We spoke with the General Manager of Occidental Al Jaddaff, Eduardo Espiritusanto to discuss his views on their brand and the future of hospitality in UAE along with how will his hotel be part of it.
- Can you tell us what are distinct features of the Occidental Al Jaddaf?
Occidental Al Jaddaf opened its doors in 2021 and has quickly risen in popularity as the ideal city escapes in the heart of Dubai. Located in the thriving Al Jaddaf district, Occidental Al Jaddaf encapsulates our Spanish essence by combining Arabian culture with the Spanish hospitality flair.
Housing world-class dining outlets and impressive facilities against the backdrop of vibrant design, Occidental Al Jaddaf offers an immersive perspective to discover Dubai, offering a distinctive local experience that stimulates the senses, and has become one of the city’s most energetic hospitality destinations.
Catering to the needs of every traveller our rooms are ideal for families, explorers, and solo travellers, and offer a range of facilities for business and leisure travellers. These include a comprehensive offering for guests with mouth-watering F&B outlets, an exquisite spa, a state-of-the-art gym, a relaxing pool, rejuvenating beauty salon, sophisticated meeting and business rooms, and premium lounges.
Occidental Al Jaddaf houses 365 rooms including 66 spacious suites, with 22 of these featuring a spacious terrace with incredible panoramic views of the Dubai skyline and the stunning Burj Khalifa. All rooms and suites are designed to offer guests ultimate comfort and relaxation and have a strikingly modern and comfortable aesthetic. We offer our guests the convenience of being close to Dubai’s main leisure and tourist attractions including the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Wafi Mall, Dubai Frame, Dubai Creek, and Old Dubai. Health Care City and cultural landmarks such as the Mohammed bin Rashid Library and the Jameel Arts Center are easily accessible, and within a short drive to the city’s commercial hubs including Dubai World Trade Center, Business Bay, and Dubai Design District, making us a preferred hospitality destination for business travellers.
As the hotel is in the heart of the city, guests can reach Dubai International Airport and a metro station within minutes, ideal for both leisure and business.
- Can you tell us what is the sort of atmosphere and vibe an Occidental hotel would like to portray to its customers?
As part of the Occidental brand, we have implemented our brand ethos of Responsible Living, and are proud to be a part of the leading Spanish hotel chain in the region. We offer our customers responsible hotel stays, are committed to a sustainable lifestyle, and take responsibility for ensuring our guests have unique hospitality experiences when visiting the vibrant city of Dubai.
As part of Barceló Hotel Group’s Barceló Responsible initiative, we have implemented 25 measures at the property including improved energy efficiency, responsible consumption, disposal of single-use plastics, waste management, and a commitment to the environment and local economy.
Aligning to further enhance Barceló Hotel Group’s vision of supporting Dubai to achieve Net-Zero by 2050, we at Occidental Al Jaddaf have incorporated waste management and recycling processes into back-end operations. Every Occidental unit features water and energy restrictors that minimize the use of water and light across the properties. And include renewable energy green sockets and rooftop photovoltaic panels that follow a circular economy approach.
- What is the unique value proposition that you offer to your customers?
As the leading Spanish hotel chain in the region, Barceló Hotel Group offers unique guest experiences across the world. At Occidental Al Jaddaf, the welcoming atmosphere, and added value, ensure each guest enjoys a memorable experience.
Our hotel caters to all, from extravagant getaways to destination weddings, delicious brunches, and dinners, revitalizing spa experiences or spending a refreshing day by the pool, or relishing the gorgeous sunset views from the comfort of our stellar rooms; there is so much to experience at Occidental Al Jaddaf that we welcome regular revisiting from satisfied guests.
- Tell us a bit about the F&B outlets in the hotel and how it offers a unique offering.
Guests are taken on a sensorial culinary journey across our six F&B outlets, from the flavours of Levant at Souk restaurant to an exclusive gastronomic experience at Bar Baar and the picturesque Stage Pool Lounge with panoramic views of the city skyline.
- Our all-day dining restaurant, Souk Restaurant boasts international cuisine and offers an array of delectable Levantine dishes. The spacious restaurant also features a private dining area, perfect for families and group visits in a more intimate setting.
- Stage Lounge & Bar is a stylish venue offering panoramic views of the Burj Khalifa and the Downtown city skyline. The poolside bar brings to life a refreshing ambience with shisha and live entertainment. Guests can enjoy tasty treats and thirst-quenching beverages in a vibrant atmosphere by the pool with exciting F&B packages ranging from evening offers, Happy hours, and Ladies’ Nights to Arabic Nights and retro Desi Nights.
