(Clockwise from left) Millennium Al Barsha, Millennium Place Marina and Millennium Makkah Al Naseem.
Millennium Hotels
Expands In
Middle East
With Four
New Properties
Also plans expansion in Saudi Arabia with six new hotels to create 6,000 new jobs.
Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) has expanded its footprint across the Middle East with the opening of four new properties over recent months.
Millennium Al Barsha is located in Al Barsha, an up-and-coming area in west Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Great for business and leisure travellers, the property is located just minutes away from the Mall of Emirates, and other attractions such as Ski Dubai, Aquaventure Waterpark, Dubai Marina, and The Palm Jumeirah.
The property offers 299 rooms and suites and 109 serviced apartments, dining establishments serving up international cuisine and authentic Moroccan food and recreational facilities including a spa, two rooftop swimming pools, a gym and Kids Club.
Millennium Al Barsha offers 299 rooms and suites and 109 serviced apartments, all outfitted with contemporary décor and modern amenities to ensure a comfortable stay. Pictured above is the Deluxe King Room.
Guests can relax in the afternoon with light refreshments at the Lobby Lounge.
Located just 10km away from Millennium Al Barsha is Millennium Place Marina, Middle East’s first Millennium Place property. The 453-room hotel is set in the bustling district of Dubai Marina, offering guests walking access to nearby sights such as The Walk, Dubai Marina Mall, and The Beach. Selected guestrooms and suites will also offer expansive views of the waterfront and The Palm Jumeirah.
The hotel is also home to the world’s first “MasterChef, the TV Experience” restaurant where diners can feast on dishes based on recipes created by past contestants and champions of the global reality TV series. Guests even get to participate in an interactive “Mystery Box Challenge”. They get to choose from up to 10 ingredients which will be used by the chefs to prepare an “on-the-spot” meal.
Millennium Place Marina houses the first ever “MasterChef, the TV Experience” restaurant. In addition to offering dishes created by past contestants and champions of the reality series, the restaurant is also decked out like the set of the TV series, complete with the MasterChef countdown clock. 
Guests can choose from beautifully appointed rooms and suites with views of the city skyline and Dubai Marina at the 453-key hotel. Pictured above is the executive room.
In Saudi Arabia, MHR has opened its fourth and fifth properties in the holy city of Makkah – Millennium and Copthorne Makkah Al Naseem. The two properties are part of the Al Rajhi complex in the Al Naseem district, and are a five-minute walk away from the Aisha Al Rajhi Mosque.
The two hotels offer a combined 1,307 rooms for tourists and business travellers and offer a slew of amenities including all-day dining restaurants and meeting and events facilities. For guests who are on their pilgrimage, the hotels are also close to holy sites including Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifah, and offer a free 24/7 shuttle service to and from the Haram Mosque, the largest mosque in the world.
Millennium and Copthorne Makkah Al Naseem offer a combined 1,307 rooms and suites (left), and amenities including all-day dining restaurants.
On the back of the new hotel openings, MHR Middle East and Africa (MEA) outlined its plans to open new hotels across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is intending to open six new hotels in the cities of Makkah, Madina, Tabouk, Jizan and Baha. The expansion is expected to create over 6,000 new jobs in the Saudi hospitality industry across various functions.
MHR MEA Chief Operating Officer Mr Kevork Deldelian said, “We are fully committed to strategic expansion in Saudi Arabi, extending our reach across the entire Kingdom with new hotels planned in various locations in the next two years. These new properties are set to become key landmarks in the different cities.”
“The Millennium brand portfolio includes dry and Sharia-compliant hotels, leisure resorts and business hotels, each tailored to meet the needs its surrounding and source markets,” he added. (A dry hotel is one where alcohol is not served and not allowed on premises.)
The expansion move is also in line with Saudi Vision 2030, the country’s move to reduce its dependence on oil and see diversify its economy. MHR MEA foresees massive growth in the travel, tourism and hotel sector in the country, and has also rolled out its TooMooH talent development programme. The programme aims to attract and boost local talent in the hospitality industry for nationals of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Saudi Arabia.
