Ayman Gharib, Managing Director, Raffles The Palm Dubai, says they have witnessed a high demand for weddings, suite and villa bookings from India

Classic in shape yet contemporary at heart is the best way to describe Raffles The Palm Dubai. Crafted by European artisans and brought to life by masters in their respective fields, from the chefs to in-house furniture curator to stage performers, the property presents guests elegantly styled rooms and spacious suites with stunning antique furnishings. A uniquely authentic and contrasted hospitality experience for local and travelling connoisseurs, bridging the gap between tradition and vibrant 21st century luxury. “All this complemented by the legendary Raffles service which has been synonymous with extraordinary luxury and glamour,” says Ayman Gharib, Managing Director, Raffles The Palm Dubai. 

Talking about the present-day hospitality market in Dubai and how is Raffles The Palm Dubai positioned for the national and international travellers, Gharib shares, “Raffles, as a brand, has its charm attracting guests who are accustomed to curated experiences, personalised touches and a vibrant culture. This goes for both international and local guests. Overall, the hotel sector is predicted to witness an increase in demand and on property level, we expect to be part of this. We have seen a momentum from the time of the opening of the hotel and we anticipate that this will continue. Raffles The Palm Dubai is the only palatial beach resort of its kind, blending timeless craftsmanship with Dubai’s vibrant social culture in a luxury beach resort environment.”

The hotel, says Gharib, has been positioned as a dining destination with the variety of offerings including Piatti by the beach, Matagi and Sola. “Weddings have been a key contributor and we are proud to have hosted one of the most high-end Indian weddings that was the talk of the town for months. Aside from weddings and social events, the luxury setup and service standards of the property have attracted high-end fashion brands for launch events,” adds the man whose career with Raffles began with a management role overseeing all of F&B operations at Raffles Hotel in Dubai. It was in 2011 that he took on the role of Hotel Manager at Raffles Hotel Dubai and was subsequently named General Manager in 2014. 

Sharing his views on how the property has fared and did the domestic customer make up for the loss of all-important inbound traveller during the pandemic, the Managing Director, Raffles The Palm Dubai, says, “We opened in October 2021 which meant it benefitted from the high season period for Dubai, alongside the demand which was produced by Expo 2020. Aside from international travel, we have seen positive demand from the local market where guests are looking for a relaxing staycation during weekends or public holidays.”

Gharib says India is a very important key feeder market for them. “We have witnessed a high demand for weddings, suite and villa bookings from this market. We are using a variety of commercial and sales activities to promote our property in the market, which supported by the opening of Raffles Udaipur has helped increase the brand recognition for Indian travellers coming to Dubai,” he avers.

With travel priorities having changed radically for both leisure and business customers, what trends has he noticed in recent booking statistics and how he manages to meet changing consumer preferences, Gharib shares, “The booking lead time has shifted to shorter periods of duration while the length of stay has increased. We have also witnessed an increase in demand on suite and villa reservations. Guests, especially families, require pre-planned activities that the hotel offers for children. At Raffles The Palm Dubai, we have a variety of offerings for our little guests from the kid’s club to water sports and an edutainment programme provided by our kids’ butler team.”

The property is, at present, working to achieve Accor’s global goal of eliminating all single use plastic from its properties by the end of 2022. “As part of our efforts, we are eliminating single use shower and shampoo gel bottles by replacing them with refillable dispensers in the rooms as well as removing all plastic straws, plastic cups and stirrers from the property Furthermore, we have implemented recycling of plastic, paper and used cooking oil. These are just some of the activities to highlight as we continue to grow and evolve these activities within the property,” he says.

This article was published in BW hotelier issue dated '' with cover story titled 'BW HOTELIER - THE TALENT POOL SPECIAL'