- Rue Hamra, an up-scale Lebanese restaurant, recently opened in the Middle East’s dining capital, Dubai, at the Occidental Al Jaddaf, transporting foodies into the heart of Beirut’s pulsating dining scene.
- Bar Baar, a newly opened international gastro pub re-invents international cuisines in a modern avatar. Tucked away in the Occidental Al Jaddaf, the Bar Baar Freestyle Kitchen & Bar can seat up to 170 guests and showcases a quaint aesthetic, ideal for late-night dinners in an intimate setting. Mood lighting sets the tone, while rich red curtains drape across the walls and leather sofas offer an elegant dining experience. Guests are treated to a culinary experience from over 3 continents along with rare, explored flavours combinations and cutting-edge innovation.
- Situated on the mezzanine floor, Premium Lounge provides in-house guests with an intimate setting to enjoy afternoon tea or energizing coffee and is tastefully designed for private gatherings.
- Premium Level Bar provides the ultimate experience with an infusion of class, traditional food and beverages, entertainment, and ambient music.
- Tell us about the rooms that OAJ has to offer for families and individuals.
All 365 rooms encapsulate a strikingly modern and comfortable aesthetic. The stunning, sunlit rooms offer an awe-inspiring experience featuring vibrant shades of blue, purple, green, and orange juxtaposed with majestic accents of gold and silver that combine elements of both European and Arabesque architecture, blending both cultures tastefully and playfully across all room categories.
Families will find a host of suites that make Occidental Al Jaddaf the perfect hotel for a comfortable stay for parents and little ones. Couples and solo travellers can enjoy a modern, cosy, and welcoming ambience across facilities. Business travellers can opt for the calming one-bedroom suites as well, which offer spacious features to work in tranquillity.
The hotel has five different room categories:
- Deluxe and Superior Rooms, modern rooms have a design with facilities ideally suited to both leisure and business travellers, measuring 28 to 31 sq. m.
- Junior Suites and Suites, measuring between 42 to 76 sq. m, which include a separate living room and a spacious private balcony from which to enjoy the sunset and views of the ultimate Dubai skyline.
- The exclusive Signature Suites, measuring approx. 90 sq. m, offer ultimate luxury and include a separate living room and a private bar, decorated with Avant grade accents of silver and gold hues.
Whether the guest is looking for an intimate or city-getaway to truly unwind, there’s an immersive experience for everyone.
- Tell us about the meeting rooms and ballroom facilities that you have to host events. What are the features and why should clients book with you?
Blending the Spanish hospitality of flair with Arabian heritage is a winning combination, as both cultures complement one another. As a Spanish brand, our rich culture is always at the heart of what we do. This is elevated by gracefully incorporating Arabian elements and finishes into our offerings and services.
Occidental Al Jaddaf has a passionate team of hoteliers, dedicated to serving and assisting with all event and guest requests. With state-of-the-art meeting rooms, with natural daylight and custom audio-visual equipment, ranging from the bigger meeting room that can be used as a private dining room for up to 75 seated guests to conference rooms and stylish meeting rooms for business events.
We strive to offer excellence coupled with sophistication and comfort. Any special occasion can be hosted at Occidental Al Jaddaf, adding to the outstanding facilities with cocktail menus, executive lunches, and wide selections of beverages.
- Tourism has had a massive comeback to Dubai – how do you see this translating to bigger growth in the hospitality sector this year?
The National Tourism Strategy in the UAE aims to attract 40 million hotel guests to the country by 2031, setting strategies in place to position the UAE as the perfect tourism destination for the world.
Over the past few years, the national agenda has shifted towards focusing on digital and experiential tourism, as well as, sustainable development of tourism growth in the country. It is becoming easier to live and work from anywhere and these impacts booking patterns and occupancy rates, with longer stays and fewer trips required by domestic and international visitors during the calendar year.
Al Jaddaf is a vibrant up-and-coming district in Dubai and is well-positioned to host exciting new development projects such as the Dubai Urban Tech District. It will be the largest urban technology district in the world, and will also be home to urban technology institutes, which will foster the next generation of technology leaders.
At Occidental Al Jaddaf we have experienced first-hand this modern shift in the tourism sector and in 2022 we achieved an increase of 22% in occupancy in comparison to the previous year, which was the first year of operation of the Hotel. We look forward to an exciting year ahead and welcoming guests from across the world.