RAK National Hotels (RAKNH), a subsidiary of RAK Hospitality Holding (RAKHH) has inked a deal with Al Hamra Real Estate Development (AHRED) with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company to open the branded hotel in Ras Al Khaimah. 
Until 14 December 2016, the two properties, the desert and the beach, will continue to be operated by Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts. The transition to Ritz-Carlton management for the two properties will start on 15 December 2016.
The Al Wadi desert property will continue to operate as the Al Wadi Desert, Ras Al Khaimah, a Ritz-Carlton partner hotel, May 2017 whilst undergoing a complete transformation and from June 2017, the property will be rebranded as The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Desert. The revamped hotel will comprise of 101 private pool villas, four dining and entertainment venues, plus a Ritz-Carlton Rainforest and Spa.
The Al Hamra Village beach property will close down for an extensive refurbishment in mid December 2016 until May 2017. From June 2017, the property will re-open its doors as The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Hamra Beach, comprising of 32 private pool villas perched on Al Hamra village’s beach.
Commenting on the agreement, Yannis Anagnostakis, RAKHH, CEO said: “We are very excited to welcome the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, and to place our trust with the management of our flagship Al Wadi Desert property. We are confident that the experience of this world leading luxury operator, combined with their deep knowledge of the region, makes them an excellent partner to manage Ras Al Khaimah’s hospitality “crown jewels”. We continuously seek the right opportunities to enhance and expand our portfolio across Ras Al Khaimah, aligning ourselves with the ever-evolving customer expectations, and repositioning our assets throughout their life cycle. We believe that Ritz-Carlton will be transformational to the Emirate’s luxury offerings.”
Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East & Africa at Marriott International said: “We are pleased that we were selected as a trusted operator to manage these two strategic properties and we are excited to expand our relationship with the owners, AHRED and RAKHH in another spectacular destination in the UAE. Ras Al Khaimah is important for our growth and we are fortunate to have partners who share our vision. We look forward to offering exclusivity and luxury to our guests in Ras Al Khaimah and to helping the owners achieve their objectives.”
