The UAE capital Abu Dhabi is to get a new contemporary five-star coastal landmark – The Emirates Pearl – a joint venture project between Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), the company charged with leveraging the tourism assets of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), and the Atlas Group, a leading telecommunications company in the UAE.

The hotel and serviced apartment resort, including an iconic 240 metre-high tower, will be built at a cost of AED 500 million (US $136 million) on the capital’s Khalidiya coast, opposite the prestigious seven-star Emirates Palace Hotel.

The business and leisure resort centres around the 47-storey tower conceptualised in a new generation podium style designed by Austria’s award-winning architect Dennis Lems.

“This is a signature development for the South West end of Abu Dhabi Corniche and is another step forward in the capital’s plan to have 25,000 hotel rooms by 2015,” said Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Managing Director of TDIC.

Designed to bring a new era of contemporary style to the capital, The Emirates Pearl is being built in a twisting glass design and guests will be welcomed at its entrance by a figurehead sculpture of an Arab hunting scene.

“The hotel’s interiors have been conceptualised by MKV Design Ltd of London which has been behind some of the most successful and acclaimed new hotel build and renovations in Europe,” said Ahmed Seddiq Al Mutawaa, President, Atlas Group. “Inspiration has been taken from the traditional sea, sand and pearling heritage influences of Abu Dhabi resulting in a modernistic approach to Arabian and European interiors.”
Though expected to receive a sizeable slice of Abu Dhabi’s executive travel business, The Emirates Pearl is also looking to attract the leisure visitor.

“We will have a man-made sun-deck island complete with an exclusive beach club and marina,” said Badrik Melikian, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Atlas Group.

“The hotel will be managed by an international hospitality brand name. We are currently in discussion with a number of operators not currently represented in the capital and hope to make an announcement shortly.”

Construction of The Emirates Pearl is to begin this summer and is expected to take two years to complete.

“TDIC’s efforts and those of individual properties currently under development by private sector owners means Abu Dhabi is on target to achieve its ambition of creating an all-encompassing hospitality infrastructure to support its growing international tourism proposition,” added Ahmed Hussein, Chief Operating Officer, TDIC.