Luxury stay
Fraser Suites Dubai is a luxury hotel apartment property on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road, located close to Media City, Internet City, and Knowledge Village, attracting both business and leisure travellers. Inside Investor asked David Brown, General Manager of Fraser Suites Dubai, about the vision behind Fraser’s hospitality concept and the plans of the group within the GCC region.
Q: What is your main clientele at Fraser Suites Dubai?
A: In broad terms, Fraser Suites Dubai enjoys strong support from the corporate market throughout the year which is complimented by leisure travellers who seek out the sun, surf, shopping, and world class attractions of the city during the peak holiday periods.
Q: What makes your accommodation different from other serviced apartment operators?
A: As an operator of 46 Gold Standard serviced residences located in 28 cities in 19 countries around the globe, Frasers Hospitality brings a global perspective to each of its properties which are instilled with a personality that reflects the unique environment, local culture, and community they serve. Central to our vision is the desire to make our guests feel truly at home and we take great care to create engaging lifestyle facilities and serene public spaces that are just as appealing as the beautiful interiors of the luxurious apartments. Of course making our guests feel comfortable would not be possible without the warmth and professionalism extended by our highly skilled staff.
Q: What are the special facilities for business travellers at Fraser Suites Dubai?
A: Fraser Suites Dubai offers business travellers an extensive array of facilities and services designed to make the transition from office to home and back again as seamless as possible. Each of the 158 service residences features WiFi, a work desk with task lighting, hands free phone, voicemail, business news channels and a daily local newspaper delivered to your doorstep. We also provide a free daily shuttle service to Media City, Internet City, and Knowledge Village. A stylish business centre equipped with PC’s, Internet access, a multi-station printer, and private boardroom is ideal for small meetings. The soon to be opened conference centre will host events for 25 to 200 guests in flexible spaces that enjoy an abundance of natural light. The meeting rooms will feature state of the art technology, service at your fingertips, and a vast selection of catering options to ensure the success of every event.
Q: What kind of corporate agreements do you have with large enterprises that send their staff to Dubai? Which companies?
A: More than 80 per cent of Fortune 500 and Forbes corporations are clients of Frasers Hospitality enabling us to provide global accommodation solutions to multi-national clients. Dubai is emerging from its economic slumber and we are seeing a marked increase in ex-patriot staff coming to the city as a result of companies hiring to fuel rising demand. We typically provide accommodation to these guests for one to three months during their “settling-in period” and in some cases we have clients who stay for up to 12 months as they consider the serviced residence concept to be perfect for their needs. Over the past six months we have seen increased demand from the manufacturing, professional services, media and logistics industry sectors.
Q: There has been a trend to choose serviced apartments over hotel rooms among business travellers and executives lately. Why is that, in your opinion?
A: Serviced residences are indeed attracting more business travellers and this is due to a number of reasons. Firstly, the value proposition is hard to beat. A full size apartment with kitchen and laundry facilities, separate bedroom and living areas combined with 24 hour hotel services is a far more attractive option than a standard hotel room which comes at a fraction of the size. At the outset Frasers identified an opportunity to venture into the transient corporate market and increasingly business travellers are identifying with the appeal of a serviced residence. Secondly and perhaps most importantly, for anyone who travels extensively a serviced residence is more of a home away from home that comes equipped with the comforts and amenities that are simply not available in a hotel room.
Q: What is the average length of stay of your guests?
A: The average length of stay varies depending on the time of the year and according to the composition of our customers. Presently about 50 per cent of guests are staying for one month or more, and about 25 per cent of our guests stay for one day up to one week.
Q: Are there any plans of Frasers Hospitality to expand within the UAE or in the greater region?
A: Frasers Hospitality considers the Middle East to be a strategically important region that links our South East Asian and European portfolio of properties. We currently operate three serviced residences – Fraser Suites Bahrain, Fraser Suites Doha, and Fraser Suites Dubai in this region with two more scheduled to open in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2013. We are constantly on the lookout for suitable sites here in the UAE and in the broader GCC to fulfil our ambition to grow our presence here.
Q: Frasers Hospitality has introduced a new brand, Modena, for a younger clientele, which is currently very much focused on Asia. Are there any plans to bring this new brand to the GCC?
