AccorHotels continues its growth in Africa and expands its luxury footprint with the management of Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech

New agreement strengthens the Group’s regional development plan to double the Africa network by 200 hotels

AccorHotels, world leading travel & lifestyle group, today announced the signing of a hotel management agreement (HMA) with New Mauritius Hotels Limited, one of the oldest and largest owning and management hospitality companies based in Mauritius.

The new agreement will see AccorHotels relaunch the existing property under the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts brand in May 2017. The reflagging will mark a major step for the luxury brand in Africa.

Located just 12 kilometres from the bustling city of Marrakech, Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech is nestled within the heart of a century-old olive grove, spanning 231 hectares with uninterrupted views of the Atlas Mountains. The hotel also boasts unmatched resort amenities including an expansive 6,608 metre, 18-hole golf course created by renowned architect Cabell B. Robinson.

Olivier Granet, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director, AccorHotels Middle East & Africa said: “We are delighted to have the first Fairmont hotel in operation in Morocco, a unique brand that represents some of the most iconic and distinctive hotels in the world. ” He further added: “Morocco is a strategic market for us and one in which we are witnessing solid growth and momentum. With 37 hotels currently within our portfolio, we look forward to complementing the country’s already robust tourism development plan, and to reinforce our global development objective for Africa overall by doubling our network to reach 200 hotels.  

Gilbert Espitalier-Noël, Chief Executive Officer, New Mauritius Hotels Limited said: "We are delighted to have signed this management agreement with the luxury division of AccorHotels. The Royal Palm Marrakech is an exceptional resort which we are proud to have developed during particularly difficult economic times. We are confident that the management and commercial strength of the AccorHotel Group, with its newly acquired Fairmont brand, will contribute to establishing the Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech as Morocco’s premier resort.” 

Featuring 134 guestrooms including five Presidential Suites, one Penthouse Suite, and 10 Prince villas, the resort currently also offers 94 private residences consisting of two, three and four-bedroom villas. Subsequent phases of the development will include both Fairmont Royal Palm Residences and Fairmont Royal Palm Estates, joining Fairmont’s exclusive portfolio of branded private residences. Currently under development, the branded residences will be serviced by Fairmont, enabling residents to enjoy the full benefits of a resort lifestyle.  Each Residence is elegantly designed, ranging from 200 square meters for a two-bedroom to over 500 square meters for a four-bedroom villa. Optional furniture packages will be available, featuring inspired designs that reflect local heritage and cultural influences, as well as high quality materials, fabrics and appliances.

Hamid Bentahar, Executive Vice President, Luxury & Upscale Brands, Africa & Indian Ocean, AccorHotels, added: “We’re delighted to announce this new mixed-use property that combines luxury residences and a five-star hotel. Our exceptionally strong residential expertise means we offer one of the most attractive hospitality options to guests not just in Marrakech, but soon in Rabat and Agadir. Fairmont Royal Palm is the latest step in our journey to becoming one of the premium luxury operators in Morocco. Fairmont has a strong lineage with iconic properties such as The Savoy in London, Fairmont Makkah Clock Royal Tower, and Fairmont San Francisco to name a few, and are well known amongst the people of Morocco.”

The resort currently features four restaurants and lounges including Le Caravane, an international restaurant on the terrace; L’Olivier, overlooking the swimming pool and  serving Mediterranean cuisine; Al Ain, a traditional Moroccan restaurant; and Le Bar, offering an evening respite with its own cigar cellar. Due to open shortly, The Golf Course Country Club will add even more options for guests. Serving also as the club house for residence owners, The Country Club will comprise of a lounge, restaurants, and a health club and swimming pool.

Leisure options include a 25 metre year-round heated, ozonized swimming pool as well as a 3,500 sqm spa including a bespoke private area reserved for women. In addition to its own golf club, highlighted by an expanse of 75 hectares, Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech is surrounded by three of the eleven golf courses in the city. It is also the nearest resort to the acclaimed Assoufid Golf Club, award winner of the World Golf Awards 2016 in Morocco.

