MANDARIN ORIENTAL ANNOUNCES LUXURY HOTEL IN DOHA, QATAR

MANDARIN ORIENTAL ANNOUNCES LUXURY HOTEL IN DOHA, QATAR Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has today announced that it will manage a new luxury city centre hotel and serviced apartments in Doha, the capital of Qatar. The property, which is being developed by owners, DOHALAND, is scheduled to open in 2014. Mandarin Oriental, Doha will be the Group’s second hotel in the Middle East following its announcement earlier this year that it will open Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi which is scheduled for 2013. Mandarin Oriental, Doha will be located in Musheireb, DOHALAND’s ambitious development of a 35 hectare site adjacent to Doha’s cultural gem, Souk Waqif, and the city’s business centre in West Bay. The Musheireb project is set to regenerate the core of the city, recreating a way of living that is rooted in Qatari culture, and reflecting the growing international importance of Doha as a leisure and business destination. Mandarin Oriental, Doha will feature 160 luxurious guestrooms and suites, as well as 95 serviced apartments. All accommodation will be spacious and elegantly styled, displaying a contemporary interpretation of traditional local influences together with subtle oriental touches reflecting the Group’s heritage. Mandarin Oriental’s renowned customer-centric and highly sophisticated in-room entertainment systems will be a prominent feature. Other facilities will include an all-encompassing Spa at Mandarin Oriental which will introduce the Group’s award-winning spa concepts to a new audience, providing holistic rejuvenation and relaxation in a serene, meditative setting. The spacious spa will include 10 private treatment rooms as well as a vitality pool and other heat and water experiences. Guests will also be able to enjoy the indoor swimming pool and fitness centre. Featuring a variety of restaurants and bars Mandarin Oriental, Doha will offer some of the finest cuisine in the city from gastronomic dining to the Group’s popular ‘cake shop’ concept. The hotel will also boast extensive banqueting and meeting facilities. “We are delighted to be introducing the Mandarin Oriental brand to the exciting and rapidly growing city of Doha. The Musheireb project is set to transform the city and together with the developers, DOHALAND, we have a vision to create a spectacular and prestigious luxury hotel that will form the centrepiece of this new urban development,” said Director of Operations, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Christoph Mares of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Mr. Abdul Aziz Al-Emadi, CEO of DOHALAND Hospitality, a subsidiary of DOHALAND, said: “We are pleased to be partnering with world-renowned luxury hotel group, Mandarin Oriental to create a hotel that will set new standards in the city in terms of elegance and sophistication. Doha is one of the fastest growing cities in the Middle East and Mandarin Oriental, Doha is certain to become a favourite destination for international travellers and locals alike.” Mandarin Oriental, Doha will be located in the central part of Musheireb, close to the historic origins of Qatar’s capital city yet just 15 minutes drive from the International Airport which is currently being expanded to accommodate the estimated 50 million transient passengers a year into Doha. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world's most prestigious hotels, resorts and residences. Mandarin Oriental now operates, or has under development, 42 hotels representing over 10,000 rooms in 27 countries, with 17 hotels in Asia, 13 in The Americas and 12 in Europe, Middle East and North Africa. In addition, the Group operates, or has under development, 14 Residences at Mandarin Oriental, connected to the Group’s properties. Photography of Mandarin Oriental is available to download, in high and low resolution, in the Photo Library of our Media section, at www.mandarinoriental.com. For further information, please contact: Corporate Office Jill Kluge (jillk@mohg.com) Group Communications – Global Tel: +44 (20) 7908 7810 Anna Glover (aglover@mohg.com) Group Communications – Europe, Middle East & Africa Tel: +44 (20) 7908 7812 Sally de Souza (sallydes@mohg.com) Group Communications – Asia Tel: +852 2895 9160 Danielle DeVoe (ddevoe@mohg.com) Group Communications – United States Tel: +1 (212) 830 9380 www.mandarinoriental.com About DOHALAND Aligned with the 'Qatar National Vision 2030', DOHALAND will lead innovation in urban living through sustainability and heritage, providing a dynamic modern lifestyle that exists in harmony with its surroundings, and empower human potential to grow and flourish. Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Chairperson, established DOHALAND with a mandate to address a gap in the architectural history of Qatar and rediscover a unique form of Qatari urban development. DOHALAND aims to understand, and eventually implement, what was good about the past, and how modern, innovative technologies and thinking can be blended to create a new architectural language rooted in the best of the past. Construction work on DOHALAND’s signature project Musheireb was initiated on 13 January 2010, by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, who revived an age-old Qatari tradition by leaving her royal handprint on the cornerstone of the project, due to be completed by 2016. DOHALAND has invested time and resources towards researching a new Qatari architecture and urban planning language with the foremost experts in the industry. DOHALAND also launched its CSR commitment, Knowledge Enrichment Centre, a floating structure at Doha Corniche designed to support the people of Qatar to flourish and enrich their experiences, and encourage a new culture of knowledge sharing. DOHALAND will cultivate enduring environments for the benefit of people, built to the highest international environmental standards and best practice. The company aims to become the preferred real estate development partner in Qatar, leading by example, leading the market and becoming an employer of choice.