International residential and resort developer IFA Hotels & Resorts, co-developer of the acclaimed Zimbali Coastal Resort, has announced the opening of its first hotel in Dubai – Fairmont, The Palm.

The US$330million five-star beachfront hotel is the only operational resort located on the trunk of the Palm Jumeirah, making it one of the island’s most accessible destinations.

It also becomes the eighth property in the world to offer a Fairmont Heritage Place private residence club and the second FHP in the IFA HR portfolio.

Talal Jassim Al-Bahar, chairman of IFA Hotels & Resorts South Africa stated: “Following Fairmont Zimbali Lodge and Fairmont Zimbali Resort, this is the third Fairmont property in our portfolio and our first operational hotel in Dubai.

“For our current and future owners in both FHP Zimbali and FHP The Palm, it is especially exciting news that another world-class Fairmont Heritage Place destination is now accessible.”

The five-star hotel features 460-metres of beachfront, 381 balconied guestrooms, ten Fairmont Heritage Place, The Palm residences, 3,000 m² of meeting and conference facilities, 1,600m² spa, seven food and beverage outlets and an array of amenities including four swimming pools, a private beach club and Children’s Activity Centre.

Werner Burger, chief executive of IFA Hotels & Resorts South Africa said: “Developing luxury mixed-use resorts has established IFA HR as an industry leader.

“Today, our focus is on repositioning and restructuring our business with an emphasis on operations – a sector where we’ve seen good growth.

“We will also continue to focus on our leisure products, vacation clubs and private residence clubs, which have surpassed our sales expectations in the current market.

“Zimbali, in particular, has performed very well notwithstanding current market conditions.”