The vast estate, which lies at the foot of the Atlas mountain range and only a 10-minute drive from Menara Airport, is within close proximity to the mythical Red City offering travellers a culturally enriching and quaint experience with a range of local attractions.    

The addition of a landmark hotel in a strategic market supports AccorHotels’ goal of brand growth and expansion, particularly in the luxury sector. With more than 70 hotels worldwide, Fairmont continues to expand globally with recent openings including Fairmont Quasar Istanbul, Fairmont Chengdu in Western China and Fairmont Fujairah in the Middle East. New luxury hotels scheduled to open later in 2017 include the 317-room Fairmont Amman in Jordan, the 298-room Fairmont Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and the 1048-room Fairmont Austin in Texas. Beyond that, other hotels in development include Fairmont Kuala Lumpur, Fairmont Jeddah Hotel & Resort and Fairmont Costa Canuva in Mexico’s burgeoning Riviera Nayarit region, to name a few.

The Fairmont brand is also expanding in Morocco with other luxury developments. Fairmont Taghazout Bay will be a 155-room luxury property featuring sea facing views and 52 Fairmont branded villas, while Fairmont La Marina Rabat-Salé will be a 200-room luxury hotel that will enjoy close proximity to heritage sites and an enviable location on the Bouregreg river-mouth benefitting from triple water frontage. Both hotels are currently scheduled to open in 2019.

AccorHotels currently operates 37 hotels in Morocco with five hotels in the pipeline, encompassing a combined total of 686 rooms and residences across luxury, upscale, midscale, and economy segments. Notable examples include the Hotel Sofitel Marrakech Lounge and Spa and the Hotel Pullman Marrakech Palmeraie Resort and Spa, both located within easy reach of the city.

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ABOUT FAIRMONT

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts connects guests to the very best of its destinations worldwide, providing travelers with memorable travel experiences, thoughtful and attentive service and luxury hotels that are truly unforgettable. Each Fairmont property reflects the locale’s energy, culture and history through locally inspired cuisine, spirited bars and lounges and distinctive design and decor. With more than 70 hotels globally, and many more in development, the Fairmont collection boasts some of the most iconic and distinctive hotels in the world. This extraordinary collection includes The Plaza in New York, The Savoy in London, Fairmont Grand Del Mar, Dubai’s Fairmont The Palm, Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai, Fairmont San Francisco and Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Québec City. Fairmont is part of AccorHotels, a world-leading travel & lifestyle group and digital innovator offering unique experiences in more than 4,100 hotels, resorts and residences, as well as in over 3,000 of the finest private homes around the globe. For more information or reservations, please visit fairmont.com. 

ABOUT ACCORHOTELS

AccorHotels is a world-leading travel & lifestyle group and digital innovator offering unique experiences in more than 4,100 hotels, resorts and residences, as well as in over 3,000 of the finest private homes around the globe. Benefiting from dual expertise as an investor and operator through its HotelServices and HotelInvest divisions, AccorHotels operates in 95 countries. Its portfolio comprises internationally acclaimed luxury brands including Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel Legend,  SO Sofitel, Sofitel, onefinestay, MGallery by Sofitel, Pullman, and Swissôtel; as well as the popular midscale and boutique brands of 25hours, Novotel, Mercure, Mama Shelter and Adagio; the much-prized economy brands including JO&JOE, ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget and the regional brands Grand Mercure, The Sebel and hotelF1. AccorHotels provides innovative end-to-end services across the entire traveler experience, notably through the recent acquisition of John Paul, world leader in concierge services.

With an unmatched collection of brands and rich history spanning close to five decades, AccorHotels, along with its global team of more than 240,000 dedicated women and men, has a purposeful and heartfelt mission: to make every guest Feel Welcome. Guests enjoy access to one of the world’s most rewarding hotel loyalty programs - Le Club AccorHotels. 

AccorHotels is active in its local communities and committed to sustainable development and solidarity through PLANET 21, a comprehensive program that brings together employees, guests and partners to drive sustainable growth.

Accor SA is publicly listed with shares trading on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and the OTC marketplace (Code: ACRFY) in the United States. 

For more information and reservations visit accorhotels.group or accorhotels.com. 

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