Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts are signing their seventh Dubai property, due to open in 2017. The plan for a new hotel apartment tower in downtown Dubai completes one more step towards Dubai’s vision of welcoming 20 million visitors by 2020.

With an enviable location walking distance from Dubai Mall and Dubai International Financial Centre, Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai will offer its guests access to key attractions and important business districts.

The 246 hotel apartments will be developed with varying sizes, ranging between 36 sqm for studio apartments and 104 sqm for two-bedroom apartments. A speciality restaurant and lobby café will provide a variety of cuisine and guests will also be able to relax at a swimming pool, gymnasium, spa and beauty salon. Several shops and two meeting rooms complete the plans.

“As Dubai continues to develop and Expo 2020 nears, multiple districts with their own feel, geographic importance and accessibility emerge. Downtown Dubai is an area we’ve eyed for a while and I’m delighted that we will be able to add this vibrant and central location to our portfolio,” said Andreas Mattmüller, Chief Operating Officer of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Middle East and Asia.

He continued by revealing that the property’s main focus will be on providing medium and long-term accommodation. There is a growing market for travellers to Dubai who prefer the comfort and convenience of fully furnished, fully serviced, branded hotel apartments. Of course, the proximity to Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and associated attractions means we will also be well placed to accommodate GCC families on leisure travellers once it opens in 2017.”

The company’s seventh Dubai property, will be in a new area of the city for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, namely in Downtown Dubai. Its other six properties are located across Ibn Battuta Mall near Jebel Ali, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Jumeirah Beach on The Walk, Bur Dubai, Deira and in Mamzar near Sharjah.

El Housein Limited, the owning company of Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai, is also the owner of Mövenpick Hotel Les Berges Du Lac Tunis. Both properties are currently under construction. Fethi Neifer, the owner of El Housein Limited, said he is excited about the company’s partnership with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. “We like the fact that Mövenpick has a clear strategy for expansion, which builds confidence and clarity. I am certain our two projects will benefit greatly by being managed with a focus on quality, high standards and consistent service.”

Worldwide, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts currently operates 81 hotels in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The next property to open in the region is Mövenpick Hotel Riyadh, which is scheduled to welcome guests from early 2015.