LE MERIDIEN TO BE PART OF CITY STAR HELIOPOLIS IN CAIRO

Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts Middle East and West Asia, announced the signing of upscale luxury boutique hotel in the City Stars Heliopolis Complex in Cairo, set to open in 2002.

The hotel, a first in the fashionable boutique category for both Le Meridien and Cairo, is to be distinguished from other hotels by its architecture, interior design and hi-tech facilities in guestrooms and public areas.

According to Michel Noblet, Le Meridien’s managing director, Middle East and West Asia : "Once opened, the City Stars complex in the city’s Heliopolis district will bring to Cairo a level of luxury and opulence never witnessed before in Egypt."

The hotel will host of 200 specially designed rooms, including four penthouse suites, two exclusive royal suites and 30 superbly appointed executive junior suites. It will comprise two specialty restaurants, one main restaurant, two bars and a discotheque. While, for the business traveller, full meeting, conference and business facilities will be available.

In addition, the Club House will feature a health & fitness centre, a spa, a swimming pool, billiards, games room and squash courts.

"The signing of this new and lavish hotel in the centre of the city of Cairo, further enhances our standing in Egypt and is instrumental in helping our brand target of more than doubling the Meridien global portfolio in three years – we would like 250 hotels worldwide by 2003," said Noblet.

Le Meridien recently opened Le Meridien Sharm El Sheikh, a 410-room resort property located in South Sinai, bringing up the total number of Le Meridien Hotels in Egypt to five.

"Le Meridien Hotels the world over are well known for their high standards of luxury, service, and facilities and this hotel will not be an exception," says Noblet.

The multi-purpose Heliopolis Complex is being built on an area of 750,000 square metres and will include 350,000 square metres of purpose-built office space, 450 premium apartment units and in-complex support and medical services. Other features include, a skating rink, multiplex cinemas, food courts, a theme park and 24-lane bowling alley.

Le Meridien – the luxury brand of Forte Hotel Group – currently has a global portfolio of more than 150 hotels (32,000 rooms) in 55 countries worldwide and an annual turnover of more than US $ 2 billion. In the Middle East region, the chain operates 20 hotels and resorts, in major destinations like, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In India, the group operates five hotels in major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Bangalore.