Thomas Cook has announced it will open its latest own-brand hotel on November 1, its first in the United Arab Emirates.
The smartline Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort, will open in the emirate, making it the second of Thomas Cook’s smartline hotels in a long-haul destination after the opening of the smartline Eriyadu resort in the Maldives for this summer.
Thomas Cook has been pushing its own brand hotel product in recent years as the company shifts towards offering higher-end holidays.
The announcement adds to the 22 new own-brand hotels Thomas Cook has already announced will be opening across the summer ‘17 and ‘18 seasons.
Similarly to other hotels in Thomas Cook’s smartline brand, the Ras Al Khaimah Beach resort is close to the beach and has a contemporary design. It is 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport and will have 253 chalets, a 700-metre private beach, three pools, four bars, a coffee shop, a buffet restaurant, a spa with sauna and Jacuzzi and inclusive Wi-Fi. There is also a complimentary shuttle to the Ras Al Khaimah Mall.
Alongside the opening of the new hotel, Thomas Cook and Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority have extended their co-operative marketing agreement, which aims to raise the profile of the emirate as a premier leisure destination for European tourists.
Thomas Cook says the resort can be coupled with a trip to Dubai as a relaxing beach holiday, while guests can visit historic forts and villages and experience traditional Bedouin desert life.
There are also opportunities to try a zip-line, hike or cycle on top of Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest peak in the Hajar Mountain range.
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