A: The Modena brand will remain in China however we are soon to launch another exciting hotel concept in Changi Business Park in Singapore. This 300 room property will have the same design driven focus with eye catching public spaces that seek to engage and attract a younger audience. An announcement on the launch of this new brand is imminent however this is something I cannot reveal at this stage.
Q: How is your loyalty programme, Fraser World, received by your guests?
A: Frasers Hospitality recently launched Fraser World, which is a global programme designed to recognise loyal guests with an extensive range of benefits and exclusive offers. The three tier programme assigns points for each room night of a stay in Frasers properties around the globe booked direct or on line at qualifying rates at frasershospitality.com. We have seen strong take-up of this free-to-join programme and see that this is as a very strong endorsement of the quality and support for our brand. At property level, Fraser Suites Dubai recently launched Fraser Rewards, which is a programme designed to reward the booker responsible for booking and referring clients to the property. Much of our sales work is based on building long lasting relationships ,and we view these as extremely important foundations upon which to grow our business and recognise those who support us.
Q: Fraser is promoting its long-stay offers with budget-friendly price tags. Where would you put your rates by Dubai standards?
A: We provide seasonal offers for short term transient and extended stay guests to stimulate demand during the off peak seasons, however I would not really consider our rates to be “budget” oriented. As a deluxe category property our rates are pitched more toward the premium end of the market however we incorporate an extensive range of value added benefits to make our offers extremely compelling. All of the oversized apartments at Fraser Suites Dubai are situated between levels 23 to 45 of the tower and enjoy uninterrupted views. Our class leading lifestyle facilities include a 25 metre outdoor swimming pool, children’s wading pool, 24-hour gymnasium, tennis and squash courts, yoga room, children’s playroom, ladies and gents sauna, and steam rooms, which are included at no extra cost.
[caption id="attachment_2867" align="alignleft" width="166" caption="David Brown, General Manager of Fraser Suites Dubai"][/caption] Fraser Suites Dubai is a luxury hotel apartment property on Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road, located close to Media City, Internet City, and Knowledge Village, attracting both business and leisure travellers. Inside Investor asked David Brown, General Manager of Fraser Suites Dubai, about the vision behind Fraser's hospitality concept and the plans of the group within the GCC region. Q: What is your main clientele at Fraser Suites Dubai? A: In broad terms, Fraser Suites Dubai enjoys strong support from the corporate market throughout the year which is complimented...
Fraser Suites Dubai is a luxury hotel apartment property on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road, located close to Media City, Internet City, and Knowledge Village, attracting both business and leisure travellers. Inside Investor asked David Brown, General Manager of Fraser Suites Dubai, about the vision behind Fraser’s hospitality concept and the plans of the group within the GCC region.
Q: What is your main clientele at Fraser Suites Dubai?
A: In broad terms, Fraser Suites Dubai enjoys strong support from the corporate market throughout the year which is complimented by leisure travellers who seek out the sun, surf, shopping, and world class attractions of the city during the peak holiday periods.
Q: What makes your accommodation different from other serviced apartment operators?
A: As an operator of 46 Gold Standard serviced residences located in 28 cities in 19 countries around the globe, Frasers Hospitality brings a global perspective to each of its properties which are instilled with a personality that reflects the unique environment, local culture, and community they serve. Central to our vision is the desire to make our guests feel truly at home and we take great care to create engaging lifestyle facilities and serene public spaces that are just as appealing as the beautiful interiors of the luxurious apartments. Of course making our guests feel comfortable would not be possible without the warmth and professionalism extended by our highly skilled staff.
Q: What are the special facilities for business travellers at Fraser Suites Dubai?
A: Fraser Suites Dubai offers business travellers an extensive array of facilities and services designed to make the transition from office to home and back again as seamless as possible. Each of the 158 service residences features WiFi, a work desk with task lighting, hands free phone, voicemail, business news channels and a daily local newspaper delivered to your doorstep. We also provide a free daily shuttle service to Media City, Internet City, and Knowledge Village. A stylish business centre equipped with PC’s, Internet access, a multi-station printer, and private boardroom is ideal for small meetings. The soon to be opened conference centre will host events for 25 to 200 guests in flexible spaces that enjoy an abundance of natural light. The meeting rooms will feature state of the art technology, service at your fingertips, and a vast selection of catering options to ensure the success of every event.
