Majid Al Futtaim is taking experiential travel to a new level by building a cinema-themed hotel in Deira City Centre Mall.

Majid Al Futtaim CEO Robert Welanetz

The company’s CEO Robert Welanetz spoke to Hotel News Middle East about the Aloft Dubai City Centre Deira.

“Connected to the iconic City Centre Deira, our latest hotel property with its themed-cinema concept is designed to bring a vibrant new ambience and experience for diners and travellers alike, delivering on the increasing demand for experiential travel and leisure,” he says, before adding that the project is also being developed in response to the demand for more mid-market experiences.

The Aloft Dubai City Centre Deira will feature a cinematic themed floor of 25 standard rooms and four suite rooms and is scheduled to open in Q1, 2018.

He added that Majid Al Futtaim is expanding its footprint of hotels being built into malls across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

“It’s been shown that the most popular activity for tourists, after checking into a hotel, is shopping,” he says.

“With that in mind, the amenities around a hotel become more and more important.”