Rotana adds 40 properties to pipeline with Saudi Arabia and UAE focus

Rotana is advancing a development pipeline of 40 properties with 8,334 keys under development, alongside 78 operating hotels across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Türkiye, according to company statements reported by Hospitality News Magazine and Travel and Tour World.

Saudi Arabia accounts for quarter of development pipeline#

Saudi Arabia represents one-quarter of Rotana's development pipeline, with projects spanning Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Hail, Abha and Al Baha, according to Hospitality News Magazine. The group opened Edge Riyadh – Al Rabie earlier in 2026, adding 71 rooms and suites in the Ar Rabi district. In July 2026, Rotana signed The Residences by Rotana at Thakher, Makkah with Zawaya Properties Company, a 240-apartment development located 1.5 kilometres from the Grand Mosque. The property will combine residential accommodation with hotel services for pilgrims, long-stay residents and business visitors. Rotana currently operates 13 properties in Saudi Arabia, with 10 projects under development across the Kingdom.

UAE openings include Saadiyat Island and Ras Al Khaimah properties#

In the UAE, Bloom Arjaan by Rotana opened in August 2026 with 217 serviced apartments at Park View, Marsa Al Saadiyat, according to Hospitality News Magazine. The property provides short and extended stay accommodation with access to the island's cultural and leisure facilities. Rotana Ras Al Khaimah – The Mangroves is preparing to open later in 2026, offering 258 keys overlooking the mangroves and Arabian Gulf. The property will include five dining venues, leisure and wellness facilities, and meeting and event spaces. As of August 2026, the UAE had 212,135 hotel keys in operation, including approximately 151,380 in Dubai, according to Cavendish Maxwell data reported by Khaleej Times.

Beirut property to open January 2027 after renovation#

Rotana signed an agreement with ACHRAFIEH 5418 SAL to convert an existing 85-unit Beirut property into an Edge by Rotana hotel, expanding it to 95 units with improved meeting facilities, according to Travel and Tour World. The property is scheduled to open in January 2027 following a complete renovation. The signing was announced at the Future Hospitality Summit World 2026. Eddy Tannous, Chief Operating Officer of Rotana, said the company remains focused on long-term regional development through partnerships with owners and investors, according to the same source.

GCC hotel supply to reach 616,000 rooms by 2030#

GCC countries are expected to deliver approximately 126,000 new hotel rooms by 2030, increasing existing supply by 25 per cent to a total of 616,000 rooms, according to Cavendish Maxwell data reported by Khaleej Times. Saudi Arabia leads regional expansion with nearly 94,500 new rooms in the pipeline, taking its planned 2030 total to approximately 275,300 rooms. The UAE has more than 23,000 rooms in upcoming supply, including 11,180 in Dubai. Occupancy rates from January to August 2026 averaged 59 per cent in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, down 3 per cent and nearly 25 per cent respectively compared with the same period in 2025, according to the same report released at the Future Hospitality Summit World on 23 September 2026.