Q: What kind of corporate agreements do you have with large enterprises that send their staff to Dubai? Which companies?
A: More than 80 per cent of Fortune 500 and Forbes corporations are clients of Frasers Hospitality enabling us to provide global accommodation solutions to multi-national clients. Dubai is emerging from its economic slumber and we are seeing a marked increase in ex-patriot staff coming to the city as a result of companies hiring to fuel rising demand. We typically provide accommodation to these guests for one to three months during their “settling-in period” and in some cases we have clients who stay for up to 12 months as they consider the serviced residence concept to be perfect for their needs. Over the past six months we have seen increased demand from the manufacturing, professional services, media and logistics industry sectors.
Q: There has been a trend to choose serviced apartments over hotel rooms among business travellers and executives lately. Why is that, in your opinion?
A: Serviced residences are indeed attracting more business travellers and this is due to a number of reasons. Firstly, the value proposition is hard to beat. A full size apartment with kitchen and laundry facilities, separate bedroom and living areas combined with 24 hour hotel services is a far more attractive option than a standard hotel room which comes at a fraction of the size. At the outset Frasers identified an opportunity to venture into the transient corporate market and increasingly business travellers are identifying with the appeal of a serviced residence. Secondly and perhaps most importantly, for anyone who travels extensively a serviced residence is more of a home away from home that comes equipped with the comforts and amenities that are simply not available in a hotel room.
Q: What is the average length of stay of your guests?
A: The average length of stay varies depending on the time of the year and according to the composition of our customers. Presently about 50 per cent of guests are staying for one month or more, and about 25 per cent of our guests stay for one day up to one week.
Q: Are there any plans of Frasers Hospitality to expand within the UAE or in the greater region?
A: Frasers Hospitality considers the Middle East to be a strategically important region that links our South East Asian and European portfolio of properties. We currently operate three serviced residences – Fraser Suites Bahrain, Fraser Suites Doha, and Fraser Suites Dubai in this region with two more scheduled to open in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2013. We are constantly on the lookout for suitable sites here in the UAE and in the broader GCC to fulfil our ambition to grow our presence here.
Q: Frasers Hospitality has introduced a new brand, Modena, for a younger clientele, which is currently very much focused on Asia. Are there any plans to bring this new brand to the GCC?
A: The Modena brand will remain in China however we are soon to launch another exciting hotel concept in Changi Business Park in Singapore. This 300 room property will have the same design driven focus with eye catching public spaces that seek to engage and attract a younger audience. An announcement on the launch of this new brand is imminent however this is something I cannot reveal at this stage.
Q: How is your loyalty programme, Fraser World, received by your guests?
A: Frasers Hospitality recently launched Fraser World, which is a global programme designed to recognise loyal guests with an extensive range of benefits and exclusive offers. The three tier programme assigns points for each room night of a stay in Frasers properties around the globe booked direct or on line at qualifying rates at frasershospitality.com. We have seen strong take-up of this free-to-join programme and see that this is as a very strong endorsement of the quality and support for our brand. At property level, Fraser Suites Dubai recently launched Fraser Rewards, which is a programme designed to reward the booker responsible for booking and referring clients to the property. Much of our sales work is based on building long lasting relationships ,and we view these as extremely important foundations upon which to grow our business and recognise those who support us.
Q: Fraser is promoting its long-stay offers with budget-friendly price tags. Where would you put your rates by Dubai standards?
A: We provide seasonal offers for short term transient and extended stay guests to stimulate demand during the off peak seasons, however I would not really consider our rates to be “budget” oriented. As a deluxe category property our rates are pitched more toward the premium end of the market however we incorporate an extensive range of value added benefits to make our offers extremely compelling. All of the oversized apartments at Fraser Suites Dubai are situated between levels 23 to 45 of the tower and enjoy uninterrupted views. Our class leading lifestyle facilities include a 25 metre outdoor swimming pool, children’s wading pool, 24-hour gymnasium, tennis and squash courts, yoga room, children’s playroom, ladies and gents sauna, and steam rooms, which are included at no extra cost.
