is spread across 1,130 sqm over two floors with a 360-degree view of Dubai, a majlis and a rooftop private pool.[3]
In addition, The H Dubai has 11 dining outlets, an events center, a Mandara Spa and an outdoor pool.[4]
The history
editThe construction of the building started in 2004 and lasted 3 years.[2] The project architect, Enzo Messina, wanted to create a transition between Bur Dubai and World Trade Centre, the office tower being the delimitation of these two districts.[5]
The building is a blend of contemporary and Arabic style.[6] During the construction, materials used were concrete, glazed-glass, aluminum, and marble with fossilized remains of species from 180 million years ago.[5]
The lobby was designed as an atrium encircled by a series of glass balconies where guests on the first and second floors could see the lobby. In the center, the lounge was surrounded by some palm trees and a shallow water rill.[6]
Opening & rebranding
editThe hotel was opened to the public in 2007 and was named after the hotel brand Monarch, a five-star luxury hotel brand. It was part-owned and fully operated by Kuwait’s Refad Hotels and Resorts through a joint venture with a Dubai Government entity.[7] The Monarch used to host royalty and international celebrities such as Richard Branson or Kofi Annan among others.[6]
The management contract with Refad Hotels and Resorts ended and a private institutional investment house based in Abu Dhabi took full ownership of the hotel.[7][8] In 2012, along with the change of ownership, The Monarch was rebranded as The H Hotel. Since 2019, the hotel is managed by STORY Hospitality, a UAE based hospitality management company.
References
edit- ^ "The Monarch Hotel Dubai - SSDubai.com". www.ssdubai.com.
- ^ a b "H Hotel & Convention Center Hotel Tower - The Skyscraper Center". www.skyscrapercenter.com.
- ^ "5-Star Hotel in Dubai | Elegant Staycation - The H Dubai Hotel". The H Dubai.
- ^ "H Hotel".
- ^ a b "The Monarch Dubai". February 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c Goveas, Bina. "Italian design for Monarch Dubai". gulfconstructiononline.com.
- ^ a b Birchall, Louise (June 11, 2012). "Monarch Dubai becomes The H Hotel in owner shift". Hotelier.
- ^ "UAE group rebranded as STORY Hospitality". www.tradearabia.com.